Review of BAD INFLUENCE by Will Carver

 4 Stars

This is a psychological thriller with lots of social commentary.

Alyssa and Less (Alessandro) are college students living in Los Angeles. Less describes them as “both mixed-up. We’re both kind of directionless. We’re both what-the-hell-are-we-going-to-do-with-our-lives kids.” Loners, their friendship is what defines them: “Our friendship is one of the only truly real things that either of us has. It’s genuine and it’s deep. And, in our eyes, at least, unbreakable.”

The two become involved in phrogging, living secretly inside strangers’ homes. The duo choose the luxurious homes of influencers and pop stars. They enjoy the thrill until things go awry when they target the home of Paige, a fitness influencer, who discovers them. And because Paige has allowed reality tv producers to install cameras in her house, everything that transpires thereafter is filmed.

Alyssa and Less are interesting, well-developed characters. In many ways they are irresponsible and I could not condone some of their choices like party-crashing and phrogging. Their justifications indicate a self-centredness: “It’s fun. Nobody gets hurt. Nobody that matters” and “We don’t have to steal anything. Nobody will get hurt. It’ll just be a bit of fun. It’s wholesome, really.” Like most young people, they don’t consider the possible unintended consequences of their actions: “they hadn’t really thought about it enough. They only cared about what they wanted, how they were feeling, right there and then.” But we also get to see their positive qualities. Alyssa appreciates what her mother does for her and shows love in how she cares for her grandmother. Less understands his mother’s sadness and so forgives some of her actions: “We’re both struggling but she’s been at it a lot longer than I have and she can’t see a way out.”

The book is a satirical look at social media culture. It examines the lives of influencers, hungry for attention and fame, who curate their lives for their followers. One wannabe influencer takes several photos to get the right one: “Capturing a real, spontaneous moment has never taken so much planning.” Paige, another influencer, realizes that she has lost herself, her identity, to her performance: “Paige wants to be herself again. The way she was before all of this. When she was innocent and naive.” Influencers must perpetuate “the veneer of perfection” and keep posting interesting content or they will lose their followers. She is addicted to validation; there is “something intoxicating about the notification of a new fan.” The irony is that she has no real friends: “A million followers and nobody to be close to. She’s so lost. This job has taken who she was.”

For Alyssa, Less, and Paige, one can feel some sympathy. There are, however, two characters who are so morally bankrupt that it’s impossible to feel anything but the utmost of contempt. Edie and Tammy are producers of reality tv shows, what is called “car-crash television. Shows where they can manipulate a situation. Manufacture a scene and pass it off as reality.” To say they are ruthless is an understatement, focused as they are on “Spinning gold from the darkness of humanity. Profiting from misery.” They are successful because they understand that an audience requires conflict to remain interested so they manipulate their contestants: “they know the best way to manipulate you. They know what incentives to offer to get you to play ball and they know what buttons to press in order to push your emotions in the directions that will ensure you are watched and ratings will increase.”

Even if you’re not interested in becoming an influencer, there’s a warning in the book for anyone using social media: “Plastic has got nothing on the internet. Everything you think and then type is out there for the world to see, forever. Forever.” Information or an opinion shared “is out there forever. Whether it’s right or wrong.” Even deleted postings are not gone.

The style of the book is appropriate to its content. It mimics the style of social media communication, using hashtags, influencer content, tailored ads, numbers of likes and followers, and online commentaries – all that you would see scrolling on your phone or tablet.

I enjoyed the novel. As expected in such a tale about deception and manipulation, there’s a lot of suspense and many twists, though the author does provide subtle clues. If something strikes you as odd, pay attention! But it’s the social commentary that stands out for me; it emphasizes the shallowness of social media culture and how what we see on screens is very different from reality. The book is entertaining, topical, and thought-provoking.

Review of EXIT PARTY by Emily St. John Mandel (New Release)

 4 Stars

This novel explores parallel worlds, specifically two versions of life in the United States following its collapse.

