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ResistanceBy Owen Sheers
Completed June 27, 2008
I think poets make great novelists. Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, even Shel Silverstein all embrace a stunningly descriptive way of writing that makes their stories and characters just flow through your mind. Like his poetic counterparts, Owen Sheers used this lyrical style in his debut novel Resistance.
Resistance is an alternate history – what if the German army invaded England during World War II? In this book, Sarah Lewis woke one morning to find her husband missing. In fact, all of the men in her Welsh valley had disappeared with no note, explanation or forewarning. Another wife, Maggie, discovered a pamphlet in her barn that led them to a grave conclusion: their husbands and sons left to join the Resistance.
Then, things become more precarious when a German patrol arrived in their valley, led by Captain Albrecht Wolfram, an Oxford-trained medieval scholar who became an unlikely soldier when Germany went to war. Settled into an abandoned house, the German soldiers collectively decided to stay in this isolated area because they felt the end of the war was near. As a fierce winter dug its teeth into the valley, the men helped the women maintain their farms. While their assistance was accepted reluctantly at first, the soldiers and women formed bonds as they fought against the devastating winter.
Two forces, however, threatened their delicate coexistence. If the Gestapo discovered these women whose husbands were Resistance fighters, the women would be executed (and more than likely the German soldiers would be court marshaled and killed too). If the British Resistance discovered that the women were “collaborating” with the German soldiers, their countrymen would kill them all. Isolation could be maintained easily during the winter. But when spring arrived, the sheep had to be brought to market, cows needed mates and goods needed to be exchanged. Spring, a time of new beginnings, created an unavoidable compromise in the fate of these characters.
The story is loosely based on the existence of a real Resistance group that Britain formed during World War II. Sheers also researched life on Welsh farms during this time, resulting in an engaging historical novel (despite the alternate history). Admittedly, I found some issues with the advancement of the plot, but overall, Resistance was a compelling story with fully developed characters, vivid descriptions of Wales and heart-breaking accounts of the effect of war on men and women. If you like World War II fiction or alternate histories, then I highly recommend Resistance to you. (
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cheerful
Janeology
By Karen Harrington
Completed June 15, 2008
Nature versus nurture – it’s an old question and still a widely debatable one. Do genes rule our own impulses? Does one’s environment shape who we become?
It’s this theme that formed Karen Harrington’s debut novel, Janeology. In this book, Jane Nelson decided that she was “done being a mother” and drowned her twin children. Her daughter, Sarah, survived the incident, and Jane was declared insane and sent to a psychiatric facility. However, the state was not done pointing fingers, and they pursued criminal neglect charges against Jane’s husband, Tom, who the state contended saw Jane spiral out of control and did nothing about it.
Faced with a five-year prison sentence, Tom’s attorney, Dave, wanted to build a case that focused on Jane’s genetic make-up and family history. In essence, nature and nurture underpinned Jane’s actions.
Little was known about Jane’s past, though, and Dave employed a clairvoyant, Mariah, to help them rebuild Jane’s lineage. Mariah was able to channel Jane’s parents, grandparents and great-grandparents – each telling a story where parents failed to protect their children, neglected their families and even committed crimes.
When I started to read Janeology, I was expecting a John Grisham-like court drama. Instead, this book focused on the stories that make up family histories and how our circumstances often affect our decisions as we get older. The appearance of the clairvoyant was a little far-reaching for my taste, but once I suspended a level of disbelief about Mariah, I was wrapped up in each family member’s tale.
As a parent, I found some of Harrington’s words very resonating: “ There was no gene that made one fit for parenting. One couldn’t assume that the instinct to protect exists in every individual, not if they haven’t been protected themselves.” (page 224). This very thought buttressed Tom’s entire defense.
Karen Harrington’s writing style was easy and engaging, and she toggled a hot-button issue with great objectivity. She drew her characters, including Jane, into several lights so you can gain a better perspective of each one. I look forward to reading more of Harrington’s books – she’s a promising young writer with a great gift for storytelling. ( )
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America AmericaBy Ethan Canin
Completed June 8, 2008
Corey Sifter was an average boy, living with his working-class parents in New York, when the wealthy, well-connected Metarey family employed him to work on their estate. Liam Metarey, the family’s patriarch, took a shining to Corey and gave him important jobs at the mansion as well as paid for his education at a prestigious boarding school. While working on the estate, Corey was exposed to the presidential campaign of New York Senator Henry Bonwiller, who Metarey supported despite Bonwiller’s flaws. In turn, Corey witnessed numerous scandals, politics and events, which eventually shaped Corey into the man he became.
America America by Ethan Canin was, in effect, the story of the have’s and have not’s, 1970’s political scandals, family and friendships, and the power of the almighty American dollar. And this book’s main character saw it all.
