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.