Schatje's "Best Books Read in 2016" List

Today is the last day of 2016, so I’m presenting my list of the Best Books Read in 2016.  Please note that these were not necessarily published in the year – they made it off my “To Read” pile in the calendar year.

In total, I managed to read 75 books.  I’ve chosen my top 20 reads, organizing them into four categories:  Best Canadian Fiction, Best Fiction from the United Kingdom, Best American Fiction, and Best Novels Read in Translation.  Within each category, the books are not ranked.

Best Canadian Fiction

The Fortunate Brother by Donna Morrissey (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-fortunate-brother-by-donna.html)

The Parcel by Anosh Irani (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-parcel-by-anosh-irani.html)

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/10/review-of-do-not-say-we-have-nothing-by.html)

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-station-eleven-by-emily-st.html)

The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/05/review-of-translation-of-love-by-lynne.html)

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/03/review-of-medicine-walk-by-richard.html)

Martin John by Anakana Schofield (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/07/review-of-martin-john-by-anakana.html)

Best Fiction from the United Kingdom

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-god-in-ruins-by-kate-atkinson.html)

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/03/review-of-dictionary-of-mutual.html)

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/04/review-of-noise-of-time-by-julian-barnes.html)

Nutshell by Ian McEwan (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/11/review-of-nutshell-by-ian-mcewan.html)

His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/08/review-of-his-bloody-project-by-graeme.html)

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/review-of-brooklyn-by-colm-toibin.html)

Best American Fiction

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/01/todays-new-release-review-of-my-name-is.html)

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/05/review-of-sympathizer-by-viet-thanh.html)

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-underground-railroad-by.html)

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/07/review-of-did-you-ever-have-family-by.html)

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/12/review-of-another-brooklyn-by.html)

Best Novels Read in Translation

Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/09/review-of-dear-mr-m-by-herman-koch.html)

These are the Names by Tommy Wieringa (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/2016/12/review-of-these-are-names-by-tommy.html)

"Best of 2016" Lists

It’s the time of year when various publications release their lists of the best books of 2016.  I’ve perused a number of these lists and have organized them by source country.  It’s interesting to compare which titles make which lists.

How many have you read?

 

Canadian Lists of Best 2016 Books

The Globe and Mail:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/the-globe-100-the-best-books-of-2016/article33132356/?click=sf_globe#genre/fiction/  (I read 12 of the 45 fiction titles.)

The National Post:  http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/books/the-complete-np99-the-best-books-of-2016-ranked

CBC Books:  http://www.cbc.ca/books/bestbooks2016/index.html

49^th Shelf:  http://49thshelf.com/Blog/2016/11/28/2016-Our-Books-of-the-Year

American Lists of Best 2016 Books

Kirkus Reviews:  https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2016/section/fiction/

The New York Times Book Review:  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/books/review/100-notable-books-of-2016.html?smid=tw-nytbooks&smtyp=cur&_r=1

Book Riot:  http://bookriot.com/?p=113665

NPR Books:  http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2016/
The  Atlantic:  https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/12/the-best-books-we-read-in-2016/511517/  

British Lists of Best 2016 Books

The Times Literary Supplement: http://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/books-of-the-year-2016/?CMP=Spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-TheTLS-_-20161123-_-ArtsandCulture-_-678908828

The Telegraph:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/best-novels-2016/

The Guardian:   https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/30/best-fiction-2016-paul-beatty-zadie-smith    

If you don't want to browse through all these lists, see this list of the top 20 books of the year compiled from 36 "Best of 2016" lists:   http://qz.com/869960/the-best-books-of-2016-list-you-get-when-you-combine-36-best-books-of-2016-lists/. 

Tomorrow, I will post my list of the top fiction I read this past year.

2016 Book-to-Film Adaptations

It’s the holiday season so many people like to take in a movie, either at home or in a cinema.  If you want to check out a film, why not first peruse these lists of book-to-film adaptations made this past year.  There is some overlap in the suggestions, but each site also offers some unique recommendations.

https://electricliterature.com/the-best-literary-adaptations-of-2016-76453d1e9d53#.j1x7ehuh5

http://www.signature-reads.com/2016/12/10-best-movie-adaptations-2016/

http://bookriot.com/2016/12/21/7-book-adaptations-you-might-have-missed-in-theaters-this-year/

Early in the next year, I will blog about film adaptations coming in 2017.

Neglected Books of 2016?

As the year draws to an end, “Best Books of 2016” lists appear everywhere.  (Mine is reserved for the last day of the year.)  Today I came across a list with a twist.  Literary Hub produced a list of 21 books that, according to booksellers, did not receive sufficient attention.  I’ve read none of them and have previously come across only two of the titles.

Go to http://lithub.com/the-years-best-overlooked-books-according-to-booksellers/ if you are looking for a recommendation for a next book that may not have appeared on “best book” lists. 

Review of ASHES OF LONDON by Andrew Taylor

4 Stars 

This historical thriller is set in 1666 in the aftermath of the Great Fire.  Two young people are the focus.  In alternating sections, we follow James Marwood and Cat Lovett.  James is a minor clerk who becomes a reluctant government agent.  Several people in authority task him with finding people and investigating murders.  Cat is a young heiress who has to go into hiding because of an attack.

James and Cat meet by chance at the beginning of the novel, but they also have another connection.  Both of their fathers were Fifth Monarchists, religious zealots who were staunch anti-monarchists.  James’ father is in frail health and suffering from senility after years of imprisonment; James does his best to look after him, but he is always aware that his father’s past can affect his advancement in the world.  Cat’s father went missing after Charles II regained the throne and he is still actively sought; Cat tries to find her fugitive father whose past also affects her present.  Events conspire to bring James and Cat together again before the novel ends.

The main characters are credible and well-rounded.  James is a likeable character who always tries to do what is right though that may be difficult when he is manipulated by people in authority with secret agendas.  He is a dutiful son though he admits to sometimes resenting his father:  “Sometimes I hated my father almost as much as I loved him.  He brought down troubles on his own head, and also on the heads of those around him.”  Cat is also realistic, a good person but one who does not forgive easily; she is “a good hater.  She hoarded the hatred as a miser hoards his gold.” 

The plot is fast-paced.  Suspense is maintained throughout.  We know what each of the two protagonists knows and that information is more than each of them has.  Some of the suspense is created by the reader wondering when/if one of the two will learn something crucial that the other knows.  There is a great deal of political intrigue that adds to the dense layering.  As befitting the genre, there is a gripping climax.  The scene in the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral is a bit difficult to imagine but the danger in the situation is clearly conveyed. 

Historical fiction sometimes includes information dumps.  This book has a great deal of historical detail but it is nicely woven into the plot so the author’s research doesn’t overwhelm the narrative.  The amount of local colour does not let the reader forget that the setting is that of 350 years in the past.

This book was a great way to end my reading year.  I will certainly be reading more of Andrew Taylor’s offerings.