This book was a slow-starter, slowly building momentum until the reader reaches the mid-point. Canin’s writing style reminded me of Richard Russo – quaint, meandering and illustrative. It takes patience to read a Russo book, and I needed the same patience to finish this Canin novel too.
I also have to comment about the characterization. While the reader gets to know Corey well enough, the other characters were flat to me. The wealthy Metareys seemed plastic and unbelievable. I felt no rapport for Corey’s parents, who were more like bystanders than parents during Corey’s employment with the Metareys. Even Senator Bonwiller, who had the potential for interest with his drinking and womanizing, was boring and lifeless. Perhaps the passivity of the characters was intentional, but for this reader, it cast a long shadow over this long book.
Critics are already raving about this novel, and I suspect that America America will make notable and prize lists this year. For me, the novel’s story was a good one, but I have a personal distaste for books that take awhile to build into a crescendo of a story. If you like books about politics and are a more patient reader than me, then I would recommend America America to you. ( 
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hot
Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky ThatcherBy Lenore Hart
Completed May 29, 2008
I must admit that I am a sucker for a good companion novel. Last year, I read Finn by Jon Clinch, which was a story about Huck Finn’s infamous father. My latest read was the feminine side of this group of friends – a story about Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer’s sweetheart. In Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher by Lenore Hart, Becky got her voice and opportunity to set the story straight.
"I loved and hated men, lost and found them, tried and failed to tempt them away from their own destruction. I’ve been the cause of more than one death. I’ve been a friend and enemy and fiancée, wife and mother and widow. I’ve killed in a fight, and longed to do murder once or twice at home. I’ve taught, mothered, soldiered, mined and even written for the newspapers. But I was never the weeping little ninny Sam Clemens made me out to be in his book."
And with this statement, Becky began her story as a complex, multi-dimensional character, dead set about shaking this timid image that Mark Twain described in his novels.
The story opened as Becky’s husband, Sid, was about to leave for the army during the late months of the Civil War. This began Becky’s adventures as she chased her husband into the wilds of Missouri in an attempt to bring him home. She disguised herself as a soldier to accomplish this mission and was involved in skirmish or two. Once reunited, the couple decided to move to Nevada to escape the war atrocities as home – thus, beginning another set of adventures for Becky as she moved West.
Hanging like a web over all of these stories were Becky’s feelings for Tom. Tom and Huck were minor characters in this book, and Hart added different perspectives to these famous boys (who are now men in this book). Tom was self-absorbed and restless, always caring for his childhood sweetheart despite his lack of commitment to her. Huck was Tom’s loyal companion – raw, impatient, cunning and unforgiving - but I felt that Huck had more sense than his reckless friend. In addition to Tom and Huck, Hart added Sam Clemens, who came across as imaginative and scheming, eventually betraying his friendship with Becky when he published his books.
With all of these males in her life, one can see how Becky did not grow up to be a “weeping little ninny.” However, I think Hart tried too hard to prove Becky was as strong as her male counterparts. The killings, the soldiering, the wearing of pants, the lying, the adultery – it was a tad too much. Women can be strong without acting like men.Despite this small criticism, I enjoyed Becky and highly recommend this book to lovers of Tom Sawyer stories, Civil War fiction and tales about women’s lives in history. (
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Songs for the MissingBy Stewart O'Nan
Completed May 25, 2008
I cannot imagine one of my sons disappearing into thin air. The panic, the fear, the anger, the questions – it would be all too much to bear. In Songs for the Missing, Stewart O’Nan tackled this topic head on, and after finishing this page-turner (I finished the book in one day), I was left exhausted and heart-broken. Despite the devastating topic, though, I am glad to have read this spellbinding novel.
The story is about the disappearance of Kim Larsen, Kim was pretty, popular and counting the days until she left for college. One afternoon, Kim did not show up for work. It wasn’t until almost dawn when her parents detected that she was missing. They called the police and the search for Kim was on.
Each chapter of Songs for the Missing was written from a different person’s viewpoint. At first, Kim had her voice until she went missing. Then, her father, mother, sister, boyfriend and best friend each “took turns” telling about the search, their hope for a positive outcome and how they tried to cope with the day-to-day aspects of living.
As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, you saw how each character realized that Kim might not return home. Each character dealt with the grief in different ways. I specifically thought the age-relevance of each character was realistic. The teenagers were equally scared about their fates as the police investigation uncovered drug use; the younger sister dealt with (again) being in her sister’s shadow; the mother worked furiously, advocating for missing persons; and the father struggled emotionally, financially and psychologically but never wanted to show these “weaknesses” to his loved ones.
