Review of PASSENGERS by Alexander Maksik (New Release)

 3 Stars

Though the themes are different, this novel reminded me of Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot. Because nothing major happens, the characters must find ways to distract themselves through conversation. And even when the characters talk about leaving or taking action, they move very little. Just as Godot never arrives, their flight never takes off.

Ivan, 75, meets his daughter Nina, 29, in the Los Angeles airport. They are travelling to Paris where Ivan lived for a few years as a young man. He wants to show Nina where he lived and to share his early life with her; perhaps the trip will bring them closer together. Their flight is delayed and then delayed again and again. Soon all flights are delayed. Security tightens and no one is allowed to leave the airport terminal. Obviously something is terribly wrong but no one has any information.

The father and daughter spend their time talking. They discuss many issues. They express their grievances and regrets and talk about their relationship. Nora, Ivan’s wife and Nina’s mother who left her husband and child 12 years ago to follow her dreams, is often mentioned. Ivan frequently talks about his memories of Nina as a child. Because the third-person omniscient point of view is used, the reader also learns Ivan and Nina’s thoughts. Ivan, for instance, worries about whether he was a good father: did she inherit his lack of ambition? And Nina has so many conflicting emotions when it comes to both her parents.

The novel is obviously very character-focused. Ivan is nostalgic, often focused on the past. His love for his daughter is all-encompassing, the depth of which he cannot find words to express, matched only by his love of nature. He describes himself as “a sucker for the sweet syrup of nostalgia, a weakness for sentimental reverie, a man more moved by his daughter and the past and the balm of night air than anything else.” He is cautious and unambitious, “more afraid of losing what they had than determined to have more.” Of course it’s interesting to see how they view each other. Nina thinks she understands why Nora left him: “His self-pity, his hunger for attention, his constant reconfiguring of the past, the conviction that he was always being slighted and misunderstood.”

Nina irritated me. She tends to be self-centred, negative and judgmental. She is upset that Ivan “could never just listen to her. When would he come to understand that there was no more advice left to give?” But then “she was furious that her father had run out of useful lessons.” She often behaves like someone much younger. She does admit, “She could not go on behaving like she was fifteen. It was embarrassing. All this petulance.” I could not agree more. She thinks it’s a daughter’s privilege “to be angry without regret, without concern, without responsibility to fairness.” She’s upset with her life “and all its myriad disappointments and dissatisfactions,” but expresses her unhappiness through anger at what she perceives as her father’s faults, including his need to provide constant advice.

Nora, the absent wife and mother, never appears in the novel, but we learn a lot about her too. Clearly she is single-minded, focused on following her own desires and ambitions. In a flashback, Nina remembers her mother telling her, “’There are things I want to do. Just as there are things you want to do. And we should do them because if we stay where we are out of fear, or expectation, or loyalty, well, then we will never do anything at all, and we’ll hate ourselves forever.’” And what Nora wants to do she is convinced she can do only if living alone. Nora and Ivan are clear foils: he returned from Paris and fell into his father’s business reluctantly, out of cowardice, because “Every step [was] in direct opposition to desire.”

There is some suspense. From the beginning, there’s a suggestion that something is wrong. Ivan comments on the peculiar yellow sky. Then there is reference to earthquakes. Later a trio of fighter jets streak across the sky. People in the airport start behaving strangely. And there are guards preventing anyone from leaving. What is responsible: “the president and his goons” or climate change or the arrival of aliens? But readers should not expect an explanation.

I found reading this book to be a slog. I got tired of the endless introspection and inertia. Perhaps the fact that I will soon be travelling and spending time in five airports made this book too unsettling for me at this time. I do not want to be stalled, either physically or psychologically, as Ivan and Nina are.

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

Review of MR. WINTERBOURNE by Clara van Houten (New Release)

 4 Stars

This short psychological drama proved to be a real gem.

The novel, set primarily in London, spans 25 years, from 1997 to 2022. Debra Cowdry is an aspiring novelist whose manuscripts are repeatedly rejected so she finally submits one using a male pen name, Alec Winterbourne. The novel is accepted almost immediately and her literary career is launched. By chance she meets a man with the name she invented for her pseudonym and the two start a relationship. As her success builds, there is increasing pressure for public appearances by the author. Maybe Alec could step in and pretend to be the author? What could go wrong?

