Review of THE RESISTANCE PAINTER by Kath Jonathan (New Release)

 3 Stars

This is a dual timeline novel.

Irena Marianowska is an art student living in Warsaw with her mother and sister when the Nazis invade Poland. She immediately joins the Home Army and remains involved in the resistance movement throughout the war, becoming an expert in navigating the sewer system of the city to transport people and goods.

In Toronto, 2010, Jo Blum looks after her grandmother Irena, a decorated war hero and renowned painter. An artist herself, Jo creates sculptures for grave sites based on the lives of her clients. She is hired to do one for Stefan Cegielski. When Jo comes to interview him, she discovers parallels between his wartime past and that of her grandmother. Intrigued, she starts investigating further and uncovers some surprising family secrets.

One issue with the novel is the number of names one character can have. It’s easy to remember that Jo is Josephine and Mati is Mateusz, but things become more confusing: Irena Marianowska, Irena Iwanowska, Renka, Ala, and Wit are the same person; Alexandra, Ola, Olenka, and Zofia are the same person; and Szarlota, Lotka, and Charlotte are the same person. I’m not sure there’s a need for so much obfuscation.

I enjoyed learning about the Armia Krajowa, the Home Army, which was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Though my ancestors come from Poland, I knew little about his period in the country’s history. I had never heard about how the sewer system allowed the Polish Home Army to move supplies and people between isolated districts. The descriptions of the smells and rats emphasize the horrors of navigating these underground routes.

I found it difficult to believe that Jo knows so little about her grandmother. Jo, her mother, and her grandparents lived together yet Jo asks, “How is it that I know so little about my grandmother’s life?” Then as she becomes more curious, she avoids asking, more than once using the weak excuse “Now is not the time to ask.”

There are other issues with Jo’s behaviour. Despite her Polish heritage, she can’t differentiate German and Polish when spoken? She has a confidentiality agreement with her client Stefan but she breaks it so unthinkingly, telling what she’s learned not only to Irena but also to Irena’s art dealer? She looks after Irena as her health fails, yet only at the very end does she notice “for the first time a small, deep scar on her left leg above her ankle”? She struggles to make doctor’s appointments for her grandmother, but then she doesn’t insist on Irena going?

There are a lot of coincidences that had me shaking my head in disbelief. How many times does Ala encounter Davey just by chance? Irena doesn’t figure out the clue about meeting at the bakery, but she manages to arrive just at the right time?

To add local colour, the author added some Polish words, but I found the repetition of cholera (23 times) tedious after a while. Some terms like łapanka and Hitlerow are not explained.

The book is unnecessarily long. It drags at time; for instance, Jo’s avoidance of questioning her grandmother feels like plot manipulation. There’s interesting information, but there’s also some unnecessary repetition.

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

Review of THE CASE OF THE LONELY ACCOUNTANT by Simon Mason

 3 Stars

This is the second of the Finder Mysteries which focuses on Talib, a specialist in finding people. Having enjoyed the first book in the series, Missing Person: Alice, I decided to listen to the second one.

In 2008, Don Bayliss, a well-respected accountant, vanished in Bournemouth. His clothes discarded by the harbour led police to presume death by suicide. Fifteen years later, the discovery of a possible connection to a convicted criminal results in the case being re-opened. The Finder is hired to determine exactly what happened to the quiet accountant.

Talib re-interviews everyone associated with Don at the time of his disappearance: his wife, colleagues, neighbours, acquaintances, etc. His slow and methodical approach results in uncovering clues that were missed in the initial investigation. As expected in the investigation of a cold case, this is not an action-packed book.

As in the first novel, literature is used to suggest parallels to the case. Talib is reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and with its theme of dualities, it is soon obvious that part of solving the mystery of Don’s disappearance is determining who the real Don Bayliss was. Was he the hardworking and scrupulously honest colleague or an embezzler? Was he a dull and dutiful husband or a sexual predator?

I liked learning more about Talib’s past which explains his choice of career. He remains the intelligent, thorough, and compassionate man we met in the first book but discovering more events in his past helps the reader to understand him better.

I didn’t enjoy this second book as much because it seems formulaic in that it has so many similarities with the first. In my review of that book, I referred to a character mentioning that people often present contradictory versions of themselves to different people. That is very much a theme in this novel as well, as is the examination of the impact of the missing person on those left behind.

A third book is scheduled for release later this year, but I’m not certain I’ll add it to my audiobook collection. Will it just follow the same formula and repeat the same themes?

Review of MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

 3 Stars

This novel has many of the hallmarks of a Jodi Picoult novel: more than one narrator, a focus on family, an exploration of contemporary social issues, and surprise twists and revelations. Unfortunately, as I’ve found with her other books, her desire to educate readers overshadows the need to entertain via a plausible plot.

Eighteen-year-old Asher Fields is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Lily Campanello. The trial reveals that both kept secrets and told lies so even Olivia, Asher’s mother, starts to doubt her son’s innocence.

There are two narrators who appear in alternating chapters. One narrator is Olivia; she narrates in the present tense, moving forward from the day of Lily’s death. The other narrator is Lily; she also narrates in the present tense but her chapters move backwards from the day of her death. Lily’s sections, a type of internal monologue, bothered me. She has a closely guarded secret, but she never reveals what it is – even to herself? Is it necessary to have the first 200 pages, half of the book, hide the main topic? Also, the reverse time of Lily’s chapters means that she vaguely refers to something that happened earlier and then in her next chapter will actually describe what happened; this narrative approach means that there is a lot of repetition. By the time we reach the end of the novel, we already know her story because of what Olivia relates about the trial, so Lily has little new information to add.

There are issues with the courtroom scenes. Olivia details the testimony of others and then testifies herself. Perhaps I’m wrong, but my understanding is that witnesses are usually not allowed to hear other witnesses' testimony. Then the great reveal happens during the trial and comes as a total shock to everyone except Ava, Lily’s mother? If Ava believes the motive for her daughter’s murder is connected to Lily’s secret, wouldn’t she have told the prosecutor? Her statement that “’Is there a reason I had to?’” is unconvincing. Then the reason Lily dies has nothing to do with this secret, the novel’s raison d'être?

Once the main subject is finally introduced, the novel becomes didactic. I certainly understand the need to inform people and I agree with the author’s opinion, but there are information dumps that impede narrative flow. Though she has never mentioned it specifically for half the novel, Lily suddenly writes about nothing but the nature of her secret and goes on and on. At times the tone becomes didactic and so many topics are touched on: bullying, physical and psychological abuse, transphobia, homophobia, racism, and domestic violence. There’s an abortion, suicide attempts, and even police brutality. Is it necessary to have both a same sex couple and an interracial couple? It’s as if the authors feel they must mention every serious issue found in contemporary society.

