The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Atria Books 2012

Once again Kate Morton weaves a tale of love, family and secrets across the years.   The story starts when Laurie Nicolson returns to her family’s farm for her mother, Dolly’s, last days.  Memories churn to the surface and Laurie becomes obsessed with finding the answer to one crucial memory.  When she was 16 years old she witnessed her mother commit a crime.  Now before Dolly passes on, Laurie is determined to find out why.

Fans of Kate Morton will be able to guess what follows.  Laurie’s sudden desire to reopen the past is met with convenient clues, hale and healthy acquaintances of her mother’s, and even a back-story set in Australia.   It may seem formulaic, but Kate Morton still writes an intelligent and entertaining story that is worth the read.

The Secret Keeper takes readers from present day London to the Blitz of 1941.  Dolly is a young woman intent on starting a life of her own during some of the darkest days of World War II.  Her story, which Laurie slowly unravels with the help of her brother, is filled with romance and tragedy.  The characters are well developed, though not always likable.  The history of war torn London is detailed and realistic.  The mystery of Dolly’s crime isn’t totally unique though.  Morton manages to throw a few interesting twists into it but a keen reader can probably guess at the ending.   Admirers of her work will still be pleased.  Newcomers should also enjoy the book, however if they don’t, they should try The Forgotten Garden for Kate Morton at her best.

Matched

Matched by Ally Condi
2010 Dutton Books

A refreshing satisfying YA dystopian novel. 
This is the story of Cassia, a young girl growing up in a future where free-will has disappeared.  Everything in her world is decided for her.  From what she studies, what she eats, how she exercises, to who she will marry.  "Society" no longer leaves life or death or reproduction in the hands of the people but instead controls everything.

Sound familiar?  It is.  You can find similar stuff in Lois Lowry's The Giver or in a Margaret Atwood novel, and it may be that those are better, but Ally Condi does a fine job.  The characters and their relationships are well developed.  The plot moves along at a good pace with all the required twists and turns.  Her descriptions are decent, though not as detailed as an adult reader might want.  And the end is satisfying in a way that other YA novels (like the Meyer ones) are not.  Cassia is a heroine, make no mistake.

This would be a good introduction to dystopian or science fiction literature for teens and tweens.  Kind of a Hunger Games without the crossbow and vicious to-the-death gaming.

The Leftovers

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

2011, St Martin's Press

The Leftovers is certainly one of the best books of 2011.  It is the story of what happens after millions of people across the world suddenly, and inexplicably, disappear into thin air.  The book doesn’t explain why this happens or why it happens to some and not others, what The Leftovers does describe is the lives of those who were left behind.  Tom Perrotta centers his novel in a town called Mapleton where a random selection of people disappeared in a Rapture-like event.  (In simple Christian terms, this Rapture refers to a moment when devote believers will be whisked away to Heaven.  Those who are not, will be left here on Earth to await The End.)  At the heart of the story is the Mayor, Kevin Garvey, and his family.  The novel opens about three years after “The Rapture.”  Kevin’s wife Laurie has left him to join up with the local Guilty Remnants cult.  They are a rather frightening group who believe The End is near and don’t see the point in wasting breath so they take vows of silence and chain smoke.  They also creep around watching people and get creepier as the book progresses.  His daughter, Julie, after losing her faux best friend and watching her mother sign up with the white clad Remnants, not surprisingly goes from a straight A student to a troubled Goth girl.  And his son Tom somehow manages to join one cult only to end up in the midst of another.  Along the way Kevin meets Nora who is trying, through a bizarre Sponge Bob ritual, to get over the loss of her husband and two young children who dematerialized during dinner.  The scene Perrotta writes of their disappearance, as well as the one of Julie’s friend, is heart rending in its honesty.  

Perrotta illuminates the suburban world in all its glory, desperation, banality, and hope.   His prose carries the reader along without boredom, or as happens more often, disgust or ambivalence.  The characters are people, like those who live next door or share a bus seat or steal your parking spot.  Perrotta has a talent for exploring the powerful emotions and motivations of ordinary people.

Perrotta seems to have found his niche with suburban angst.  His other novels, The Abstinence Teacher and Little Children, are also available at Clift Rodgers and I’m guessing, worth a a read.  He will also be part of the Boston Book Festival again this year on Saturday, October 27th.  Last year his short story, The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face, was the BBF’s One City, One Story selection.  This year he is one of the presenters.  