Having known about George Eliot, George Sand, and Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, male pseudonyms adopted by female writers, I was interested in how this author would approach the issue of women using male names so their work would be judged fairly and be published. Given the short length of this book, I was expecting a light read but was pleasantly surprised to find an in-depth exploration of identity.

Debra constructs an identity and initially she has a literary agent to protect her and help her continue the facade. As more or her novels are published and she receives more recognition, her identity takes on a life of its own. She even overhears women on a bus speculating about why the author is a recluse. Then she wins literary awards and has to watch someone else receiving the acclaim for her talent. She realizes her life is “owned by people who had not lived a single day of it, while she herself receded further and further into somebody else’s account.” When she decides she wants to get her life back, she realizes how difficult, if not impossible, it will be to reclaim her real identity: “I had signed myself out of my own story so thoroughly that proving I still belonged in it might turn out to be the hardest thing I had ever had to write.”

The novel is written in a brisk, understated style. There are no unnecessary details; those details included convey so much. Suspense is built gradually. It becomes clear that the deception is slowly spinning out of Debra’s control and that someone else has power over her life. Then there are the many instances of foreshadowing, things that indicate all will not end well. For example, she observes that “Alec didn’t look at me. That was, afterwards, the detail I kept returning to” and that she has a fear “I couldn’t yet justify.” I predicted some of what happens, but there are unexpected twists that take the plot in an entirely different direction.

I read this book in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. The ending is not what I expected, but it is very satisfying. Like Mr. Winterbourne, I gather that the author’s previous novel released earlier this year, Everything He Never Told Me, is, as described on her website, about “the private battles and public sacrifices of women fighting to define their own lives.” I’m recommending Mr. Winterbourne and adding Everything He Never Told Me to my to-be-read stack.

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

Review of FAIR ONES by Lydia Millet (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This novel follows the lives of two friends, Mara and Jen, after the sudden, violent death of a third friend, Claire.  Now in their forties, the three were friends since college.

The first half, narrated by Mara, spans the year immediately after Claire’s death. The focus is on understanding her death and trying to uncover if Jase, Claire’s former boyfriend, may have somehow been connected to the tragedy. The second half, narrated by Jen, is a year later. Grief over Claire’s death is no longer the focus. Instead, we see Mara’s new relationship, Jen’s new job, and Jen’s wrestling with her erratic behaviour immediately after Claire’s death. Both Mara and Jen also have to deal with family issues which require them to support their mothers.

This is very much a dialogue-driven novel so it reads fairly quickly. The conversations are very realistic as topics both serious and frivolous are discussed. There are both heart-to-heart conversations and easy banter. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t find it a compelling read. It didn’t keep my interest so I kept putting it down and then I wasn’t excited to pick it up again.

In many ways the novel feels directionless. Obviously, one of its main themes is grief. The two women have to come to terms with the loss of a dear friend who is taken away suddenly and violently. They struggle with moving on with their lives when someone who was such an integral part of their lives is no longer there. Of course grief feels directionless since it’s such a disorienting state.

The book can also be described as a portrait of mid-life friendships. Mara and Jen remain close and support each other so both can survive a devastating loss. Gradually new relationships are formed with other people, some of whom had connections with Claire (Pavan, Caleb) and others who never knew her (Eli, Josh, Julia St. Alban). These new relationships also become a support system.

Though Mara and Jen do not want children, mothers and their relationships with children are also highlighted. We see June, Claire’s mother, dealing with the death of her only daughter. There’s Emmie whose life is shaped by caring for her neuro-divergent son who requires a lot of care. There’s Josh’s mother Sarah who disappeared. Just as Mara and Jen’s friendship withstands tragedy, their ties to their families, though sometimes not strong, remain unbroken. Fern, Mara’s mother, has early signs of dementia and needs her daughter’s help. Lynn, Jen’s mother, comes to rely on her daughter too but for different reasons.