Then there’s the information about bees and honey. I can see parallels between the experiences of the bees and those of the characters: a hive is virtually destroyed and a home no longer feels safe either. Olivia’s attempts to save a hive indicate her personality and parallel her attempts to save her son. And the reference to mad honey can’t be missed; certainly, more than one relationship in the book seems sweet but proves to be damaging. But I did find some of the information about honeybees to be superfluous and, again, it impedes narrative flow.

The ending of the trial is not a surprise and subsequent revelations confirm what I suspected. Much of the plot is a teenage love story so the development at the end can hardly be shocking. Unfortunately, there are unanswered questions at the end: at least two people never have to answer for their actions? Domestic violence and obstruction of justice go unpunished?

The book is entertaining, but there are weaknesses I found difficult to ignore.

Review of A LESSON IN DYING by Ann Cleeves (New Release)

 3 Stars

This is the first in the Inspector Stephen Ramsay series, written before the Vera, Shetland, and Two Rivers series for which Cleeves is best known. This book was originally published in 1990 but is being re-released.

The events are set in Heppleburn, a pit village in Northumberland. Harold Medburn, the much-disliked headmaster of the local school, is murdered on Hallowe’en night. Many people disliked him so there are several suspects with possible motives but Medburn’s wife Kitty is soon arrested. However, Jack Robson, a retired miner and the school caretaker, is determined to prove her innocence. He enlists the help of his daughter Patty; the two uncover several instances of adultery and blackmail and eventually the identity of the murderer, though not before other deaths occur.

In a note to the reader at the beginning of the book, the author states that Ramsay “is on the periphery” and this is certainly the case. At the end, he still feels vague. There is some information about his personal life – his wife left him. Otherwise he is described as “the aloof, rather arrogant policeman” whose colleagues think “he’d lost his sense of proportion” because for him “there was little more to life than work.” He acknowledges that he is not sociable and “had never been particularly liked.”

The one trait expected of a detective is intelligence, but Ramsay doesn’t strike me as particularly intelligent. His investigative skills are not impressive; he carries out a less than comprehensive investigation and jumps to conclusions. Twice he is convinced he has identified the killer and twice proves to be wrong. It is Jack and Patty who really do the legwork and uncover the truth. As the investigation proceeds, Ramsay admits to “making up his own rules” and uses both Jack and Patty to estions for him. This appproah is not only unconventional but can also be viewed as unprofessional.

Patty’s reaction to Ramsay is interesting though perplexing: “From the beginning she had been attracted to him” and though she feels he is manipulating her, she agrees to do whatever he asks. She follows him around like a puppy dog and seeks opportunities to spend time with him, so much so that her husband is jealous. At one point Ramsay dismisses Jack as “an infatuated old fool” but I think Patty is as infatuated with the good-looking police detective. Cleeves mentions that Ramsay’s “character develops more in subsequent novels” so perhaps Patty’s positive feelings towards him will become more understandable.

In comparison to Cleeves’ other series, this one pales. Her storytelling has definitely improved with her later novels. For instance, there are unanswered questions. A woman married a man because she wanted privacy? A suicide occurs, but an explanation for the motive behind that choice is given as a fear of being released? Why?

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy a slow-paced novel. There are six books in the series so I may check out one more to see if Ramsay has a chance of becoming a detective like Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez or Matthew Venn, all of whose company I’ve come to enjoy.

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

Review of THE PARIS EXPRESS by Emma Donoghue (New Release)

 4 Stars

The events in this novel take place in a single day (October 22, 1895) on an express train from Granville on the Normandy coast to the Montparnasse station in Paris.

The author populates the train with actual people who were part of the crew or on the passenger list, real people who could plausibly have been on the train, and fictional characters. The passengers include people from various classes of society: government officials, a priest, a female scientist, a cabaret performer, an Irish playwright, a black American artist, a Russian immigrant, a coffee seller, a pregnant woman, a young boy travelling alone, a young anarchist, a fisherwoman, etc.

The novel begins at a leisurely pace as the various crew members and passengers are introduced, but then we learn that a young woman named Mado Pelletier, an anarchist, has fatal plans for the train. As the journey progresses, because the engineer tries to make up time to keep the train on schedule, the train’s speed towards disaster increases and tension builds. Will Mado change her mind when she considers the collateral death of innocent people? Will a fellow passenger who guesses Mado’s intention be able to stop her? The writer effectively adds suspense by shortening the scenes devoted to characters: at the beginning several pages focus on each person but as the train gains momentum, the scenes become shorter and shorter and there are constant shifts among characters, thereby adding to the impression of speed and impending doom.

And then there’s the ending. Yes, a disaster does occur, though there is a twist. I knew nothing about the historical event and I would advise readers to go in blind. At the end of the book, there is a lengthy explanation about the train and the fate of her crew and passengers. Knowing beforehand what actually happened would, I think, lessen the novel’s impact.

The book provides a snapshot of the times. Political and social conditions and technological advances are described. For instance, classism, racism, and misogyny are evident. And references are made to typewriters, automobiles, the development of films, and the building of a subway.

The book also provides a snapshot of the intimate lives of people. There is a large cast of characters, but I found it not too difficult to differentiate among them. Everyone has a pre-occupation or secret or regret or hope unique to him/her.

The plot could be summarized as a train journey, but there are mini-plots. For example, there’s a sexual encounter, a possible romance, Mado’s internal conflict, friction between a boss and his ambitious female secretary, and a quarrel over a young woman’s health.

I found I learned a great deal from reading this book. Donoghue clearly did considerable research. I also appreciate when a book adds to my vocabulary: glacis, dynamitard, bourdalou, demimondaine, and dandling are words with which I was not familiar.

When travelling, I like to imagine the intimate lives of my fellow travellers, and this book is a writer’s imaginative creation of the interior lives of travellers, albeit those on a specific historical train journey. I enjoyed the novel and definitely recommend it, though some readers might find the sheer number of characters daunting.

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

Review of THE BIGAMIST by Felicia Mihali (New Release)

 2 Stars

I’m not sure whether this book is intended to be an allegory, but I am certain that I didn’t enjoy reading it.

The narrator of this novella is an unnamed immigrant woman from Romania. She comes with her husband Aron to Canada where she tries to adapt to life in Montreal. She meets Roman, another Romanian immigrant, and begins an affair with him, eventually leaving Aron to live with Roman. That’s it in terms of plot.

It’s not difficult to determine that Aron represents the past, the life left behind in Bucharest, whereas Roman represents the present, where she’s trying to integrate into Canadian culture and society. Life with Aron becomes unbearable because of his unwillingness to adapt to their new country but life with Roman, who is “perfectly in tune with the North American lifestyle,” also presents challenges because they clash over things like her thriftiness.

The narrator is the bigamist in that she lives in both the past and present; she keeps house for Roman, but she regularly returns to Aron’s apartment to clean for him too. Aron even comments that she will always have a key for the apartment. The message is that for an immigrant, finding a balance is the key to happiness: “Isn’t that what happiness is? What could be more joyful than being married to both past and present, till death us do part?”