Gone Girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
2012 Crown Publishers

I just finished this book last night.  Usually I wouldn't try to write a review this soon, but I am not sure how I would write one without giving away the plot anyway, so I decided I might as well blog about it.  Basically it is the story of a marriage gone very, very wrong.  Nick's wife Amy goes missing after they move back to his hometown in Missouri.  Or did she?  ...

This isn't my usual type of read; murder, abduction, the who-done-it type stuff.  However, the way this one was climbing up the best seller lists plus the fact that some very well-read people recommended it to me, made me think I had to give it a try.

I did like it.  The writing was good  The plot twisted.  I am continuously in awe of writers who can create these intricate plot lines, who can know that the clue in chapter two would become essential to chapter twelve.  I know that trying to keep all those loose ends together can be difficult.  Managing to weave them into a cohesive plot line is remarkable.  Flynn's characters were also good (not literally), and twisted.  One minute you feel for them, think you understand them, and the next, Flynn turns things on its head.

Unfortunately, by the end of the book I was getting bored.  It became almost routine to read something and then in the next chapter have it turned around on you.  And I didn't like the ending.

Not sure what else I can say without giving it all away.  Email cliftrodgers@comcast.net and tell us your view!

The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Random House 2011

Bold and unique, like describing a bottle of fine red wine or some Gordon Ramsey entrée, that’s what Erin Morgenstern’s Night Circus is. 

Morgenstern tells the tale of two star crossed illusionists, deeply in love and irrevocably competing under the black and white stripes of a circus tent.  This is the Le Cirque des Reves however, the Circus of Dreams, and quite unlike any other.  Celia and Marco are trained by two distinct gentleman (in Celia’s case, her father) and unbeknownst them, pitted against each other in a battle of style.  It is their magic that fuels the Night Circus.

In this debut novel, Morgenstern takes a fresh look at fantasy literature.  She allows it to flow in a hypnotic pattern that draws the reader along.  The chapters move between time, weaving the storyline together and creating a very exclusive mood and atmosphere for the novel.  This and her descriptive powers are Morgenstern’s true talents.  From the magic and aromas of the circus to the extravagant dinners with Chandresh (the circus’ enigmatic proprietor) she creates scenes that will haunt the reader long after the novel is finished.  It is no wonder that Summit Entertainment snatched up the movie rights.

The characters, unfortunately, remain a bit flat.  Celia and Marco are described as sharing an intense love but it somehow never quite makes it across to the reader.  The young twins as well, who are introduced as a new and mysterious piece in the competition, seem to travel along as mere flotsam.  Even Tsukiko, whose true role is revealed late in the novel, never quite blossoms into what she could.  Her back story is hastily described and the reader is left wanting more.

So who will enjoy this book with its remarkable scenes, tepid characters, and vividly imagined illusions? Is it for fans of Harry Potter and Twilight?  Is it for fans of literature and the written word?  Probably on some levels, it will appeal to all of them.  The magic of Harry Potter is certainly there.  Perhaps even more beautifully told.  But the depth of the characters and the plot can’t come close to Rowling’s.  (I don’t believe Ms. Morgenstern was really trying to anyway.)  The Twilightesque romance?  As much as this reviewer disliked “those” vampire novels, the passion between Bella and Edward certainly overshadows anything between Celia and Marco.  Other titles that come to mind are Magicians by Lev Grossman, The Bartilmaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud and one I intend to read again, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke.  The Grossman title, like Morgenstern’s, has a flaw in its character development.  Unlike Morgenstern’s, Grossman’s unfortunately also lacks descriptive beauty.  Stroud’s YA stories about a djinni and the young magician who enslaves him are remarkable, and unforgettable.  Similarly, Clarke’s 2006 novel about two 19^th century magicians is one that never fully left me.  Pieces of it, images or scenes, will still float unbidden to mind.  I imagine that someday I will be saying that about The Night Circus as well.  In a way, it is almost too bad that Hollywood will turn it into a blockbuster; I quite like the images Morgenstern’s words created.

Moth Diaries

Moth Diaries by Rachel Klein

Bantam Trade Paperback 2003

Creepy fun.  I picked this book up because on the cover the Kirkus Review says it’s “A chilling debut, in the best gothic style...” and it is.