Their plight was so realistic and heart breaking. Thanks to O’Nan’s superb writing style, you could not help but be drawn to these characters and wonder what happened to Kim. I kept hoping that Kim would be found alive because I wanted these characters to have a “happily ever after” ending. I was so invested in each one of their lives that their grief was my own.
This is my first Stewart O’Nan book, but it certainly won’t be my last. His writing style was gripping and the way he drew his characters reminded me of Jodi Picoult. I highly recommend Songs for the Missing to anyone. I don’t think any reader of literary fiction could be disappointed with this engaging story. (
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Looking For Salvation at the Dairy QueenBy Susan Gregg Gilmore
Completed May 24, 2008
Looking for a light but entertaining poolside read this summer? If so, then I would recommend Susan Gregg Gilmore’s debut novel, Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen.
It’s the story of Catherine Grace Cline, the preacher’s daughter, of Ringgold, Ga. Catherine Grace had been planning her departure from her one stoplight town as long as she could remember. The first part of the book explored her childhood, including the loss of her mother, her befriending of the town “floozy”, the trials and tribulations of being the preacher’s kid, and all creatures big and small in this sleepy Georgia town. The last half of the book was about Catherine Grace’s exodus to Atlanta and eventual return to Ringgold because of a family tragedy. Was big city life all Catherine Grace hoped it to be? Or did she decide that small-town life was perfect after all? I won’t tell you Catherine Grace’s decision, but I think you may have fun reading her journey of self-discovery – with Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen as her therapy.
Personally, I related to Catherine Grace. I fled to more “metropolitan” cities – Macon and Atlanta – to attend college and was bewitched by the allure of these Southern cities. I stayed in Georgia for eight years and loved every minute of it. But the reality of aging parents 500 miles away wielded its ugly head, and I made the decision to move home. I am glad I did. There is, after all, no place like home.
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen is the quintessential Southern book. Gilmore’s writing style was fun and approachable but serious when it needed to be. If you like reading about Southern towns, characters and culture, then this is the book for you. I look forward to reading more from this promising new Southern writer. (
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Skeletons at the Feast By Chris Bohjalian
Completed May 12, 2008
Many books have explored the exodus of Europeans and Jews who fled the approaching German army during World War II. In Skeletons at the Feast, Chris Bohjalian examined another type of evacuation – this time of a Prussian family trying to stay steps ahead of the vengeful Soviet army.
Loosely based on a diary of young Prussian girl, the story followed Anna, her mother (Mutti), her young brother, Theo, and Callum, a Scottish POW who was assigned to Anna’s estate in Prussia. Together, they migrated on foot during the harsh winter to the safety of western Germany. Intermingled with Anna’s story were also the narratives of Uri, a young Jewish man who disguised himself as a German soldier to escape concentration camps, and Cecile, a French Jewish woman who was imprisoned at a German “work camp.” All of these stories showed the atrocities of war on civilians and how they endured the hardships of fatigue, hunger, severe weather and artillery fire.
In the depiction of Cecile and her fellow female prisoners, Bohjalian spared no details. It was downright graphic. So too were the scenes that depicted the bitterness of the Soviet army as they invaded Germany. These scenes were hard to read and not for the faint of heart. I often wonder how these things happened within recent history, and then I remember that genocide still goes on – just in a different place to different people. And that’s why I think it’s important to read books such as Skeletons at the Feast, even though it can be hard to do so.
Skeletons at the Feast had a pedestrian approach to a hard subject matter. There was no deep symbolism or foreshadowing in this book – just words and lines strung together to tell a story. However, I often found that Bohjalian employed the “tell, not show” type of narrative, and the different character viewpoints were, at first, unparalleled and hard to follow. Nonetheless, the book was a page turner – one I would recommended to readers who enjoy books set during World War II or the Holocaust. (
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tired
The Story of ForgettingBy Stefan Merrill Block
Completed April 20, 2008
Stefan Merrill Block made a strong debut with The Story of Forgetting– a tale of families, memories and how secrets can destroy relationships. Indeed, The Story of Forgetting is really a story of remembering – your family, your memories, your way of life. Central to this book is Alzheimer’s, the disease that not only robs people of their memories but how to live, regressing them from adults to children within years. It’s this pain that buttressed this compelling story.
The story intertwined the tales of Seth Waller – a sensitive, smart 15-year old who was dealing with his mother’s diagnosis of familial early-onset Alzheimer’s – and Abel Haggard – an elderly hermit who roamed his decrepit home, remorseful of a life of secrets that bound Abel to his home and land. Block switched back and forth between Seth and Abel’s stories – plus added in the mythological story of Isidora, a place where people’s memories are blissfully erased – and a scientist’s notes of the genetic history of familial early-onset Alzheimer’s. These chapters moved the story nicely, layering each story to the moment when it all came together.