As expected, there are observations about the immigrant experience in Canada. The narrator complains that “The Department of Immigration lumped us all together in the same category” though there are many differences among immigrants from different parts of the world. She also observes how in Romania, “each individual lived within his family and his clan, remaining faithful to their age-old ideas and beliefs” whereas in Canada, “boundaries and class distinctions were fading, and your place in this heterogeneous society was now measured by your occupation” and “The smaller the jar in your [shopping] basket, the more rights you have in this country.”

One issue I had was with the personality of the narrator. Besides being dull, she is not likeable. I understand that her wavering and uncertainty are meant to emphasize her desire to retain things from the past and her desire to find her place in her new country with its different values, but her vacillating becomes annoying and suggests a lack of introspection. Her actions towards Émilie may be symbolic of the narrator’s unwillingness to cut ties with the past, but they are despicable.

There is no doubt that the narrator is to be seen as well-read; the book is peppered with allusions to writers such as Dzevad Karahasan, Edith Wharton, Salman Rushdie, Hanif Kureishi, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Herta Müller. I did find, however, that after a while these literary references come across as a form of name-dropping to impress. On the other hand, though the woman is supposed to be a writer, there is little mention of her actually writing.

What makes this book so tedious is that there is really no tension. I don’t enjoy books that focus only on plot, but in this case there’s the opposite problem: absolutely everything is intended to be symbolic of the immigrant’s conflict between past and present. Rather than a narrative diagram, I imagine the writer created a chart of symbols. Surely this conflict could be developed in a more interesting way. The total lack of dialogue is, for me, a real issue since dialogue is so useful for any number of dramatic purposes. I can appreciate the idea behind the book, but the execution does not impress though, admittedly, it would probably work well for a university course focused on extended metaphor and symbolism.

A writer wanting to convey a theme needs to do so in an interesting and emotionally impactful way or there will be no audience for that message. Unfortunately, I was neither entertained nor emotionally captivated by this book. If I did not feel obligated to write a review for it, I would have stopped reading after a few pages.

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

Review of SON by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger (New Release)

 4.5 Stars

I’ve not read any books by Thomas Enger, but I really loved two of Johana Gustawsson’s novels, The Bleeding and Yule Island, so I was anxious to read Son, the first Kari Voss Mystery.

Kari, a psychologist and expert on body language and memory, is also a consultant for the Oslo Police. She is asked by her friend, Chief Constable Ramona Norum, to assist in the investigation of the brutal murder of two teenage girls, Eva and Hedda, in the small Norwegian town of Son. Jesper, a friend of the girls, is arrested and charged after he confesses, but Kari is not convinced of his guilt and continues to investigate on her own. She uncovers several secrets and multiple suspects.

As expected with the first of a series, there is considerable character development. Kari emerges as an interesting character with a traumatic background. She lost her husband in an accident and then her nine-year-old son Vetle went missing. It’s been seven years since Vetle’s disappearance, but Kari has not accepted that he could be dead and when stressed, she experiences episodes of transient global amnesia. The killings of Eva and Hedda and the arrest of Jesper hit close to home because the three were Vetle’s best friends. Besides her intelligence and intuitiveness, what I especially appreciated about Kari is that, though she does not back down easily, she keeps an open mind and questions her assertions.

I’ve always been interested in body language, the process of communicating non-verbally through conscious or unconscious gestures. As a consequence, I enjoyed Kari’s explanations of character’s movements and what they reveal. Of course there’s always the element of nervousness in people talking to a woman known as a human lie detector.

I found the book a compelling read from beginning to end. It opens very strongly and continues at a relentless pace with several twists and turns. As secrets are uncovered, more suspects emerge. The reader feels like Kari does when she’s “left with a whirlwind of new information. The complexity of it all bears down on me, covering everything in a cloak of suspicion and uncertainty.”

I'd be remiss if I didn’t comment on the title. It’s perfect because it works on so many levels. There’s Vetle, a missing son; the town of Son where the murders occur; and various sons like Jesper, Samuel, Erik, and Petter whose relationships with their parents receive considerable attention.

The final sentence in the novel had me screaming, “When will the next book in the series be released?” I will definitely be looking for it. I also intend to read Gustawsson’s three books in her Roy & Castells series and Thomas Enger’s five books in his Henning Juul series. In the meantime, I will definitely be recommending this totally immersive collaboration.

Here are links to my reviews of the two Johana Gustawsson novels I have read:

The Bleeding - https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/09/review-of-bleeding-by-johana-gustawsson.html

Yule Island - https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-of-yule-island-by-johana.html

Review of A MOTHER'S LOVE by Sara Blædel (New Release)

 3 Stars

When I requested an advance reading copy of this book, I was unaware that it is in fact the eleventh book in the Louise Rick / Camilla Lind series. Fortunately, though I was obviously missing information about previous events in the characters’ personal lives, there is sufficient explanation that the novel can be read as a standalone.

Dorthe, a widowed innkeeper, is found murdered. In the course of the investigation into her death, a search of the inn reveals a concealed nursery in which a child obviously lived. Since Dorthe was childless, who is the child and where is s/he? The search for a murderer also becomes a search for a child whose identity is unknown.

The investigation is lead by Detective Louise Rick, head of the recently created Mobile Task Unit charged with assisting with difficult cases across Denmark. Besides having to work with a hastily cobbled together team of officers she has never met, Louise finds herself having to work with Eik, her ex-fiancé. Louise does receive help from her friend, crime reporter Camilla Lind.

I had difficulty understanding the relationship between Louise and Camilla, though the suggestion is that they are best friends. In this novel, they have little interaction other than phone calls and texts. When they do communicate, Louise is brusque and churlish. Though Camilla repeats that she is taking a break from work, Louise insists she do some research for her. After demanding her help, Louise later rudely snaps at Camilla, accusing her of pumping her for information about the investigation.

There are a lot of twists in the plot to keep the reader entertained. I did find, however, that the events in the church at the end seem to have been included just to add suspense by prolonging the conclusion. Those events are not only unnecessary but also far-fetched. The suicide of a troubled individual is understandable but the other actions taken by that person make little sense.

There are other things that make no sense. How can two people (a killer and a victim) leave the same location at the same time and both arrive at a second location at the same time when the killer stops en route to pick up the murder weapon? How can someone who is hiding a young child in his/her house be absent for extended periods from home? There is no suggestion of that child being drugged. At one point Louise “went to join [Melvin and Jonas] in the living room” though Melvin had left for his own apartment and Jonas “disappeared into his room”? Then there’s the fact that the investigation is in a small town where it’s usual for people to know a lot about each others’ activities, yet there are so many secrets and secret locations? The number of evil characters totally lacking in humanity also requires some suspension of disbelief.

Despite the twists, I identified the murderer early on. There’s the title, of course, and then a definite focus on a subplot – both clues that a regular reader of crime fiction cannot miss.

This is an entertaining though not exceptional book because of the plot holes. Readers who have followed the series from the beginning may be interested in the developments in Louise and Camilla’s personal lives.