The first part, titled “A-Side” begins in 2031 in Los Angeles. Ari Waker, 48, recently released after an 18-year prison sentence, attends a party with her roommate Gloria. This proves to be an unusual house party: a woman named Nico appears and she seems to be a double of Gloria; the doppelganger of another guest addresses Ari as Ibari, a name on Ari’s ID but one she never uses; and Kareem Fayed, the host, disappears. Later, after following Ari’s somewhat peripatetic existence, the novel moves ahead to the 2060s where we catch up with Ari, and both Gloria and Nico.  

The second part, “B-Side,” takes the reader to the world from which Nico came where she lived with her husband Kareem and their two children, Marlowe and Samir. Ibari Waker, Nico’s best friend, is a detective with Service, the surveillance department of the State. We learn about life in this alternate world, the cause of Nico’s disappearance, and subsequent events.

Ari and Ibari are the two characters whom the reader gets to know best. They are not the same person but they share similar traits. They do not trust others and both show a propensity for stepping beyond boundaries. In different ways, they both long to live in a different kind of world. Both are complicated characters and not always likeable, though they also have redeeming qualities.

Nico is an interesting character. She remains a vague character in “A-Side” but is developed further in “B-Side” when we learn more about her life. Her actions in the first part make more sense once we know more about the life she left behind; her role in Sebastian’s life mirrors the role she obviously misses from her other life. On the other hand, the Kareem at the party and the Kareem married to Nico are foils in many ways. The fact that characters in the two worlds are not just copies or total opposites shows that the author gave careful thought to character development.

At one point Ibari makes an observation: “Strange to think there weren’t just two versions of me, and two versions of Kareem and Nico and possibly everyone else, but two versions of our country. There was a world where my homeland had fractured into disarray, and another where my homeland had closed like a fist.” Inevitably, the reader wonders whether chaos or control is preferable.

In Ari’s world, the US has fractured; there are some city-states but “Most territory was contested. There were militias everywhere, flashes of gunfire at night. The skirmishes were constant but stopped just short of all-out war. The combatant groups were innumerable, militias forming and breaking apart in complex and ever-shifting allegiances. Gun runners passed through the towns like smoke, shadows moving over the landscape. There was constant migration.”

Ibari’s world is a totalitarian state reliant on surveillance. There are identity cards, neighbourhood permits, facial recognition technology, random interrogations, and drone surveillance. The State will do whatever is necessary to maintain peace and harmony. Ibari acknowledges that “One of the more exhausting aspects of life in a surveillance state is that anyone can be surveilling you at any time, including the person whom you are yourself surveilling.” Anyone critical of the State might be sent to prison or to a black site or to a work camp. A person who runs afoul of the State can become a ghost: “not entitled to a home, or health care, or the protections of the law, or a social security number, bank account, credit, or entry into most spaces.”

Neither world is appealing. In different ways, both have people living in fear. What is noteworthy is that, given the current state of affairs in the US, both versions are not far from reality. What I found frightening is that both worlds are possible, and that is probably the author’s point. The one note of hope is Kareem’s comment that “’no country lasts forever.’”

I enjoyed the book, though I did find “A-Side” rather slow-paced compared to “B-Side.” The novel certainly provides a lot for the reader to ponder. I’ve only mentioned one of the many subjects examined; other topics explored are marriage and parenting, and the power of art.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of THE LAST TENANT by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Forbidden Iceland series and, like the others, a compelling read.

The remains of a young woman and a baby are uncovered at an abandoned farmhouse. Detective Elma Jónsdóttir, her partner Sævar, and her boss Hörður of West Iceland CID investigate to determine the identities of the deceased and how they came to be buried together, though they were clearly buried years apart. The woman is eventually identified as Sólrún Sveinsdóttir. Her disappearance had been believed to be a suicide but evidence now shows she was murdered.

There’s a second plot focused on Karitas Sól, a young single mother who moves to Akranes with her four-year-old son Bessi. She rents a basement apartment from Baldvin, an eccentric older man. He befriends Karitas and her son, but some of his behaviour worries Karitas. She meets Kristófer, a young man who lives next door, and the two become romantically involved. But then she learns that Sólrún, the murdered woman, had connections to both her landlord and her neighbour. Can she trust either of them?