Seth’s chapters mostly dealt with his “empirical research” into this particular type of Alzheimer’s. A novice scientist, Seth discovered a list of early-onset Alzheimer’s sufferers near his home and visited each one, trying to reconstruct his mother’s secret childhood and hoping to find a relative who can shed some light on his mother’s past. Abel’s chapters retold his life, his love for his brother’s wife, his brother’s suffering from early on-set Alzheimer’s and Abel’s love for his daughter who no longer was a part of his life. These characters were developed masterfully – sometimes you snickered at their actions, sometimes you frowned – but always caring about what happened to them.
Inspired by his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, Block’s The Story of Forgetting was everything but forgettable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about family relationships. I look forward to reading more books from this promising young author. (
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Change of HeartBy Jodi Picoult
Completed March 31, 2008
A priest, an atheist lawyer and a convicted killer walked into a bar…
Okay, not really, but they did take center stage in Jodi Picoult’s latest book, Change of Heart.
In this book, Picoult chose two hot-button issues, religious beliefs and capital punishment, to explore the following scenario: a man on death row wanted to donate his heart to a dying girl. And not just any dying girl – but the daughter of the man he was accused of killing. Should the dying girl’s mom accept this organ donation? If the girl gets this heart, will she take on characteristics of the donor? And why was the man really offering up his heart – to redeem himself, because it was the right thing to do? These questions may not have been answered in Change of Heart, but each perspective was presented and explored, leaving the reader to think hard about it all.
Picoult is a skilled writer, and her character development (again) was flawless in this book. From the convicted killer, Shay Bourne, to his attorney, Maggie Bloom, to his spiritual advisor, Father Michael, you crawled into each character’s head and ponder what they’re pondering, wonder what they’re wondering and believe what they’re believing. Each chapter of the book was told from a different person’s perspective, which made the story flow nicely. All in all, Change of Heart was a real page-turner.
However, one aspect of the story did leave me uncomfortable. With Shaye, Picoult made his character Christ-like. He was a 33-year old carpenter whose appearance on death row caused a stir, from the cell faucets that spewed wine, to the inexplicable remission of an AIDS-stricken inmate, to Shay’s comfort with a fishing pole. Sound familiar? Even his name, Isaiah Matthew Bourne (I.M. Bourne) made my eyebrows go up. None of these miracles or coincidences were subtle, but I am not sure of their relevance to this story. Admittedly, I am still scratching my head about this aspect of Change of Heart, and I will be curious to read what others think about this story.
Despite this, I would recommend Change of Heart to the many Jodi Picoult fans out there. She’s in true form, as always. (
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When I signed up for this challenge in December, I never dreamed that I would have it completed by the end of March. In fact, I thought it would be very 
Hugs and thanks to 3M for hosting The Pub 2008 Challenge. Though I am finished with this challenge, I am not done with reading books published in 2008, and I will continue to add to my original challenge post as I finish each book.
1) Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell (review)
2) Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey (review)
3) The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (review)
4) Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice (review)
5) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (review)
6) Two Brothers - One North, One South by David H. Jones (review)
7) The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari (review)
8) The Sister by Poppy Adams (review)
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Christ the Lord: The Road to CanaBy Anne Rice
Completed March 28, 2008
“It’s where I live, my lord,” I said. “Not in the Temple, but in the world. And in the world, I learn what the world is and what the world will teach, and I am of the world.” (page 99)
When I started to read Anne Rice’s latest book, Christ The Lord: The Road to Cana, I did so knowing that I have two biases: (1) I love the way Anne Rice writes and (2) I love to read fictional accounts based on the Bible. Having enjoyed Rice’s first Christ book, I had high hopes for The Road To Cana, and all in all, I was not disappointed.
The Road to Cana detailed Jesus’s life in his early thirties when he was a carpenter living with his family in Nazareth. In Rice’s depiction, Jesus (still known as Yeshua) struggled with his identity. In his heart, he knew that he was the Son of God, but he tried to live a “normal life” of peace and worship. However, Jesus knew that he could not live out all aspects of an average Jewish man, including marriage or having children, despite pressures from his family and villagers. In essence, Jesus tried to keep his holy birth a secret while going about his daily life – until events transpired that brought his purpose to light.
In this book, Rice drew out Jesus’s human qualities. For example, Jesus was in love with a young woman, Avigail, and dreamed about her at night. At times, he maintained a cool head, but other times, he bumbled like a clumsy suitor, often making mistakes that jeopardized the social norms of unmarried men and women in Jewish culture. Another example was Jesus’s struggle with his older brother, James. As the oldest child, James was in charge of the household, but living with the Son of God gave James an inferiority complex (and understandably so). James fought with Jesus about getting married, dealing with the Romans and household duties – and Jesus’s patience was tried at many times, which often led to an “exchange of words” between the brothers.