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

Review of 33 PLACE BRUGMANN by Alice Austen (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This novel, set during World War II, focuses on the residents of an apartment building in Brussels. They are a diverse group of people of different ages and from different backgrounds. There’s a Jewish family, the Raphaëls, who disappear one night, leaving everything behind but their valuable art collection. There’s a Russian immigrant and a widowed war veteran. There are a number of students, including Charlotte, a colour-blind art student. There are professionals: an architect, an art dealer, an attorney, and a notary. There’s a nosy busybody. Once the Nazis occupy the city and life becomes more difficult with restrictions on movement and food rationing, each resident must choose whether to submit to the regime or resist. Some people make sacrifices and endanger themselves to save others and some people betray others to save themselves.

There are multiple points of view. At least one person from each apartment provides his/her perspective. This narrative technique provides an opportunity for the reader to encounter the thoughts of the best and worst of people, both heroes and cowards. Though they are not narrators, the Nazis are also represented, and even there, we see differences – a Nazi officer who shows compassion more than once and a collaborator who shows none to either human or animal.

There’s a disjointed feeling to the novel because of the constant shifts between so many narrators. What also affects the narrative flow is the insertion of dreams and visions, sometimes in stream-of-consciousness passages. Charlotte, for instance, at the beginning of the novel sees that “blood is seeping out under [the massive church doors], too, flowing from the church and flooding the square. Blood is everywhere. The passersby wade through blood, and it spatters their pant legs and skirts, but they take no notice.” This vision obviously symbolically foreshadows what is to come, but others are less clear.

What is also less clear is the philosophical musings. There are repeated references to Wittgenstein and I found these less than interesting. Charlotte dislikes Wittgenstein’s writings and comments, “I’d rather read a magical book with the illusion of a beginning and an end. Not pithy little bursts that force me to consider every damn sentence.” When encountering another discussion of Wittgenstein’s philosophy, I found myself agreeing with Charlotte.

Charlotte is a central figure in the novel. Her point of view is included several times, and it is her life that provides considerable action to the plot; she’s involved in the romance story and the most suspenseful scenes. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to relate to her. Others speak so highly of her, but I found it difficult to grasp her personality. For me, she remains an indistinct character, always hazy and lacking definition.

There are quite a few coincidences which troubled me. Julian’s arrival at Herman’s apartment stretches credibility. And then there are the connections among Dirk and Putzeis and the Gorilla and Masha.

I have read quite a bit of historical fiction set during World War II, but I believe this is the first set in Brussels, so I learned a great deal from this book. I learned about the VNV, the Flemish nationalist party which became the leading force of political collaboration in Flanders during the German occupation of Belgium. I also learned about the 1943 solo bombing of the Nazi headquarters in Brussels by Jean de Selys Longchamps.

Though there are elements of the book I did not enjoy, it does offer a look at how Nazi occupation affected ordinary people whose survival was threatened in many different ways. It also inspires the reader to consider how s/he would react in similar circumstances. Would one choose submission or resistance? Some statements certainly made me draw parallels with current events in the US: “When we stop trying to understand how others see the world, when we lose our compassion, our empathy, we become animals. Worse than animals” and “Elected. The meaning of the word has changed for me since [the election of Hitler]. Or else my understanding of my fellow humans’ basic intelligence has changed. I don’t know if it will come to shooting, but I know it might.”

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

Review of THE IMMORTAL WOMAN by Su Chang (New Release)

 4 Stars

This multi-generational story weaves the personal stories of women with historical events and emphasizes the power of “the ghosts of the past.”

In 1960s Shanghai, Lemai reluctantly becomes a student Red Guard leader and eventually a journalist with a state newspaper. Events during the Tiananmen Square protests cause her to lose faith in her country so she raises her daughter Lin to aim for a life in the West. Years later, Lin arrives in North America but struggles with identity and finding her place in the world.

Mother-daughter relationships are a focus. The one between Lemai and Lin is certainly complicated. Because Lemai’s experiences as a young woman are detailed, we understand her motivations, especially in raising Lin to aspire for a life in the West. Because Lin’s experiences in the West are detailed, we understand her struggles: she wants to fulfill her mother’s dream but she has her own ambitions. What is impressive is that the author manages to elicit in the reader both sympathy for and frustration with both women.

It is Lin’s experiences with which I most identified. She identifies herself as “the executor of Ma’s Grand Plan” and “thanks to [her mother’s] years of gospel-like teaching,” Lin “spent her entire formative years admiring, romanticizing, worshipping those [white] faces.” In the West, however, she ends up unhappy and suffering from the equivalent of a colonial mentality with “a bruising inferiority complex, a decimated self.”

Lemai imagines a perfect life for her daughter, like the one she imagines for her friend Wei who left for the West years earlier: “She had imagined her lifestyle: lunches with American co-workers, shopping sprees at luxury brands, vacations on white-sand beaches by the undulating sea. . . . Lemai was sure her friend could switch between cultures effortlessly, like slipping in and out of different outfits.” Lemai believes the propagandizing about “the Melting Pot in action; ah, the harmonious coexistence; ah, the nation unparalleled in its embrace of immigrants.” Lin discovers the falsity of the American dream: because her appearance differentiates her, she cannot totally assimilate into Western society and encounters both overt and subtle racism.

I appreciated the balanced portrayal of both China and the West. We see the extreme nationalism in China where the government controls the media as a propaganda weapon, and closely monitors and oppresses its people. Though Lemai thinks of the West as a paradise, she is ill-informed. Wei’s life proves to be nothing like what Lemai imagined. A classmate of Lin’s comments, “’You turn on the TV every morning and see the clowns talking, the cults and fake gods, the obscene rich and abject poor, the school carnage . . . this is supposed to be the pinnacle of human civilization?’”

The novel focuses on women’s experiences. Men in both parts of the world do not emerge as admirable characters. Men in both China and the West abandon their wives and children. And they enjoy wielding power over women, some physically but many psychologically. Men are either cowardly or manipulative while women may be quieter but are definitely stronger.

Parts of the novel are dense with politics. My lack of knowledge about Chinese history meant that some sections were tedious and I struggled to understand. Fortunately, there is sufficient explanation that I didn’t get totally lost. There are also cultural references which I had to research: I was not familiar with terms like hukou, baijiu, iron rice bowl, and hanfu. On the other hand, I completely understood the commentary about American society, comments which I found particularly relevant because of current events.

This is a worthwhile read although readers should be forewarned about the novel’s serious tone. There are few light-hearted moments, though the ending, with its emphasis on proudly embracing one’s heritage, is satisfying. Su Chang is definitely a Canadian writer to follow.

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

Review of SMALL FIRES by Ronnie Turner (New Release)

 4 Stars

Though gothic fiction is not my genre of choice, I really enjoyed Ronnie Turner’s So Pretty (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2023/01/review-of-so-pretty-by-ronnie-turner.html) so was excited to read her next offering. Small Fires I would classify as folklore gothic, combining elements of traditional folklore with classic gothic tropes.