Written as the diary of a young girl at boarding school, “The Moth Diaries” describes her life, friendships, teachers and what happens to all of them when a strange new student enters the picture.  On one level it is the story of adolescence.  The protagonist talks about her best friend, Lucy, and their increasingly estranged relationship, about other girls and their quirky sometimes dangerous behavior, and about her parents, a poet father dead by suicide and a mother still coming to terms with grief.

On the other hand, it is a departure into gothic superstition.  Through some creepy discoveries, the protagonist comes to believe the new girl, Ernessa, is in some sense a vampire.  Her best friend Lucy first becomes distant then descends into a strange illness.  Another girl dies after, perhaps, getting too close to Ernessa’s secret.   There is a gruesome killing of a teacher’s pet.  Add to this the strange everyday things about Ernessa like not eating and a smelly room, and the protagonist creates a fairly good case for her vampire hunting crusade.

However, when introduced to the handsome young English teacher’s reading requirement, “Dracula”, and taking into account the already fragile and unbalanced nature of an adolescent girl’s mind, the reader is never quite sure.

A good beach read - i.e. in the daylight, with lots of people around, and warm sunny weather.

Age of Miracles

Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Random House 2012

A book that combines the best of Juvenile reading with an exceptional setting. 

The protagonist here is a girl of eleven, facing all the regular issues a girl that age faces; boys, bras, friendships and family.  The difference is that this girl is living through extraordinary times.

One Saturday morning, Julia wakes up to find that the whole world has changed.  The Earth’s rotation has begun to slow down.  In ways familiar to all of us who lived through the World Trade Center attacks, the tsunami in Japan or Hurricane Katrina, Walker describes this young family’s reaction.  The day is spent glued to their TVs waiting for some kind of answer.  Watching interviews with scientist after scientist, listening to fanatics rave, and news anchors philosophize, they are completely and utterly absorbed by the tragedy around them.  The freaky thing about this scenario though is that this catastrophe is happening very slowly, and life for this suburban family keeps going.

Walker takes the reader through this changing landscape both gradually and suddenly. Juxtaposing the steady changes to the earth with the every day events of a middle school girl, she creates a wonderful flow to the timing of the novel. 

I just can’t say enough about the creativity that went into this seemingly simple novel.  I praise Walker for not letting it carry her away either.  She somehow finds a balance between letting her imagination soar and keeping the story real.

A die-hard sci-fi fan may be looking for a more factual account of what would happen when the Earth’s rotation slowed (Walker has been criticized for not researching the true effects).  But then those readers probably wouldn’t be interested in a thoughtful, character driven coming-of-age story either, which at its heart, is what “Age of Miracles” is.

The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Published by Random House 2011

“The Paris Wife” is the story of Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway’s first wife (of four), and their years together in Paris.  It starts with their romance back in Chicago and paints a scene of youths full of life and striving to make big dreams actuality.  Their decision to move to Paris is all part of Hemingway’s desire to make it as a writer, and Hadley’s belief in him.  From the beginning she accepts and even seems to relish her role as his supporter.  She often says that Hemingway needs her to be the stability in his life, to be the place he can go when he is not working.  For those first years, it works for them.

Written in the first person, almost as if a diary by Hadley, the book can be boring.  Part of the trouble may be that most fans of Hemingway tend to be males and this book is written in the first person from woman’s point of view.  As a woman, it can be hard to relate to Hemingway’s greatness and Hadley’s willingness to support his work.  As a man, it can be hard to believe in the romance of this first marriage.  Especially when the reader knows the romance is doomed to fail.  It is a bit like watching a car race and waiting for the crash. 

Much has already been written about The Lost Generation in Paris as well so there isn’t anything terribly shocking that happens.  Unlike many current best sellers, nothing horrendous happens to the protagonists.  Hadley and Ernest were poor and struggled with awkward public facilities, social drunkenness, missed meals, lost manuscripts, and shabby clothes but no children were abducted, neither parent succumbed to alcoholism, and no friends died in freak accidents.  There is a sense of incredulity at some points, when Hadley and Ernest leave their son for weeks at a time for instance, but these serve as good book club fodder if nothing else.