As in the previous novels, Elma’s personal life is also part of the story. This time, Elma and Sævar are experiencing some relationship difficulties. Though they live together with their young daughter Adda, Elma knows that Sævar is keeping secrets from her. She thinks he may be seeing another woman. I enjoy these glimpses at Elma’s personal life, but I appreciate that they don’t overshadow the investigation.

Elma is a very likeable protagonist.  As always, she continues to show her intelligence and determination. Even when she has strong suspicions but no supporting evidence, she doesn’t hesitate to confront a person she suspects is guilty of a crime. She’s not perfect and that makes her authentic. She attends a party and reveals some information about the case and then is “tortured by self-recriminations” and has difficulty forgiving herself for what she perceives as negligence.

As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of previous books in this series, the author is a master of misdirection. I know to expect that in her books not everything is as it seems. Besides those of Elma and Karitas, the perspectives of various people connected to the case are given. These people harbour secrets and/or behave strangely, so there is no shortage of suspects. I identified a suspect and then thought I was proved to be correct, but I was wrong. I’m pleased that the one person I thought from the beginning was innocent is indeed so. But then there was someone I never suspected! It speaks to the writer’s skill that I was fully engaged in trying to solve the case as I read.

Readers looking for a meticulously plotted police procedural with engaging characters and a lot of psychological suspense need look no further.  Though the book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the books in order. All have received 4 stars from me.

Review of THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans

 4.5 Stars

I kept coming across this title but didn’t pay too much attention until I learned it won the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction. As suggested by the title, it’s an epistolary novel in the vein of 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, a book I loved which is even recommended to the protagonist.

Sybil Van Antwerp is a septuagenarian who retired from her job as a chief clerk to a judge in 1999. She is an inveterate letter writer; the novel includes letters written between June 2, 2012, and February 8, 2020. She writes to, among others, Felix, her brother; Rosalie, her best friend and sister-in-law; Fiona and Bruce, her adult children; Harry, the teenaged son of a former colleague; Theodore, her neighbour; and authors of books she’s read. Occasionally replies are included. There’s also a series of unsent letters to an unidentified recipient; these serve almost like Sybil’s diary. Sybil states that “the letters amount to who I am,” but advancing vision problems threaten her well-constructed life.

The novel is a character study because the reader gets to know Sybil’s personality. She’s fiercely intelligent and inordinately stubborn. She’s prickly. She’s speaks her mind, though always politely. And she’s capable of great love and generosity; what she did for Felix and does for Harry show these traits in abundance. Some of her epistles had me laughing out loud and others left me heart-broken.

Sybil’s letters are well-written. She admits, “It takes patience to say exactly what one means, to think of the right word. Sometimes I write a draft and mark it up, then write a clean copy to send.” (The last letter, more of an attempt than a draft, reveals so much about Sybil and her struggles.) It is also clear that the letters serve as a way of avoiding personal contact; she herself admits, “by conducting the most intimate relationships of my life in correspondence, I have kept, since I was a child, a distance between myself and others. I think it’s true the letters have insulated me, have been a force field.” Given her experiences, her need for distance is understandable.

Sybil freely offers opinions and advice to others but is not always given to self-reflection or accepting advice. When her best friend writes to her on August 20, 2017, to give her some advice about repairing a relationship, Sybil does not respond until September 18, 2018, over a year later. Her personal growth, though slow, does become obvious as evidenced in her reaching out to people like Fiona, Hattie, and Theodore. She acknowledges her failures and tries to make amends for past mistakes.

The novel is not plotless. Through the letters, we learn about Sybil’s life, including the great tragedy which shaped her life, her legal career, an unexpected family history, and the possibility of late-life romance. The letters also reveal her secrets, regrets, and overwhelming guilt.

I loved the book. Perhaps some of my enjoyment derives from reading about a woman who, like me, is “caught in the wretched web of aging.” Though I tend to rely on digital communication like everyone else these days, I love receiving hand-written cards. And I liked the many literary references: several of the letter writers exchange titles of books they’re currently reading. I highly recommend this novel.