Della and Lily Pedley, suspected of murdering their parents, flee Cornwall in southern England to an island in Scotland known only as The God-Forgotten. Strange events occur on the isolated island and people avoid travelling to it because “bitterness runs through the land like poison in blood.” The Folk on the island seem drawn to Della whereas Lily becomes friends with Silas, the publican, and Kit, a visiting geologist. Silas and Kit are different from the rest of the islanders; they don’t seem to live with the same fear that permeates every aspect of the lives of the Folk. Lily is curious and becomes interested in the local stories, especially those about the Warden that the Folk always try to appease. It is soon obvious that “’stories are never simply stories.’”

The island is very much a character in the novel. The opening sentence is “They say the Devil came here.” When the sisters arrive, Lily comments on the silence over the land and the dark mountain casting shadows; she even thinks “This land smells of death.” Kit speaks of the island having “’So much history. All of it bad.’” What is emphasized is that the island is full of legends; Silas, who was born on the island and has lived there all his life, thinks of it as a godless place “Where nothing but stories grow.”

And the inhabitants are a strange lot; they have a religion about the Devil whom they call the Warden; they are variously described as mad and deluded but what stands out is their fear. Kit comments that they live in constant fear because of their beliefs about the Warden which are passed down via their old, ominous legends: “’I’m not saying I don’t think there is something rotten here. There is. But it’s something these people have grown themselves.’” Later, she states, “’There is no illness like the illness of the mind. They think they have a devil. I think they have groomed themselves into a delusion.’” Is Kit correct or is there evil on the island?

The narrative alternates between two perspectives – that of Lily in first person and that of Silas in third person. Whenever there’s a reliance on first person narration, I always question whether the narrator is reliable. For instance, because Lily definitely portrays her sister in a negative light, I kept wanting Della’s point of view. Can Lily be trusted if children react to her with “such fear in their unblemished faces” and her own mother called her Little Wolf? Can Lily be innocent if she admits “We murdered our parents”? Yet Silas’s opinion of Della confirms Lily’s; when he sees Della for the first time, he describes her: “The tall one has long fingers, a thick neck inches wider than his own. A beast among men” and from Lily’s behaviour, he concludes she is frightened of Della. Certainly point of view was carefully chosen to keep the reader uncertain.

Imagery is used very purposefully and effectively. There are frequent references to bones, blood, shadows, ghosts, and animals. For instance, “The sun has not yet risen, so the bonfire is their sun, and it puts violence in the shadows and makes them all look like they have beasts inside their skins” and “the clouds are dark like blood when it dries” and “She is outside somewhere, picking through the darkness like a tick on a body” and “He has ghosts inside his eyes. Such hungry ghosts.”

I had difficulty imagining the time period of the novel. It is not until reference is made to an online article, that it’s clear this is a contemporary story. Regardless, I often pictured an earlier time. Rituals like the Tithing made me think of the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Perhaps the vagueness of time is intentionally used to emphasize timeless themes.

The themes are about generational trauma, the power of stories, and identity. The first two are developed from the beginning. The theme of identity appears later with statements like “’Identity is a powerful thing’” and “’I don’t think you can ever know someone. We are all wearing faces to get through the world. We are all pretending, slipping on new identities’” and “’I have a different skin for every pair of eyes. Sometimes even I am confused.’”

With its constant sense of foreboding, this book is an unsettling read. As I mentioned at the beginning, gothic fiction is not a favourite for me, but this book offers more than an eerie atmosphere. It is well-written and its themes are thought-provoking.

Review of PRECIOUS CARGO by Craig Davidson

3 Stars 

Memoirs are not my genre of choice but this was a book club selection. Given its appearance on the shortlist for Canada Reads in 2018, with its theme of One Book to Open Your Eyes, I was expecting more.

Depressed and broke, Davidson took a job as a school bus driver and spent one school year driving five special-needs students. We meet Nadja, Oliver, Gavin, Vincent, and Jake and see snippets of their time on the bus during which they tell stories and jokes, tease each other, laugh together, and bond. As a result of getting to know these teenagers and seeing how society treats people viewed as disabled, he re-evaluates his life: “The physical truth is that I drove you. The deeper truth is that you drove me. Drove me to step out of my own sickened skin, to stop feeling sorry for myself and to see the world for its beauties more than its agonies.”

As I’ve already mentioned, I was wanting more from this book. In particular, I wanted more of the five students and less of the bus driver. I wanted more stories of the interactions between the driver and his passengers. Except for Jake with whom Davidson had a relationship outside his job, it is difficult to remember who is who; there is insufficient differentiation.

There is more telling than showing. Not everything has to be explained. Do we need over a page about how chemically we are all the same because every living thing starts out as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen? And the life lessons he learns are not exactly profound: we’re all people deserving of respect despite our differences; we need to make the best of what life gives us; and life is sometimes unfair. Basically he learns to have empathy for others and to appreciate his own life.

I didn’t dislike the author, but I wasn’t overly impressed with him either. At first he was whiny and full of self-pity; I expect a writer to understand human nature and be capable of self-reflection, but that’s certainly not the case at the beginning. Then, though he did try to make the times on the school bus pleasant for all and his actions show acceptance of and respect for everyone, I detected a self-congratulatory tone for being such a good driver to these students and then expecting praise for learning rather obvious lessons about life.

What really bothered me is Davidson’s dropping out of Jake’s life. He speaks of the relationship he developed with Jake, but once the school year is over, he never sees him again? Surely both Jake and Calvin would have appreciated Davidson’s further involvement in Jake’s life. This behaviour made me question Davidson’s sincerity. Did he use the five passengers as fodder for his writing and then just abandon them once they had served their purpose?

The inclusion of excerpts from “The Seekers” serves little purpose. Yes, the unpublished novel does include the five as lead characters/heroes in a narrative, but these sections interrupt the flow of the narrative. Were it the writing of one of the gang I’d have been more interested. Davidson does say that both Vincent and Jake “could end up as writers.”

In the end, I have greater respect for school bus drivers. Given the level of their responsibilities, I think they are underpaid. Not only must they keep their passengers safe, they’re expected to understand their personalities and needs. I understand why there’s a shortage of people for those positions.

This is not a bad book, but I wanted more depth, not just surface-level life lessons, and I’d have enjoyed learning more about the precious cargo.

Review of A HOUSE FOR MISS PAULINE by Diana McCaulay (New Release)

 4 Stars

This novel focuses on a strong female protagonist, 99-year-old Pauline Sinclair, whom the reader will not soon forget.