McLain does do a good job of entertaining without all the doom and gloom.  Paris in the 20s was enough excitement on its own.  Hadley herself may not have been an artist in Paris but she is dead center to all of them and able to tell their stories through her encounters with them.  Readers meet other literary greats like Stein, Joyce, and Scott through Hadley’s experiences.  They also share the excitement of skiing the Alps and bull fighting in Spain.

Key to this novel’s success, and the reason the boredom doesn’t win out, is that the reader doesn’t feel sorry for Hadley at the end.  She dedicates her life to this man, has a child with him, suffers through his pride, and endures humiliation because of his lustfulness, but she still comes across as a strong and remarkable woman.  Hadley loved a man who was great, who dreamed big dreams and lived life.  In the end she walked away strong enough to live her own life.  McLain never portrays her as a poor romantic who lived only for her husband, nor does she allow Hadley to whine about her circumstances when things go wrong,

For further reading, “A Moveable Feast” by the great Tatie himself is recommended.  It’s an interesting companion piece to McLain’s book.  To truly get a glimpse of what Hadley supported and struggled for though, readers should pick up a copy of “The Sun Also Rises.”  Nor can one go wrong with a collection of Hemingway’s short stories.  Available at the Clift Rodgers Library!

Discovery of Witches

Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Published by Viking 2011

Notice: this review is more of a commentary on today’s popular fantasy fiction than it is an actual review of the book “Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness.

There has been much hype around “Discovery of Witches”, especially in the indie book markets where supernatural and fantasy fiction seem more able to hold place with contemporary literature and popular fiction. Word of mouth and book seller reviews promoted this title as “highly addictive” and “a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy.”

While exciting and interesting with supernatural magic, and as unique as it may be with new theories on witches, vampires and demons, it suffers the same fatal flaw that another popular fantasy title does. (More on that in a minute) It has a completely unsympathetic main character. Diana Bishop is a witch, from yes, an old, old American family of witches (think Salem). She doesn’t want to be a witch, however. She wants to be a scholar, and a human one at that. So she represses her magical abilities as best she can. Her parents died a rather tragic death in her youth and it is this which the author wants the reader to accept as reason enough for her to abandon her family history and hide her abilities. Believable, but not something that makes the reader have any real sympathy for her. Then comes pages and pages describing what an intelligent scholar she is, how she is also an expert rower and runner, her ability to walk with her eyes closed, her mad yoga skills, and her uncanny sense of smell that enables her to discriminate wine like a sommelier. Top this off with the handsome centuries old vampire that falls madly in love with her, and the author has created a protagonist the reader can’t even like let alone sympathize with. Harkness did a fine job of setting up Diana’s life. The reader can believe that, until the moment she requests a certain hidden manuscript, her life is moving along somewhat normally. What Harkness doesn’t do is give the reader any reason to care.

Consider this, many people believe the current craze in fantasy literature, especially ones geared towards the new market of young woman and hip middle-aged mothers, started with Harry Potter. There are others who might say we give J.K. Rowling too much credit. She wrote decent books that just happened to hit the market at the right time. What she really did however, was simply follow one of the golden rules of writing; create a protagonist that your readers will relate to. From the very first chapter of “The Sorcerer’s Stone” the reader is rooting for Harry. They want Harry to have a better life, to live a dream, to be special and not stuck in the room under the stairs. When Hagrid breaks down that door, readers whoop with joy. From the very first chapter of Harkness’ book, the reader wants to slap Diana across the face and tell her to smarten up. Quit moaning about how awful it is to be from this long line of witches and how stressful it is to be a paid scholar at a prestigious university.

Perhaps this wouldn’t have bothered this reviewer as much if it didn’t come right after completing “The Magicians” by Lev Grossman. Another fantasy book that was hyped up by indie book sellers and has become a cult favorite. It is filled with wonderful ideas about magic and magicians. It certainly deserves it’s label as “Harry Potter for adults.” But it suffers the same problem. The main character is always complaining. Life isn’t what he wants it to be. Even when all his dreams come true and he discovers magic is real, his favorite fantasy world is real, he still isn’t satisfied. By the end of the book, the reader just doesn't care that everything didn’t work out the way he wanted.