While the first two-thirds of the book was devoted to Jesus’s struggle as a man, the last third of the book dealt with his epiphany of why he was the Son of God and his purpose among humans. This section of the book is classic Anne Rice, full of imagery, allusions and struggles between good and evil. The Devil made an appearance, and I was reminded of Rice’s Memnoch The Devil from the vampire series. In fact, her depiction of The Devil was so true to her earlier character that I believe it to be intentional. Jesus’s epiphany was hard to read as he cried over humans’ flaws, starved himself to death and denied himself water. But he emerged sure of his purpose and more in love with humanity than ever before.
Upon completion of Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, I felt like I had just finished the second book of a trilogy. It had many “transitional” and “setting up for the big finish” aspects to it. I hope Rice delves into a third book about Christ because I find her storytelling and historical research so compelling. Her Christ books are a great addition to the literary canon of Biblical fiction. If you enjoy religious narratives or are a fan of Anne Rice, this is one book that I recommend for your bookshelf. (
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sick
Bulls IslandBy Dorothea Benton Frank
Completed March 21, 2008
Betts McGee fled her childhood home of Charleston, SC, after the sudden death of her mother, which drove a wedge between her and her fiance, J.D. Betts moved to New York City, became a successful financier and raised her son, Adrian. For almost 20 years, Betts never spoke to her father, sister or estranged fiance. That is, until her company sent her back to Charleston on assignment - and she must deal with her ghosts from the past, including J.D., who still has feelings for Betts.
This is my first novel by Dorothea Benton Frank, and I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the plot in Bulls Island. On the surface, it sounded like fun "poolside reading" - but the plot did not move quickly enough to keep this reader interested in the story. It was nearly half way into the novel before Betts actually arrives in Charleston. First, the reader must deal with her son's departure to college and Betts's fling with another man before the reader gets what she's been waiting for: the boy-meets-girl tension that dangled from this story for nearly 150 pages. When we finally get there, the book rushes through the storyline. The whole plot was choppy and disjointed to me.
While the plot was not up to par, I did find Frank's writing style easy and fun to read. Her depictions of Southern landscapes rival Nicholas Sparks or Sue Monk Kidd. I felt the humidity, smelled the river and watched the grass brown right with the characters. As a fan of books set in the South, I found these parts of the book to be the best.
Would I read another book by Dorothea Benton Frank? Only after doing some more research on what other readers have thought about her stories and examining what the plots have to offer. I am guessing that fans of her writing might enjoy Bulls Island. For others, I think you can safely pass on this tale. (
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People of the BookBy Geraldine Brooks
Completed March 16, 2008
People of the Book is a fitting title for Geraldine Brooks’s latest novel. This book explored the many people who touched an ancient Hebrew codex that traveled through Europe for 500 years. Though a work of fiction, the book is based on a true story of the Sarajevo Haggadah, a Jewish manuscript that was rescued by Muslim librarians twice – once during World War II and most recently during the nationalist wars in Yugoslavia. The irony that Muslim men rescued a Hebrew text during times of cultural strife provided Brooks with her framework. But it’s Brooks’s fictional illumination of what else happened to the haggadah during its long life that further advanced the message of People of the Book - how people can do the right thing, despite religious differences and political rules of the time.
In this book, Dr. Hanna Heath, an Australian expert in book conservation, was called to Sarajevo at the beginning of the cease-fire to inspect the haggadah and unravel its mysterious origins. As she inspected the book, Hanna extracted several clues to its past: an insect’s wing, sliver clasps, red stains on the page, a morsel of salt and a white hair. As she investigated each clue, Brooks took the reader back in time to how each item found its place in the haggadah. The “flashbacks” are all fictional, but they provided a narrative on the treatment of Jews through the years, from the Spanish Inquisition to World War II – and how one book survived it, thanks to the love and care of the people who were entrusted to protect it.
Admittedly, I found some of the historical narratives a little drawn out, but each fact had its place in the large context of the story. Hanna’s personal life also entered into the story, which in my opinion did not add to the story of the haggadah but explained why she became so interested in the conservation of books.
All in all, I enjoyed People of the Book because of what it represents: “It was here to test us, to see if there were people who could see that what united us was more than what divided us. That to be a human being matters more than to be a Jew or a Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox.” The real Sarajevo Haggadah is testament to this feeling, and thank God there are people out there who remember that humanity should transcend everything else.
If you like religious historical fiction, I highly recommend People of the Book to you. (
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The SisterBy Poppy Adams
Completed March 8, 2008
In her debut novel, The Sister, former BBC producer Poppy Adams used her photographer’s eye and mind to conjure up a unique tale of two sisters, Ginny and Viv, and their lifetime of secrets that tore their family apart. The story opened with Ginny, in her seventies, waiting for the arrival of her sister, Vivien, who she has not seen in almost fifty years. Once Vivien arrived, the reader must decipher between a past and present story line that unravels the disastrous family secrets – and keeps the reader wondering which sister is in the right until the last few chapters.