Review of LOVE, AFTER ALL by Ewald Arenz

 4 Stars

I’m not a fan of romance novels, but this poignant love story won me over.

Clara Wagenbach, in her late forties, is a photographer who has just lost her job. Elias Kornfeld, in his thirties, is an actor. The two meet by chance when Elias’s girlfriend Vera arranges for them to view the cottage Clara is selling. The attraction between them is immediate and mutual and love blossoms as they spend time together. Fate, however, intervenes. Clara is offered a job in another part of the country and then Elias falls ill. Elias mentions that “Love was like a soft metal. It had to be honed in everyday life until it was both supple and firm.” Will their love survive?

Both characters are well-developed so feel authentic. Clara is independent, strong-willed and uncompromising; because she has been hurt in the past, she has built a protective wall: “She’d never wanted to open the door to herself to anyone.” Elias is charismatic but seems to use his acting skills in his personal life: he pretends to be happy though he feels he is in the wrong life. He seems afraid to totally commit to a relationship.

The perspectives of both Clara and Elias are presented so the reader gets to know them intimately. We may not agree with their decisions and choices, but we understand them. For example, Clara’s husband died of cancer and so her reluctance to open up is understandable. Considering the state of her marriage when Paul died, she vows, “If I ever love again, it will be completely and forever. No more compromises. Not with myself and not with the other person. And if that can’t be done, then it can’t be done.”

This is a book about mature love, not a young love. There is an age gap which particularly concerns Clara. They are not Romeo and Juliet and so cannot be rash since they both have adult responsibilities: Elias has a daughter, and Clara’s mother has dementia and her father suffers from paranoia. They have careers which are important to them.

Clara and Elias meet in the spring and every chapter includes some description of springtime which mirrors their developing relationship. Just as new buds form and flowers blossom, so does their love. And when there are problems between them, Clara notices “the trees were just plain green. That was how she felt. Yes. Alive. But not blooming.”

At one point, Elias quotes, “’Nothing is more various in its forms than love.’” The novel examines different types of love besides the romantic passion between Clara and Elias. There’s the love between siblings (Clara and Jan), the love of a parent for a child (Elias and Jules), and the love of children for parents (Jan and Clara’s care for their mother).

I do have a couple of quibbles. I had difficulty accepting Jan’s interference in Elias’s treatment. He speaks to him about test results though Elias is not his patient and then proposes a course of treatment without first consulting Elias’s doctors. I understand his motivation, but his actions are so unprofessional. I also didn’t understand why Clara receives the call from the care home at the end since she’s not an appointed guardian.

I’ve read the other novels by Ewald Arenz which have been translated into English: Tasting Sunlight and One Grand Summer. Though Love, After All is not my favourite of his, I do recommend it because it, like the others, shows exceptional emotional depth.

Here are links to my reviews of these other novels.

Tasting Sunlight: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/06/review-of-tasting-sunlight-by-ewald.html

One Grand Summer: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/07/review-of-one-grand-summer-by-ewald.html

Review of THE BIRTHING TREE by Amanda Peters (New Release)

4 Stars 

This novel, by the author of The Berry Pickers, is rooted in Mi’kmaq culture, specifically birthing trees. Women gave birth outdoors beneath sacred trees which were believed to strengthen the bonds of both mother and newborn to nature, ancestors, and culture.

This is a dual timeline narrative. It opens in 1964 when Aliet Paul is nine years old. She lives with Kiju, her grandmother, because her mother died giving birth to her. We learn about her upbringing; Kiju is focused on teaching her granddaughter about her culture and traditions. In the late 1990s, Aliet, now in her early 40s, is working as a nurse. She receives word that Kiju has died so Aliet returns to her childhood home. She comes to regret not fully listening to and appreciating Kiju’s lessons and sets out to reclaim her past and traditions. In the process she uncovers some family secrets.

I enjoyed learning about Mi’kmaq culture. I had never heard about birthing trees which symbolize maternal strength, the embrace of ancestors, and connection to the land. I loved Aliet’s explanation that “There is no word for goodbye in our language because there is no such thing. You can’t give a name to something that doesn’t exist. For us, we are always walking among the ancestors. We will see each other again someday is always true.”