It is as if current writers of fantasy literature are only attempting to get their wondrous ideas out there. They have neglected the fact that literature can’t survive on the ideas alone but needs characters. Look at George R. R. Martin, rapidly becoming the most well known and well loved fantasy author in decades. Yes, he has brilliant ideas, he has created a fantastic world, he has a complicated and detail plot; he has also filled his books with characters that come alive. Whether you hate them or love them, his characters are what move the story along. And he has dozens of them! Gather a group of Martin fans and ask them who their favorite character is. Guaranteed there will be a host of different answers and most people won’t be able to name just one.

Both Harness and Grossman’s books are filled with fantastic ideas. The authors have spent time thinking about how magic and vampires and other supernatural things might truly exist in this world. On that alone, both books are fun to read. Certainly other readers are able to sympathize with the protagonists in a way this reviewer could not.

It is a worry that this rift in character development is going to grow worse. Will readers continue to be dazzled by bold ideas and fantastical situations and not demand that these components come with well developed characters? My next read is “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern. I am not so jaded by these recent trends in fantasy literature that I will give it up all together. I’m hoping Erin renews my faith.

The Swerve

The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
published by W.W. Norton 2011

“The Swerve” is a tale of Lucretius’ Latin masterpiece On the Nature of Things; its loss and rediscovery by Italian book hunter Poggio Bracciolini. The title comes from Lucretius’ idea that the atoms which make up our world continually combine, divide, form and reform in a random swerve. Whether this theory and Lucretius’ poem spawned the modern world, or even the Renaissance, Greenblatt never fully establishes. What he does do however is provide a riveting account of On the Nature of Things creation, popularity, repression and rebirth.

Wonderfully engaging, Greenblatt’s theory begins with the Roman thinker Epicurus. Epicurus’ belief that everything in existence, from celestial bodies to the lowliest of creatures, is made of indestructible tiny building blocks called atoms is the heart of Lucretius’ poem. The notion of atoms spawned the theory that a hidden natural order ruled the universe, not divine beings. What Epicurus taught and what philosophers like Lucretius believed was that this concept freed people from fear of the unknown and allowed them to pursue the highest good, pleasure.

Greenblatt follows Lucretius’ poem through its popularity among the Roman elite to its suppression by Christian fundamentalists and its eventual rediscovery in a remote German monastery. Throughout this journey he reveals the glamorous world of Herculaneum, follows the downfall of Alexandrian intellectual life, exposes the sufferings of monks, and examines the wonderful art of book making until he arrives at the papal court and the rise of humanists like Poggio Bracciolini.

A pleasure to read and much less academic than might be expected, Greenblatt engages the reader from the beginning and consistently dazzles with intellectual insight. The “cynical, competitive court” in which Poggio is employed and which houses numerous corrupt and scandalous popes as well as back-stabbing apostolic secretaries, would be worthy of any HBO dramatic series.

He may never prove that On the Nature of Things spawned the modern world, but the fact that Galileo, Freud, Darwin, Einstein and Thomas Jefferson all admired the poem may be proof enough for some. Greenblatt, for his part, certainly makes an entertaining and educational effort. “The Swerve” is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in Roman or Christian history, philosophy, humanism or literature.

Faith

Faith by Jennifer Haigh
Harper Collins 2011

Having been brought up Catholic and having brought up two teenage sons during the years that the scandal in the church was just coming to light, I was interested in reading a story from the point of view of a family member of an accused priest. In Jennifer Haigh’s Faith we have Father Arthur Breen, a model priest, son, brother, ultimate rule-follower who is accused of molesting a young boy whose family he’s been helping out. His half-sister Sheila narrates the story as events unfold. During Holy Week in 2002, Art is summoned to the headquarters of the Boston Archdiocese, told he’s been accused of something inappropriate, not given the name of the accuser, and told that he’s to immediately vacate Church premises, move to an apartment they’ve rented for him, and placed on leave. He is stunned by the allegation, but true to form, obeys his orders. Because much of what happens in our childhood affects us later in life, it’s important to learn about Art’s past. Probably the most life-altering occurrence was his father walking out of his life forever when Art was just a baby. This one, irresponsible and thoughtless act left young Art with no father figure to look up to, other than a family friend who happened to be a priest. When Art was in his teens his mother married Ted McGann, a man who viewed Art as being in the way. Always knowing he wanted to join the priesthood, Art joined the seminary as soon as he was of age, was ordained, and “served without incident” in a number of parishes throughout the archdiocese until these accusations. Art grew up having intimacy issues and being confused about his own sexuality.