The Hitchcock-weird feeling of the characters can be downright bone chilling. Ginny narrated the story, and throughout her tale, little idiosyncrasies cropped up about Ginny, like her wearing of two wristwatches – one standard and one digital – that she meticulously checked for accuracy against her bedroom alarm clock. Or the drawer full of cannabis tea bags that she maintained to help her with arthritic pain but never liked to use because it caused a lack of symmetry in the drawer. Adams “spoon fed” Ginny’s personality quarks to the reader throughout The Sister, resulting in the nagging hunch that Ginny may not be a reliable narrator.
Then Adams, through Ginny’s narration, drew a picture of Vivien that was equally unsettling. Vivien was selfish and attention seeking, often manipulating her relationship with Ginny for her own gains. Ginny had a major inferiority complex with her sister, and the way Vivien was depicted, one could see why: smart, beautiful and full of creative ideas. You never get the sense though that Viv was a good person (through Ginny’s eyes), but the reader cannot doubt the love between them.
The Sister has the making of a great novel, especially for readers of Gothic literature: an old house, eccentric characters and a secret to be discovered. However, it has an obvious flaw – The Moths. The sisters’ father, Clive, was an expert in moths and taught his craft to Ginny when she was a teenager. Throughout the first half of the novel, The Moths are major characters. The reader learned about different types of moths, their importance to scientific research, how one caught them, how to kill them, how they transform from a caterpillar into a moth and what’s inside the cocoon during the transformation process.
All of this scientific knowledge took up pages of the story. While it was well written, it bogged the story down. When the reader finished, you can see how and why moths were important to The Sister’s plot, but perhaps Adams could have arrived at this point in different way. I almost abandoned The Sister because of the darned moths – and though I am glad I did not, I still have to shake my head about why they took up such a prominent place during the first half of the novel.
Once you get past The Moths, the suspense and mystery built masterfully into a real page-turner. I would recommend The Sister to readers with that disclaimer: have patience during the first half of the book and then prepare to be awed during the second. Adams made a promising debut, and I look forward to her future stories. (
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The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of DarfurBy Daoud Hari
Completed February 15, 2008
Daoud Hari, as a translator of many languages, knows how important words can be. During his entire life, Hari followed the "pen is mightier than the sword" philosophy by providing translation services to journalists writing about the genocide and the horrible circumstances of his homeland, Darfur, Sudan. His adventures and reflections came to life in his memoir, The Translator: The Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur.
Let every reader of this little book be warned: Hari's memoir is powerful, impactful and heart-breaking. He spares nothing when describing how his fellow countrymen and women (including children) are being slaughtered in Darfur. Entire villages are being gunned down by helicopters, men and women are burned alive in their huts, children are killed by the
sharp tip of the bayonet. During most of this book, I could only read a couple of chapters at a time because the descriptions were so hard to read. But Hari's plea to his reader - to read and learn more - echoed in my head , and I pressed on until I finished the last word.I have no regrets reading this memoir. And I ask that all of you read it too. By talking about this book, I hope to spread the mighty written word of Daoud Hari to you, and together, we can be more aware of the situation in Sudan and Chad. Won't you join me? (
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contemplative
Two Brothers - One North, One South
By David H. Jones
Completed January 27, 2008
The “brother versus brother” theme to American Civil War fiction is by no means new, but David H. Jones breathed new life into it in Two Brothers – One North, One South. In this book, Jones’s characters were real-life Civil War soldiers who fought on opposing sides – and whose story was told by Walt Whitman.
Whitman volunteered in military hospitals during the Civil War, and in this story, he tended to a young Confederate soldier, William Prentiss. William was expected to die within a few days, and he asked Whitman to listen to his story. Whitman was a patient listener, gathering all of William’s details. When William died, Whitman sought out the brother, the injured Clifton Prentiss, who was staying in the officers’ ward at the same hospital.
When Whitman found Clifton, he also met the other two Prentiss brothers, John and Melville. The brothers invited Whitman to draw up a chair to tell William’s story. Whitman talked about William’s decision to fight for the South, his battle tales and stories about mutual acquaintances. The brothers chimed in throughout Whitman’s tale, especially Clifton, who described what he was doing as he fought for the Union.
The story ends with a remarkable coincidence: both brothers were injured at the same battle, nearly 100 yards away from each other, and within minutes of each other – and days before the Confederate surrender.