The message that I will remember is a teenager’s comments about life: “’Life is a gift from death . . . Or, like, a loan. Nature is like, Yeah, you’re gonna die. But first, you get to have this! This totally awesome thing. You might not even know how awesome it is, at first. But open your eyes. Look what you get! The universe!’” But we need to stay engaged; if we don’t live in reality, we don’t really live: “’If you stay sleeping, all you’ll ever have is a dream. Maybe you’ll get to keep the dream. For a bit. But meanwhile you’re losing the best parts of reality. Just letting them fade away.’”

This book did not resonate with me, but I’m certain it will for other readers.

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

Review of EVERY STORY IS A LOVE STORY by Imbolo Mbue (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is an emotionally complex novel which examines the messy truth of feelings and relationships.

When the novel begins, Wolo Lifafa has been a widower for three years. His wife Yoma, pregnant with twins at the time, was struck by a car while she was out jogging. Victoria Snow, the woman driving that car, contacts Wolo and asks to meet him. Despite his family’s advice, he agrees to do so because he wants details of the accident which he is convinced were covered up. The first meeting does not go well, but reluctantly Wolo agrees to further contact. He comes to wonder whether he and Victoria are destined “to walk together out of their shared darkness.”

Chapters alternate between the present, where Wolo struggles with grief and wonders whether he can forgive Victoria for her role in the deaths of his wife and unborn children, and the past which gives the backstory of Wolo and Yoma’s relationship and the complexities of his extended family in Cameroon and the US.

The book examines love in its various forms. Wolo thinks of Yoma as the love of his life and doesn’t believe that he can ever love anyone in the same way again. But it’s not just romantic or marital love that is explored. There’s parental love and filial love and familial love as well. There’s love between two men, but that love can never be spoken of. A message that resonated with me is spoken by Yolo’s second mother: “’a person can love you while struggling to deal with the pain you’ve caused them.’”

Grief is another topic. Wolo acknowledges that people mourn differently, though, as his father-in-law tells him, “’some people want your grief to look the way they think it should look, the way they would do it if they were you.’” Wolo’s “journey through grief has been a constant battle to accept, an inability to find a way forward, ignorant of how to move out of this terrible darkness.”

And forgiveness is the third concept explored. Initially Wolo has no intention of forgiving Victoria but later hopes to find a way to forgiveness. He sees examples of others forgiving; Yoma’s father and Nathaniel Lambi are two such people. Wolo realizes that he and his family caused pain and sought forgiveness at one time; his Facebook message to Mary indicates he is still seeking forgiveness. Wolo’s friend Ben tells him that forgiveness is not easy: “’It’s a very hard thing to do. It requires the kind of strength most of us don’t have, that’s why we don’t even try it.’”

I had heard about the stages of grief but never about the five stages of forgiveness. It’s the first stage, “accepting that all who commit wrongs are humans first, offenders second,” that is emphasized in the novel. It’s because Wolo realizes that he too has been an offender wanting forgiveness that he is able to consider forgiving someone else. And Victoria has difficulty forgiving herself so she’s stuck at the second stage: “recognizing that all humans are worthy of forgiveness.”

There are so many characters I learned to like. Yoma’s father, Tata Munyuenge, stands out because of his wisdom. Even Yoma is fully developed; through the flashbacks, we learn about her intelligence, fierceness, ambition, and independent nature. Keka, Wolo’s mother, is problematic for me. Above all, she holds on to her anger against Victoria. At times she strikes me as hypocritical since she seems to have no difficulty forgiving Osi’s behaviour. And it’s interesting that she accuses Victoria of manipulating Wolo while forgetting her own manipulations of her husband to get what she wanted. Her last email to Wolo redeems her somewhat, but it’s interesting that she doesn’t mention Victoria in the last sentence. Of course there is no doubt she loves her son, and there are many different ways to love.

I loved how the novel exposes readers to a culture with which they might not be familiar. I knew nothing about Cameroonian culture so thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses given. The importance of family and family reputation is certainly emphasized.

This novel inspires self-reflection: were you in Wolo’s situation, how would you behave? Would you be like Wolo or like Keka? Personally, I will try to remember that we are all flawed and deserving of love and forgiveness.