When he is accused, some of his family members believe in his innocence while others were on the fence. At first Sheila is certain Art could not possibly have committed such an act, while her brother Mike seems to believe the charges right from the start. Although Art insists he did not commit the crime for which he is accused, he does not appear to be defending himself, and this leads Sheila to wonder why.

Jennifer Haigh weaves a thoughtful, thought provoking human story about what happens when you wrong someone. Its familiar Boston area setting makes it feel as though you’re reading about your own neighborhood. And as you read this tragic story, it makes you wonder if perhaps some of the clergymen accused were actually innocent, but settled their cases to make them go away.

- Elaine

Woman in Black

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Vintage (reprint) 2012

Dreary rainy days are perhaps the best for this 1983 ghost tale from English author Susan Hill. Cold, damp days will either give you the feeling you are safe from the marsh and the sea frets in your cozy, well-lit house, or for those with a darker turning or a more Victorian style house, that you are in Eel Marsh House itself. The Woman in Black is different from other ghost stories as the protagonist, a young solicitor from London, never doubts that the strange noises and ghostly apparition of the woman in black are part of a haunting. It is the ending that gets you, even though it may not surprise you. That and the fact that the woman in black is truly menacing. She has a decidedly evil aura about her.

The book is certainly scary enough. Not as frightening as the new movie starring Daniel Radcliffe makes it out to be though. There is no blood or gore. It’s that slow kind of creepy. Well-written with a well developed protagonist and a brooding atmosphere, this is a treat to read. It is quick and small; something to take your mind from whatever weighty tomb you happened to be stuck in the middle of or as an interlude before you start the next modern romance/tragedy your book club delved up.

If you liked The Thirteenth Tale, Her Fearful Symmetry or The Haunting of Hill House, if you are a fan of Edgar Allen Poe, or if you simply can’t stand seeing a movie without reading the book first, then this is for you.

The Gift of Rain

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
Published 2008 by Weinstein Books

This has to be one of my favorite books of the past year. It is an inspirational saga that has you mesmerized by its mystic messages regarding life and vivid imagery of a time and place so foreign, you can't help but be captivated. The slow initial pace of the story may put you off as it did me initially. The effort to stick with it is richly rewarded with an exciting tale of bravery in the face of the Japanese occupation during World War II. Mixing Chinese culture, British colonial imperialism, all within a pre-war Malaysia, you are truly transported to a world and time violently swept away forever.

While The Gift of Rain is a war novel, the very human consequences of this tale are front and center as they pull you in deeper and deeper to the consequences of choices made and paths chosen. The protagonist is a 16 year old boy of mixed race. His English and Chinese lineage offer us a view into these divergent class conscious cultures in a turbulent corner of the still emerging 20th century world. The young man's mentor, a Japanese diplomat and martial arts teacher, offers both desperately needed solace and respect along with a deep pain as Malay and the Panang Island are pulled toward war. Difficult choices with horrendous outcomes are the result.

The analogy to the world of Summerset Maugham has been made with the exception of being, "Tan Twan Eng looks upon (human nature) with compassion." - Cleveland Plain Dealer. The lushness of the tropical island of Penang coupled with and artist's eye for beauty and harmony are perfectly juxtapositioned against the brutality of war. Eng, within the 432 pages of this book, forces us into a deeper understanding of the personal journeys of these characters while offering heavy doses of physical and spiritual beauty. Despite the tragedy we are at times uplifted and inspired. Tragically, the Japanese military and a horrific war sweep away all that has come before it.

The Gift of Rain is a uniquely meditative and adventurous read. It transcends the large stage set by world events The story is beautifully told by someone with an insiders appreciation for all the subtleties of the human condition, despite a very brutal war.

-Marlon

For You Mother, Finally

For You Mother, Finally by Ruth Reichl

published in 2010 by Penguin

I’ll openly admit to being such a fan of former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl, that if she wrote those arduous Privacy Statements you receive through the mail, I would read every single word. Her style is friendly and readable, and her descriptions are right on. But that’s not the reason why I love For You Mother, Finally. After reading Tender to the Bone, where Ruth describes in detail her unusual and less than fabulous childhood, and then Comfort Me With Apples which continues with her foray into the world of food, I had a certain vision of Ruth’s non-sympathetic and offbeat and kind of misfit mother. That’s because it’s the picture Ruth paints for you. All that changes with For You Mother, Finally.