Pauline has spent her entire life in Mason Hall, a rural Jamaican village. She believes she is not long for the world when the stones of her house begin to shift and she hears voices which she thinks are telling her “there’s atonement to be made”: “mebbe me can set tings right before ma time come.” As she considers what she must do, she reflects on her life and so the reader learns about her past. Self-educated, she raised two children with her beloved Clive and supported her family by becoming a ganja farmer. But there are secrets she has kept hidden from everyone and these are the ones she must now reveal to those she feels she has wronged. With the help of her granddaughter Justine and Lamont, a local teenager, she finds these people to make amends but also ends up discovering much she did not know.

It’s impossible not to like Pauline. Fiercely independent, she does not allow anyone to tell her how to live. She understands that many would dismiss her because she can be perceived as “Black, female, old, rural, foreign, poor, powerless, friendless, uneducated,” but she demands the respect she believes she deserves; certainly the last four adjectives do not apply to her. Even as a young girl, she was defiant and took decisive action against a predatory man, leaving a strong message: “That is for me an evry odda girl you ever put you nasty, dutty hand on.” Her life has not been easy, but she persevered and became a community builder and elder. Though not formally educated, she is very intelligent and thoughtful, reflecting on her own actions and on the legacy of slavery in Jamaica.

Though fierce and feisty, there is a softer side to Pauline. Her granddaughter thinks she shares the same hard heart as her grandmother, but Pauline counters, “’Ma heart not hard but ma spine strong. Sometime folks mix up them two tings.’” She does indeed show her heart in her interactions with others, especially in her relationship with Lamont. She sees his vulnerability behind his exterior and virtually adopts him as family. She also has a sense of humour, taking pride in her ability to be as foulmouthed as anyone: “If this man thinks he can win a swearing contest, he’s mistaken.”

The book examines the complex history of colonialism and slavery. Pauline uses stones from the old plantation mansion to build her home and then others in the village do as well. Building homes from the stones enslaved ancestors used to build the backra house is a symbolic reclamation of what was stolen from them and a proclamation that, though the white slave owner is gone, they have survived: “Backra house, the slavery ruin in the forest, where people, her people, her ancestors, toiled and died – no, were murdered – yet became a sanctuary for her.”

Pauline thinks about the meaning of land and its ownership: “Land is what bring the white people here an what mek them capture the Black people an force them clear it an plant it.” She decides that “Home . . . is the land. Not the house. The land will never turn against her.” Land for her is not a commodity; it’s the place that has shaped her identity. But to be at peace she wishes to “settle for herself the question of who owns the land on which her house sits.” Others may have ownership papers for the land but doesn’t her and her ancestors’ intimate and historical connection to the land give her some right to it?

Pauline and other characters speak in Jamaican patwa. This adds realism, but I did sometimes experience some difficulty with some words. I think listening to an audiobook version read by someone familiar with the language would be a good experience.

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

Review of NESTING by Roisín O’Donnell (New Release)

4 Stars 

Set in Dublin in 2018, this novel highlights the harsh realities of life faced by women wanting to escape from intimate partner abuse.

Ciara Fay makes a spontaneous decision to leave her psychologically abusive husband Ryan, taking her daughters, 4-year-old Sophie and 2-year-old Ella, with her. With no financial means or network of support, they end up living in a hotel room on a floor reserved for unhoused families like hers. She faces so many obstacles as she tries to make a new life for herself and her children.

The novel focuses on emotional rather than physical abuse. Thus far Ryan has never hurt her though he has coerced her to have sex. His abuse is more subtle and so more difficult to convey or prove. On the surface he is handsome and a good provider; he shows the world only his attentiveness towards his family. Ciara knows that “his kindness is a choice. A decision he makes in order to achieve an end.” In private he is totally domineering. Prone to unpredictable outbursts of anger, he targets his wife. He controls the family finances, monitors Ciara’s movements, isolates her from family and friends, and belittles her so any self-confidence is totally undermined.

Ciara faces so many obstacles. Having been financially dependent on Ryan, she has few savings to provide for herself and her children. Finding housing proves to be a never-ending search. She has no support system in Dublin and has to navigate bureaucratic red tape. Her attempts to find housing and a job are complicated by her having to look after two young children. Her discovery that she is pregnant only adds to her difficulties.

And of course there’s the emotional toll. She is disheartened, confused, and fearful. Ryan’s gaslighting has sown self-doubt in Ciara’s mind so she is often questioning her judgment and decision: Is leaving the right thing to do or should she go back as she did once before? She and other women like her come to learn that “’Leaving is one thing, but saying away is another.’” Ryan pressures her to return. Feeling she has lost herself, the only voice she hears in her mind is Ryan’s. And there’s the shame she feels because of her situation and because she placates Ryan for fear of what he might do.

I found this a very tense read because I was totally invested in the fate of Ciara and her children. Ryan is a volatile character so every encounter with Ryan is fraught with danger: how will he threaten and intimidate her? Will Ciara be able to find appropriate housing and support her family? Will she be able to overcome Ryan’s brainwashing, fight his manipulation, and find the courage to stay away?

Some of the symbolism is heavy-handed. There’s the nestling crow that Ryan brings home, supposedly to help it. Despite odds, it survives, but ends up a captive. Kept on a tether, it becomes something Ryan can control. He seems to have no real affection for it; instead, the crow becomes a source of entertainment. Obviously the crow’s life parallels Ciara’s, as does its fate at the end.

This is a disturbing but compelling read. There is no doubt that it is a realistic portrayal of the almost impossible odds a woman can face if she makes the life-altering choice to leave an abusive relationship.

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

Review of THE QUIET LIBRARIAN by Allen Eskens (New Release)

 4 Stars

Why do librarians wear cardigans? The answer often given is that sweaters cover up their superhero disguises.

The protagonist of this novel, Hana Babić, is a timid, middle-aged librarian called “The Sweater Lady” by children who frequent the library. In many ways that cardigan is indeed a disguise, one which has helped her hide “terrible secrets” and remain largely invisible. The peaceful life Hana has cultivated for 30 years comes unraveled when David Claypool, a homicide detective, arrives to inform her that her best friend Amina has died in mysterious circumstances. Amina has left her 8-year-old grandson Dylan in Hana’s care.

Amina’s death forces Hana to remember her life in Bosnia where she lived as Nura Divjak. She focuses on her memories during the Bosnian War. In 1995, when Hana is 17, Serbian soldiers arrive at her farm. The events motivate her to join a band of Bosniak militia fighters. Hana wants to uncover the person responsible for Amina’s death but she worries that the police investigation will also uncover her real identity and past actions.

There is a dual timeline. Chapters alternate between the present in Minnesota and the past, primarily 1995 in Bosnia. Both timelines use the third-person limited omniscient point of view, though Hana’s chapters use the present tense and Nura’s chapters use the past tense.

I found both sections equally intriguing. Though it’s obvious that Nura survives events in Bosnia, she often finds herself in life-threatening situations and it’s obvious she will not escape unscathed either physically or psychologically. In Hana’s sections, the outcome is more uncertain. Because of her past she faces danger in the present, and there’s the added responsibility to protect Dylan. Both timelines are intense so my interest never lagged.