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

Review of QUANT by Anthony Bidulka (New Release)

 4.5 Stars

I finally met Russell Quant, the “wine-swilling, wise-cracking, world-travelling, winsomely gay, half Irish, half Ukrainian, ex-cop, ex-farm boy, Canadian prairie PI,” and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with him.

In Howell, Saskatchewan, Russell’s hometown, Clem Toth, the community’s go-to handyman, has died. Police believe his death was a suicide motivated by Clem’s guilt at deliberately destroying all the plants of a local nursery business. CeeCee, Clem’s widow and manager of Toth Greenhouse, doesn’t believe he committed the vandalism and is convinced he was actually murdered. Because CeeCee is a family friend, Russell decides to investigate. He interviews a number of people and even travels to the Turks and Caicos Islands to determine if a multi-national company interested in real estate development near Howell could be connected to the unusual events in the tiny hamlet with a population of less than 100.

Besides the mystery which highlights Russell’s professional life, there is some focus on his personal life. Russell’s mother Kay is showing signs of dementia and it is no longer safe for her to live in the farmhouse that has been her home for decades. And besides facing the harsh reality of his mother’s mental decline, he, in his mid-fifties, seems to be having a mid-life crisis. He must come to terms with aging, a process he sees as “agonizingly awash with loss and endings.” Fortunately, he has his husband, JP Taine, to support him.

It is impossible not to like Russell. Many people believe that how a man treats his mother indicates his emotional maturity. There is no doubt of the love he has for Kay. He speaks to and about her with kindness, respect, and empathy. There are some scenes that took my breath away. Kay’s addressing Russell by his father’s name is heart-breaking, and the mother and son eating cinnamon rolls together is such a touching scene. Russell’s love for JP is also obvious; he often mentions his husband’s positive qualities and acknowledges that he would be a lesser man without JP in his life.

Other of Russell’s traits also stand out. He is capable of self-reflection, often examining his thoughts, emotions, and choices. He admits, for instance, that he sometimes jumps to conclusions about people. He’s confident but not arrogant. His lack of arrogance is obvious in his self-deprecating comments. His wit also accentuates his intelligence.

I identified with so much in the novel. I love books which are unapologetically Canadian and celebrate our culture, even our quirks, and this book does that. The first chapter in which Russell describes his upbringing left me feeling very nostalgic since my background is very similar. The author captures the rhythms of small-town life so well. And the pop culture references resonated too.

The only aspect of the novel that I found problematic is Russell’s trip to Providenciales. He describes himself as a first timer to the island, but he knows so much about it. He knows its history and geography and is even familiar with its roads, beaches, restaurants, and resorts. I could assume that he did some research beforehand – or afterwards, since he does narrate in the past tense – but I think it’s more a case of the author’s familiarity with the Turks and Caicos archipelago bleeding into the narrative. I just wish I could get an invitation to a month-long stay at Phillip Painchaud’s rental villa!

I can attest that this is a standalone novel: I’ve not read the other eight Russell Quant novels, and though there are references to past events and relationships, none muddy the waters for a first-time reader of the series. (I did appreciate the allusions to other of the author’s books that I have read; the connection to the author’s trilogy made me want to cheer. I bet Lila and Doreen would get along well.) 

I so enjoyed my time with Russell that I want to read the other books in the series. (Quant takes place 15 years after the last book in the series.) I’d like to get to know some of the other characters mentioned; Kay, in particular, interests me, perhaps because she reminds me of my mother with her accent and her cooking “to excess” for fear someone might leave her home hungry. It’s time to see if my local bookstore has the newly re-issued 8-book original series. And I’m certain that others who meet Russell for the first time in this book will have the same reaction.

Review of THE DYING LIGHT by Ann Cleeves (New Release)

 4 Stars

This well-crafted police procedural is the fourth in the Two Rivers series featuring Detective Inspector Matthew Venn.

Venn and his team are called upon to investigate the death of 17-year-old Lottie Cauldwell whose body is discovered in the swimming pool of the holiday home belonging to the family of her friend Hannah Armstrong. Shortly thereafter Hannah’s body is also discovered. Both the locals in the small community as well as vacationers are interviewed. It is not long before connections emerge between several people and the Armstrong family. Secrets and secret hostilities are uncovered. Even the victims had secrets. Was the motive for the murders personal or, since Paul Armstrong, Hannah’s father, is a well-known ambitious politician, was the motivation political?