Through Finally, the reader, along with Ruth, discovers amazing things about her mother. Through old letters and diaries Ruth had left unopened in her basement for years, we discover what her made her mother happy, her childhood aspirations, how she attempted to conform to society’s expectations of a wife and a mother, and how it was akin to fitting a round peg in a square hole. This short but powerful book is an eye-opener for those of us fortunate enough to be working mothers, and makes us realize that there was a time when the only expectation of you is that you keep house and tend to your children and your man.

I highly recommend this book that will only take an hour or so to read. To get the most impact from the story, I recommend treating yourself to Ruth Reichl’s Tender to the Bone first.

One last thought: This book would be great for a book group with mixed ages of women to get everyone’s views.

[review by ES]

Fall of Giants

Fall Of Giants by Ken Follett
Published by Dutton in 2010

Given that my preferred genre is historical fiction and that one of my favorite historical epics of all times, Pillars of the Earth was written by Ken Follett, I expected to love this book as well.
Fall of Giants covers a dramatically changing historical landscape. It includes World War I, a burgeoning class warfare, the errosion of the aristocratic class and the birth of the Russian Revolution. This 985 page book unfolds with the threat of war, follows the course of that war through to its conclusion. We are reminded of how the Allies dealt with Germany at the end of World War I, setting up for the rise of
Hitler and the second World War. Written as the first installment of a trilogy, it follows American, English, German Russian and Welsh characters. The second book will begin with World War II and pick up where
these characters have left off. The next book is expected later this year.

The book reads in many ways as a collection of personal accounts during the turn of the century and the early 1900's. With fictionalized characters fleshing out the human element of these events it still felt like reading an Introduction to Western Civilization review course. With a large cast of colorful characters and the need to cover each nation's perspective on the unfolding events, only a cursory review of these complicated times was attempted. While sticking with his successful formula of juicy romances, personal conflicts and dramatic world events, Follett seemed at times to gloss over or speed through many events. I always looked forward to picking up the book each time, wondering what would become of each of the characters. It's true to say that they were sufficiently interesting for me to feel invested in their eventual fates. Overall, I did feel somewhat let down by the cursory treatment of these characters and seemed too aware of their role of plot advancement.

Despite it's size and massive historic scope, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, particularly of this time period. My largest criticisms are reserved for the over ambitious coverage of events and the relatively short shrift given to the lives of the main characters. Ultimately, Fall of Giants, is fiction. As a work of fiction, I felt Mr. Follett could have struck a better balance in creating interesting characters
with greater detail while still keeping the historical plot line advancing.


My next review will be on The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. Weinstein Books, 2008. I don't know if CRL has this book but I plan on donating my copy.

Marlon

An Invisible Thread

"An Invisible Thread" by Laura Schroff
Published Novemeber 2011 by Howard Books

A good story. Uplifting which seems such a rare thing these days. Readable, and by that I mean somewhat simple. When I read memoirs I always feel the protagonist is whining. I know this isn’t a fair statement. They are writing about their lives and if they didn’t have things to whine about, it wouldn’t be much of a story. I understand why Laura compared Maurice’s life to her own but the harsh reality of Maurice’s made her complaints (serious though they were) seem frivolous. I almost think in this case it would have been better to keep hers out of it, or briefer, and instead break the story line up with statistics and facts, really focus in on what life was like for a kid like Maurice.

What I liked about “An Invisible Thread” was that it was honest, and that made the story precious. Only once did Laurie step into Maurice’s world and she continually questioned the good she was doing, if any at all. She weighed options and spoke with him about what it meant to live this double life. He did have to break away from her for a few years to figure out how to stand on his own. All that made the story seem real and true and simple. You don’t have to venture onto the streets on New York to help someone, you don’t have to visit the welfare apartments, you simply have to care and give a person the chance to do something different, to see the world as other people see it. Of course, you do also need a very special kid like Maurice. Wise and unafraid. And the idea of an “invisible thread” that connects people is beautiful. This story does almost make you believe it can be true.

This is a quick read. Worth it for a glimpse of something good, even with the whining. After reading so many tales of abuse and neglect and simply frightening stuff, it is so refreshing to read a story about people doing good, about people trying and being rewarded for their efforts.