Jones hit a gold mine when he discovered this family of Union and Confederate soldiers for his story. Having relatives fight on opposite sides of the Civil War was not unusual for those living in the Border States, such as Maryland, but their coincidental injuries added further interest to this tale. He struck it even richer by telling the story of the Cary cousins, Hetty, Jenny and Connie, who were an integral part of the Confederate war effort on the home front. These women smuggled goods to the South, created the battle flag for the Confederacy and tended to the sick and dying. Their story was a welcome tributary to that of the Prentiss family.
The research about Maryland’s divided loyalties, their battalions (both Union and Confederate) and the battles in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania was very thorough – probably to a fault. Pages passed where the reader learned a lot about the battle history but nothing about the Prentiss brothers who fought in them. I wonder if Jones was unsure about whether to tackle this book as fiction or non-fiction. So much emphasis was placed on providing historical background that it overshadowed the main characters. It was, after all, a story about two brothers divided by a war. I wish more was said about the brothers – and not so much about the “big picture” military tactics of the Eastern Theater.
Despite this, I would recommend Two Brothers – One North, One South to avid readers of Civil War fiction, especially fans of Howard Bahr and Michael Shaara, and to those with an interest in Maryland’s contribution to the war. Jones’s research can provide the reader with an insightful tutorial of this era – and remind us how devastating war is for both sides of the battle. ( )
copyright 2008 by me for Curled Up With a Good Book
- Location:home
- Mood:accomplished
The House at RivertonBy Kate Morton
Completed January 6, 2008
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton swept me away into a tale of love, murder, war and revenge. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to read this book, partly because of its length (470 pages), but also because I feared it would read like romantic fiction. I was wrong. The story encircles you and pulls you in, leaving you satisfied and moved by this provocative story.
Grace was only fourteen years old when she accepted a position at Riverton, the wealthy estate in her English village. There, Grace witnessed (and often participated) in remarkable events that struck three generations of the Hartford family. Grace became attached to the three children, but especially Hannah, who she eventually served as a “lady’s maid” well into adulthood.
Morton used Gothic literary tropes throughout this novel, which accelerated the story at nice intervals. In the modern day, we meet Grace as a 98-year old nursing home resident who was determined to record her story, including Riverton’s biggest secrets, for her grandson. As she recorded her tale, we experienced Grace’s flashbacks as she relived her life. There were two big mysteries for the reader: Who was Grace’s father, and what happened to Robbie Hunter, a poet who killed himself at Riverton in 1924? Morton offered the reader clues along the way. To me, there were no big surprises once everything was revealed, but I thought the twists were appropriate and advanced the plot at a nice pace. Certainly, this book was a real page-turner.
While the Gothic novel is by no means new, what I think is poignant about The House at Riverton was the theme of “shell shock” – the post-traumatic stress syndrome that affected World War I veterans. Several of the male characters who survived “The Great War” came home skittish, depressed, claustrophobic and restless. Morton’s accounts of these men (from all social classes) made the reader “see” what happened to them. I couldn’t help but think how this continues today with our Gulf War veterans. In my opinion, the military is excellent at training soldiers for war but may not offer the help they need when it’s time to return to civilian life. I can’t imagine what this transition must be like, and after reading this book, I appreciated their predicament even more.
I also enjoyed the “upstairs and downstairs” views of English society during the Edwardian era. Downstairs, the servants fret about food, what’s happening to the family upstairs, prepared for parties, looked after each other, and formed bonds built on honor and loyalty to the family they were serving. Upstairs, I sensed a lot of boredom and unrest with the younger generation while the older one desperately held on to societal traditions that were slipping away.
By far, Grace is one of the most interesting narrators I have read in a long time. She emerges from her Riverton experiences strong and determined, and turned her life into something she wanted. She’s the type of woman who always looked forward but never forgot her past. If you enjoy Gothic literary novels, such as Rebecca or The Thirteenth Tale, then I think you will like Grace and her story. (
)- Location:home
- Mood:enthralled
Atomic LobsterBy Tim Dorsey
Completed December 31, 2007
Atomic Lobster was one fast ride. It’s a story about Serge A. Storms, a criminal who always ends up helping the underdog, and his motley crew consisting of Coleman, a pothead alcoholic, and Rachael, a coke-sniffing stripper. In this story, Serge is hell-bent on protecting Jim Davenport, who saved Serge’s life ten years prior and is being hunted down by a serial killer. It’s also the story of four old ladies who have learned that it’s cheaper to go on cruises all year than to live in a retirement home. And it’s a story of the Mexican drug trade and terrorist attempts to poison Americans with anthrax. All of these subplots rapidly weave and twist their way through the story, until the end when they all come together in an Old West-meets -Florida fashion.