Highlighted as well are examples of the mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples. Aliet speaks of her grandfather being buried at the edge of a Catholic graveyard: “Catholic enough to be buried there but too Indian to take space from the white folk.” Kiju owns her land on the edge of a village: “We all lived on the edges, a testament to our place in the world. Never at the centre, always on the periphery, easily forgotten, easily ignored.” When there is an attempt to move all of the Indians onto centralized reserves, Aliet comments: “The cruel irony of men in suits and shiny shoes trying to take away the land that had been stolen from us, the same land we bought back from the thieves.” Indigenous people, even children, are treated with suspicion and their traditions are disrespected. Spiritual practices are considered nonsense and superstition, traditional midwifery is considered uncivilized, and garbage is regularly left at the birthing tree.

I do have some issues. Parts of the book are predictable: it is easy, very early on, to guess what Aliet will uncover about her past. What I wondered, however, is when Kenneth learns the truth. He cannot know when he calls her an “orphan half-breed” though later he speaks as if he knew for a long time and justifies his behaviour because he had this knowledge: “’You never had to deal with him, and I was there all the time. . . . And I hated that you escaped it all and I couldn’t.’” I also wondered about a case of sexual assault: people know about a rape, but they take no action against the rapist? William just disappears from the story after serving his purpose?

The most memorable character for me is Kiju. She is a traditional midwife who relies on traditional medicine, teas, and spiritual practices to support mothers and bring children into the world. She is full of wisdom. Her passion for traditional ways is palpable. When hospital births are pushed on women who are drugged during labour, Kiju argues, “’How can you tell your own child their birth story if you can’t remember it yourself? How will they know where they came from, who they came from? . . . And you sleep through the most beautiful . . . And the lights, and the noise, so harsh on the ears of a newborn. And they steal the cord, the birth sac.’” I cheered at Kiju’s reaction to Mrs. Brown at the town hall meeting.

People who enjoyed The Berry Pickers (which is referenced more than once in this novel) will like this one as well. It has much to recommend it.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of A QUESTION OF GUILT by Jørn Lier Horst

 3.5 Stars

This is the last book of the Cold Case Quartet featuring William Wisting.

Wisting is on vacation but he receives anonymous notes that soon have him returning to work. The notes direct him to a 1999 case, the killing of a teenager, Tone Vaterland. Her ex-boyfriend Danny Momrak was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He has since been released. The notes imply that Danny is innocent and the real murderer escaped charges because of an incompetent police investigation. Wisting sets out to find out who sent the notes, and when he realizes that there were gaps in the original investigation, he tries to fill them in. Was Danny wrongfully convicted and is the real killer still free?

The calm and determined Wisting is very much at the centre of the investigation. His intelligence and his attention to detail make all the difference. When he finds lines of inquiry that were not followed up and unanswered questions in the initial investigation, he makes sure nothing is overlooked this time. Even when evidence seems irrefutable, he continues questioning. He is introduced to new forensic techniques and embraces them.

The plot is convoluted as Wisting leaves no stone unturned. There are lines of inquiry that prove to be dead ends, but following them guarantees that in the end there will be no question of the perpetrator’s guilt. There are flashbacks to 1999 and there are some scenes from subsequent years as well as the present; however, I found the plot easy to follow.

Characters from the previous books reappear. I enjoyed Maren Dokken for whom Wisting is a mentor, though she also teaches him some new investigative methods. Adrian Stiller shows up, but he’s less manipulative than in the past. Wisting’s daughter Line is present but not involved in the case; I like this because I found her involvement in previous cases intrusive and unrealistic. Actually there is a minor subplot involving Line and a boyfriend, but I wondered why it was included because it seems pointless.

I enjoyed the descriptions of a region of Norway which my husband and I plan to visit this fall. We will be taking the E18 between Kristiansand and Oslo and will stop at some of the towns along that route mentioned in the novel. I will definitely be thinking of Wisting and these novels as we tour Oslo and environs.