The decisions made at the end struck me as less plausible. I was convinced by Hana’s choices because of her past but the detective’s actions are less realistic. Because the reader gets to know Hana so well, her behaviour is understandable; that is not the case with the police detective. Overall, the romance element is questionable, though I understand its necessity in the narrative. I did also appreciate the author’s including a conversation about David’s wanting to make a difference and not “’just going through the motions’” and the danger of “’crossing the line.’” This discussion is, I think, intended as foreshadowing.

Of course the ending is thought-provoking. The reader will definitely think about the justification of killing another human being: Is the premeditated killing of a person justified if s/he threatens the safety of others? Is it acceptable to take justice into one’s own hands if justice has not been achieved by legal means? Should a person be held accountable for all actions in wartime? Is revenge ever justifiable?

This book combines historical fiction and crime drama with some thriller and romance elements. It’s my first novel by this author, but I will certainly be checking out his backlist. My husband and I visited Bosnia-Herzegovina in the fall of 2018 and we saw evidence of the war in our tour of the country, but I have not read many novels set in this country during the Bosnian War. I will certainly be recommending this one.

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

Review of THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This novel is set in 1931 in London during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

Dorothy Sayers, a founding member of the Detection Club, invites Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and Emma Orczy to join. Feeling that they are not fully accepted by the men in the club, the women mystery writers, calling themselves the Queens of Crime, set out to prove their worth by solving a real mystery. May Daniels was a young nurse who vanished on a day visit to France. She was last seen walking into a women’s washroom in a train station in Boulogne-sur-Mer; months later her body is found in a nearby wooded area. The five women begin their investigation by tracing May’s last days and interviewing all people with whom she’d had some contact in that time.

As expected from Benedict, the novel is well researched. There’s a great blending of fact and fiction. The Detection Club did exist and four of the women were actual members collectively called the Queens of Crime. Only Emma Orczy’s membership is an added fictional element. Details of the women’s lives, like Christie’s disappearance and her difficult relationship with her sister, are incorporated into the narrative. The blurb even mentions that the book was “inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life.”

Unfortunately, I found that other than Sayers and Christie, the women remain two-dimensional. Sayers is the narrator so we see more of her personality and learn more about her, including a dark secret, and Christie also has more clearly delineated traits and a more complete backstory. (Of course Benedict did pen a previous book, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, so a more complex development of Christie’s character would be expected.) The others tend to be differentiated with one trait: Emma is the older, prim and proper aristocrat; Ngaio is the unconventional one in both dress and attitude; and Margery is the enthusiastic youngest.

The mystery has the characteristics of a classic whodunit. There’s a locked room mystery, the bungling of dim-witted police, red herrings, and a gathering of suspects at the end. I found much of the plot predictable; there is only a handful of characters so the number of suspects is limited. What irked is how every conversation presents a clue which moves the investigation forward. Unfortunately, there are unanswered questions at the end: How did the writer of the note to Sayers know her secret? What exactly happened to the violinist? Then there are the unrealistic elements: The owner of a cafe knows the contents of an autopsy report? The letter written by May is totally unrealistic. She wants to leave evidence but names no one and leaves it in such a strange location?! I hate such artificial contrivances.

The book emphasizes the challenges the five female writers face in a male-dominated field but also looks at women’s struggles in society. May’s murder is investigated only superficially as if there’s a reluctance to devote time and resources for the death of a woman. To make matters worse, May’s reputation is smeared and she’s even blamed for her own death. Even female witnesses are dismissed by the police. After the end of World War I, women were expected to give back their jobs to returning servicemen and to revert to traditional domestic roles but there was a paucity of marriageable men because so many had been killed. These unmarried women were called “surplus” and were especially scorned if they sought employment to support themselves – though they had no other choice. Women’s reputation could be damaged by any misstep; even a choice of clothes could define a wearer as “loose.” An illegitimate pregnancy would result in damning both the mother and child’s reputations and their ability to earn a living. My objection is not to this theme but to the sometimes heavy-handed way in which it’s developed. Is it really necessary to have Sayers say, “’Never forget that we women aren’t what you call us – witches or crones or madwomen or surplus or nobodies. We are all Queens’”?

I’m certain this book will appeal to many, especially readers of Benedict’s historical fiction and of classic whodunits like those written by the five women featured in this novel. I found it entertaining but not exceptional.

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

Review of END OF AUGUST by Paige Dinneny (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is a very impressive debut novel.

Teenaged Aurora Taylor arrives with her mother Laine in Monroe, Indiana, for the funeral of Jay, Gran’s husband. Aurora assumes it’ll be a short stay since her mother hates Monroe, has a contentious relationship with Gran, and has a history of never staying long in one place. In her 15 years Aurora has lived in 18 towns since her mother tends to make poor relationship choices and then leaves town when things become difficult; Aurora describes Laine as “a mother who preferred to leave when things got hard,” teaching her daughter to “avoid the problem, and hope it fixes itself.”

The stay in Munroe, however, continues longer than expected because Laine becomes involved with a married man with a family. As a result, Aurora has time to make a friend, get a part-time job, and experience first love. Though she finds a measure of happiness, she believes it’ll be only a matter of time before her mother packs them up once again and Aurora will have to leave everything behind.

Aurora is the narrator and the character about whom the reader will come to care. In many ways she is much more mature than her mother. She’s the sensible one who is surprisingly resilient, although she is also vulnerable. Her nomadic life has left her longing for stability and belonging; she wants a home. She knows her mother and understands how her family is dysfunctional and how they are viewed by people in the small town. Her greatest fear is “becoming my mother’s daughter” because she believes “In the end, we become our parents.” She even dislikes the fact that people keep telling her she looks so much like her mother. Certainly she feels guilty by association, knowing people will judge her by her mother’s actions.

The author captures so well the complex emotions of adolescence. There’s Aurora’s insecurity and need to be accepted by others and to have the normal experiences of girls her age. But there’s always her mother overshadowing her life. Aurora is sensitive and kind-hearted: “I did feel guilty about the mess my mother had made and the people it affected. I had a weak stomach when it came to hurting others.” She acknowledges her mixed feelings about her mother, wondering “how you could love someone so much but still want them to leave”: “’I don’t hate her . . . I hate what she’s done, but I don’t hate her. She’s my mom.’”

Laine is a character I found difficult to like or sympathize with. I understand the trauma in her past: “’How about a twelve-year-old spending weekends alone while Mom’s on a bender? Or a sixteen-year-old getting fucked in the back of the bar while Mom sleeps off the night?’” As a result, I would expect her to want to give her daughter a better life than she had. Yet she is so self-centred and selfish that she never really considers her daughter’s needs and desires. Aurora summarizes Laine’s life: “Mom kept busy – work, men, moves – and I was just along for the ride.” Aurora knows her mother “would always choose herself” so she can only “pretend she asked the right questions, pretend she cared about where I was, who I was with, what we did.”