This story is not one of my usual genres, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the book. Excuse my eighth grade vernacular, but there’s something totally cool about seeing familiar streets, shopping centers, bridges, bars and cultural events in a book. The characters drive up the road I take to work every morning. They stop at a shopping center where I used to work. It’s like seeing your neighbor on TV over and over again, and this helped make Atomic Lobster very amusing to me.
Dorsey also chose “only in Florida” new stories and mixed them into the story. I am not sure if a non-local would “get” the humor behind a toll booth operator alerting police that a man’s body was stuck to the front of a car, or a house being sold
dirt cheap because the owner, who was a county official, cut corners on code enforcement. But for a local, this is funny stuff. From the state the brought you hanging chads and the president’s brother, Florida does not get enough credit for being a little bit backwards. Read Dorsey and you’ll get a huge dose of the absurdity that can be the Sunshine State.If you like dark humor and high crime, and don’t mind the sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, then I would recommend Atomic Lobster to you. If it’s not your cup of tea and you don’t live in the Tampa Bay area, I think you can safely skip this book. (
)Note: Atomic Lobster will be released in February 2008.
- Location:home
- Mood:productive
I am hoping my lucky streak with getting Advanced Readers Copies continues in 2008 as they will take up the majority of this challenge. Here's what I am slated to read so far:
1) Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell (review)*
2) Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey (review)*
3) The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (review)
4) Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice (review)
5) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (review)
6) Two Brothers - One North, One South by David H. Jones (review)
7) The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari (review)
8) The Sister by Poppy Adams (review)
And I also read the following books published in 2008:
1) Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank (review)
2) Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult (review)
3) The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block (review)
4) Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian (review)
5) Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore (review)
6) Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan (review)
7) Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher by Lenore Hart (review)
8) America America by Ethan Canin (review)
9) Janeology by Karen Harrington (review)
10) Resistance by Owen Sheers (review)
*3M is also being very kind, allowing us to include books read since Christmas.
I really hope that by the end of this challenge, I am more acquainted with books that appear on the "notable" book lists and are finalists for prestigious book awards, such as Man Booker and Pulitzer. In years past, I would look at these lists and only recognize a few titles. I am looking forward to what other participants are reading and what 2008 will bring in new books!
- Location:home
- Mood:nerdy
Dreamers of the DayBy Mary Doria Russell
Completed December 28, 2007
Historians will tell you that to understand the present you must comprehend the past. I believe that is what Mary Doria Russell is trying to show us in her latest book, Dreamers of the Day.
At initial glance, Dreamers of the Day is a coming-of-age novel about late bloomer, Agnes Shanklin, who becomes an heiress after the death of her relatives from the influenza epidemic in 1918. Agnes is unconfident and has an inferiority complex that has hindered her since childhood. Suddenly free of family and societal ties, Agnes decides to leave Ohio and voyage to Egypt to see the sites described in her deceased sister’s letters. Accompanied by her dachshund, Rosie, Agnes embarks on a journey that shapes her life.
While in Cairo though, she witnesses a moment of great historical significance: the Cairo Conference, when Winston Churchill, Lady Gertrude Bell and T.E. Lawrence decided the fate of the Middle East after World War I. This simple story of a woman’s self-discovery transforms into a social commentary – in a graceful style that only Mary Doria Russell can write.
Mary Doria Russell could lecture on character development. She is the master of it. And that is true for her characters in Dreamers of the Day. My favorite character is Rosie, the loyal but fiery dachshund who adds such a realistic dimension to this story. Rosie poops in Winston Churchill’s car. She dives into the Nile after a fish. She has a crooked tail and likes to eat sausage at the table. Through Russell’s writing, you can see Rosie, walking down the streets of Cairo on her short legs with her ears perked up at the new sounds. To be honest, I loved Rosie’s character so much that I wished I owned a dachshund too.
Despite the superb character development, I believe that Dreamers of the Day has some flaws. First, you must suspend a level of disbelief before reading this story. The likelihood that this prestigious international assembly would welcome an American spinster is slim to none. Agnes reminds me of Forrest Gump, showing up at the right place at the right time, while major historical events unfold. Second, the ending seemed superfluous. To be certain, Dreamers of the Day is social commentary about the mess in the Middle East and the U.S. involvement in this region. I got that. I didn’t need to last chapter to be so aggressive in advancing this message.
While I would contend that Dreamers of the Day is not one of Russell’s best, I still feel that it is a good, important book to read and would recommend it to MDR fans and lovers of historical fiction. I bet we will see Dreamers of the Day on notable lists and perhaps as a Pulitzer finalist in 2008 – the message is that important and one I doubt critics will ignore. If you decide to read this book, be prepared to learn a lot, let the story take its course – and bring some sausage bites for Rosie. She’ll love you for it. (
)Note: Dreamers of the Day will be released in March 2008.
- Location:home
- Mood:productive