I enjoyed another visit with Venn and his team. Though Matthew still has insecurities in his personal relationship, he is becoming more confident as an investigator. He’s intelligent, thoughtful, empathetic, and calm. He’s a steady team leader willing to admit mistakes and to give credit to others. Jen Rafferty and Ross May are becoming more skilled as detectives. In particular, May’s maturity is highlighted: in the past he was eager, over-confident, and impatient whereas now he’s learning patience and realizing that he isn’t always right.

There is a claustrophobic atmosphere. The region is experiencing a scorching heatwave. Then it’s obvious that people are keeping secrets. Added to this are tensions between the local villagers and in-comers, wealthy Londoners like the Armstrongs buying up properties for holiday homes. Because of Paul’s high profile, there’s media attention and pressure to solve the case expeditiously.

There is a sufficiently large cast of suspects with potential motives to keep the reader guessing. As one would expect, there is misdirection. At the end, even Venn admits to making mistakes in his theorizing. The author plays fair; though there is misdirection, the clues are also there. The resolution is very plausible and may leave the reader wondering why s/he didn’t see it from the beginning.

I find this series is getting better and better, and I look forward to returning to Devon to follow Venn and his team during their next investigation.

Here are links to my reviews of the previous three installments in the series:

The Long Call: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2019/09/review-of-long-call-by-ann-cleeves-new.html

The Heron’s Cry: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2021/09/review-of-herons-cry-by-ann-cleeves-new.html

The Raging Storm: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/01/review-of-raging-storm-by-ann-cleeves.html

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

Review of DOG DAYS OF PLANET EARTH by Theresa Shea (New Release)

3.5 Stars 

This book explores a number of environmental, social, and political issues.

In 1985, Trevor Westmore, a former veterinarian, is released from Leavenworth Penitentiary after serving a 25-year sentence for murder. A guard gifts him a German Shepherd puppy named Libby. The two drive from Kansas to California where Trevor’s parents live. He buys a house and opens up a dog kennel. He meets Laura Fenway, the local veterinarian, and is immediately attracted to her. But will she want to have anything to do with him once she learns about his past? Then Trevor learns that Laura also has secrets which could jeopardize his long-awaited freedom.

Trevor is a likeable character. When the details of his crime are revealed, it’s obvious that his harm was unintentional, though he was certainly selfish and naive. Even before his prison time, he had a difficult life because of his military experiences. He struggles with adapting to a new world after having been incarcerated for almost half his life. I could not help but become a cheerleader for Trevor as he takes positive steps forward. Because I was invested in his future, I found the ending unsatisfying because of its lack of closure.

The novel certainly shows the bond between humans and dogs. Because Libby is dependent on him for her needs, Trevor is forced to act responsibly. Providing her with a routine gives him a routine as well. For example, he knows that a puppy needs to be exposed to new situations so, even though he doesn’t want to, he takes her for a walk. If he feels depressed or full of self-pity, Libby’s unconditional love and trust draws him out of his emotional slump. She definitely eases his re-entry into society by connecting him with other people.

A number of issues are examined: nuclear testing and its long-term effects on human health, chemical spraying in agriculture and its effects on animal health, the military’s abandonment of servicemen harmed during their service, the penal system, animal testing and abuse, and the difference between law and justice. I think that too many issues are touched on because some of them overshadow the plot and slow down pace. Certainly the discussion of crop spraying and its effects on mammalian mortality rates goes on and on. A focus on one or two subjects would be preferable.

I enjoyed the first part of the novel: Trevor’s time in prison, military service, and the events leading up to his murder charge. The romance element interested me less, especially once the animal rescue missions are introduced. With regard to the latter, readers need to be forewarned that animal abuse is described in detail, detail which will be upsetting to everyone but especially animal lovers.

The book will leave readers unimpressed by human nature because it depicts many examples of stupidity, self-centredness, selfishness, short-sightedness, moral bankruptcy, and cruelty. I wish for a more positive ending than the arrival of dawn.

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