In many ways Laine is much more immature that Aurora who considers the feelings of others, whereas Laine is impulsive and reckless, constantly choosing destructive relationships. In the novel, Aurora grows in understanding herself and Gran acknowledges her mistakes, fights her dependence on alcohol, and prioritizes her granddaughter’s happiness, but Laine remains as emotionally unstable as ever. Nonetheless I did appreciate Gran’s comment that “’Our world is easier on men’” which does emphasize that it is women like Laine who suffer more for poor decisions.

The novel is slow paced but given its focus, that pace is appropriate. The reader is able to fully understand the complexities of characters and their relationships. We can also feel Aurora’s disappointment, hurt, embarrassment, and anger – all emotions her mother’s behaviour elicits. Despite the lack of action, tension does build. How will Laine’s latest relationship end and what will the consequences be for so many others? In this regard, however, I would have preferred there not be a prologue because it gives too much away about what will happen at the end of August.

This is a very poignant book which will not leave the reader unaffected. We delight in Aurora’s newfound happiness but also share her anxiety as she contemplates the ending of that happiness because of her mother’s choices. This is a book I recommend to both adult and young adult readers.  

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

Review of THREE DAYS IN JUNE by Anne Tyler (New Release)

5 Stars 

Once again, Anne Tyler does not disappoint. Her latest novel is as delightful a read as her previous titles.

This book, detailing three days in the life of 61-year-old Gail Baines, begins on a Friday. The day is consequential for Gail: she learns she has been passed over for an expected promotion, her ex-husband Max and a fostered cat arrive on her doorstep, and her daughter Debbie shares a secret about Kenneth, the man she will be marrying the next day. Max’s visit, Debbie’s revelation, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding the next day leave Gail thinking back on her own marriage and how it came to an end.

As always, Tyler excels at characterization. Gail is eminently relatable, an ordinary woman with both flaws and positive traits. She’s an introvert who is not socially adept; she is told, “’social interactions have never been your strong point.’” She’s a perfectionist who cannot “settle for just okay.” She worries about everything. Max even teases her: “’Do you keep an itemized list of things to worry about? How do you remember them all?’” As befits her career as an educator, Gail lives a planned life: “I ached for it.” She tells Max, “’I don’t feel I have the option of just . . . trying out various random ideas and giving up if they don’t work out.’” It’s also obvious that she’s very sensitive to any perceived slight, like her daughter calling her in-laws before calling her. She gives the impression of competence, but her interior monologue shows her lack of confidence; she describes herself as “too inept, too uninformed. How come there weren’t any grownups around? Why did everyone just assume I knew what I was doing?”

Mild-mannered Max is very much Gail’s foil. He’s not practical like his ex-wife. He seems to have drifted or bumbled through life. He shows up for his daughter’s wedding without a suit. Unlike the judgmental Gail, he’s amiable and tends to see the best in people. It’s impossible to dislike Max and as the narrative progressed, I found myself liking him more and more.

The novel touches on the joys and heartbreaks of love, marriage, and family life. Tyler’s insightfulness cannot but impress. I found myself agreeing with many of her observations, like the one about a woman loving her husband “at least in the on-again-off-again, maybe/maybe-not, semi-happy way of just about any married woman” and the one about “married-couple conversations that continue intermittently for weeks, sometimes, branching out and doubling back and looping into earlier strands like a piece of crochet work.”

And as in other of Tyler’s books, there are touches of humour. In this case, the cat’s interactions with Gail cannot but bring a smile. As a former English teacher, I particularly enjoyed Gail’s correcting people’s grammar: “I decided against telling her that especial was almost not used anymore.” I chuckled at Max’s confusing Kegel pelvic floor exercises with “’doing geckos.’”

At less than 200 pages, this is a quick read, but its economy conveys so much. It may seem simple but it’s so masterfully crafted that nothing feels contrived. It’s an unpretentious but wise novel about imperfect but authentic and appealing people.

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

Review of BLACK WOODS, BLUE SKY by Eowyn Ivey (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This book is being marketed as a dark fairy tale and many readers see it as a re-imagining of “Beauty and the Beast” though there is certainly not a typical fairy tale ending.

Twenty-six-year-old Birdie works as a server in an Alaskan lodge. As a single mother, she has difficulty making ends meet. What she really longs for is freedom in the wilds of nature. Birdie befriends Arthur, a recluse who speaks little and then only uses the present tense. Eventually she takes her six-year-old daughter Emaleen to live with Arthur in his remote cabin. Birdie enjoys her life secluded from the civilized world though Arthur’s behaviour, like disappearing for days without any explanation, is strange. But there are hints that Arthur may be dangerous as well as mysterious.

I found Birdie an almost totally unlikeable character. She wants to escape a place where people judge her behaviour and question her decisions, but she proves to be someone who needs people to oversee her actions. She is an irresponsible parent who puts her own selfish desires above the welfare of her child. She seems incapable of making good decisions. She ignores warnings and warning signs and impulsively makes unrealistic and reckless choices that endanger Emaleen. Excuses are made for her, like her “wanting something extraordinary,” but what stands out is her self-centredness; what matters to Birdie is her own happiness, even if that puts her daughter in harm’s way. There is little real communication with Arthur so there is no real relationship, yet Birdie takes Emaleen to live with him in an isolated cabin? Any reasonable person would see Birdie’s choices as a recipe for disaster: “What kind of mother puts her six-year-old in that impossible situation?”

There are other characters who are also negligent. Della, Warren, and Syd know or suspect much more about Arthur, but their warnings are lukewarm at best. They bear responsibility for what happens (pun intended). Of course, what happens is totally predictable since the message of Birdie’s behaviour seems to be that one cannot fight one’s true nature, in her case that being “drawn to risk and havoc.” If she can’t rein in her free spirit, it’s inevitable that Arthur will not be able to do so either.

There are elements that are worthy of praise. For instance, the writer does excel at descriptions of setting. The Alaskan landscape along with its flora and fauna becomes a character in the book. Though slow paced at the beginning, the book is well-written; the author has a great command of language. There’s symbolism like “One side of his face was lit by the bright moon, the other darkened by the shadows of the trees.” The alternating points of view, especially Emaleen’s, add depth and create suspense.

As the book cover indicates, a bear features prominently in the book.  Syd mentions the many stories of bears found in various cultures: “’Peculiar how similar they are, the stories about bears. . . . Wild sows taking in abandoned human babies and raising them as their own. Women falling in love with boars. Girls being abducted by bears and giving birth to their children in mountain caves.’” Of course I thought of Bear by Marian Engel which I read many years ago and Bear by Julia Phillips which I read just last year. Having encountered bears during nature hikes and berry picking, I don’t share the romantic fascination others have with this wild animal.

As I mentioned from the beginning, this book should be read as a fable or fairy tale so one must be willing to suspend disbelief and appreciate magic realism. I loved fairy tales as a child, but the surreal elements of fantasy no longer appeal to me so I am probably not the best reader for this book.

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