...Soldier, Psycho (Part II)

Ok, I took my grand old time posting the second portion of my previous rant.  Please ‘scuse me.  For some fabulous reason, Blogspot has decided to muck up my formatting as well...please forgive!

1356 by Bernard Cornwall- If I haven’t mentioned this already, one of my favorite genres is that of historical fiction.   I get to immerse myself in a totally foreign time frame, and ‘experience’ what life may have been like in different eras.  Inevitably, I come out of such novels with a renewed sense of gratitude that I live in this particular generation!   Although obviously taken with a grain of salt, I’m actually quasi picky about what historical fiction I read and I prefer to stick with ‘mostly accurate’ HF when I can find it. (as an aside, I stumbled on to this link  a while back, and it gave me some neat starting points.) But I digress!! (have you noticed? I do that sometimes!)

Ok, back on topic: Bernard Cornwall is apparently an incredibly prolific writer who stays often within the realm of HF.  1356 was my first foray into his work, and I have to say, I loved it.  Based around the Battle of Poitiers that took place between the French/Scots on one side, and the English on the other, Cornwall paints an incredibly vivid picture of what battle was like in (yup, you guessed it!) 1356.  Vivid, but not unforgivably and gratuitously violent.  Cornwall complements his work by including historical notes and maps- and I was so drawn into the intertwining stories and battles that I CONSULTED THE MAPS!  (Have I mentioned that I NEVER consult maps in novels? The first time I ever grasped the layout of Middle Earth was earlier this year, when I bought a poster map for my son to consult as we began to read LOTR together.)   But, maps or no maps, this story was a winner.  Characters were engaging, human, and believable, the story was well crafted, and I learned about history in spite of myself- I felt so proud.  Coincidently, my older brother is a HUGE history buff, and loves anything and everything having to do with battles, (descriptions of battles, descriptions of weapons used in battles, descriptions of armor worn in battles…you get the picture) and so when I finished reading this, the first person I called was my brother.  ‘Course, since I’m his little sister, he won’t listen to me for another 2 years.  I hope YOU take advantage sooner J Let me know if you do!

The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell- Ok, so this book has been viewed, reviewed, and lauded up and down 5^th Avenue twenty times already.  I know I’m merely adding my voice as one among a clamor, but here goes.  We get introduced to the novel’s narrator, Rose, in the midst of prohibition era New York.   Rose is a bit of a mystery unto herself, for all that she is the window through which we glimpse the tale.  Rose is a typist for a police precinct; she is charged with recording and transcribing the confessions and statements of the felons brought in to the station for various and sundry crimes.  We do get a very tangible feel for what the occupational hazards of such a job may have been and a fascinating perspective on the profound trust necessary to complete such a task.  Men (and presumably some women) were tried and convicted on the basis of what another human person wrote.   Scary, no?

At any rate, Rose has carved out a life for herself, climbing her way up from an anonymous beginning in a convent school, to reaching a respected position in civil service.  Rose, is, if nothing else, very respectable.  Then we meet Odalie, who comes to join the typing pool, and promptly turns Rose’s world upside down. 

I still hold that my favorite flapper/20’s/prohibition novel that I’ve encountered is Amor Towles’ Rules of Civility.  The Other Typist is not a novel in the same vein at all, exuding a much more of manipulative, distrusting sense throughout.   In fact, the better I got to know Rose as the narrator, the less inclined I was to believe her. That being said, the setting, the backdrop of the story as it were, is incredibly exquisite.  The author created an incredibly tangible environment that may have you sneaking into dilapidated wig shops at odd hours of the day.

 

 

And then it ended, and I was confused. Have at it, then come back and tell me what it was all about.  

Hangman, Housewife, Soldier, Psycho (part 1)

 

No, no I’m not talking about “Game of Thrones”; but I might get to those later.  No, I wanted to give a glimpse into the first handful of books that I’ve worked through thus far this summer, and as you may have gathered from the title, they were a bit of a mixed bag.  These four tomes have been wildly different, and have also varied enormously on my very own personal scale of likeability. SO, since I know you are all breathless to hear my thoughts...here goes!

 

The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch: I know, I couldn’t pronounce his last name either- but seriously don’t let that stop you!! This is a murder mystery pure and simple.  Only not really. It’s actually a murder mystery set in seventeenth century Bavaria, in a little village that has survived its share of hardship.  You know, like the bubonic plague, a scourge of ‘witch burnings’ a generation or two back, etc.    The town has a very real sense of order and tradition about it, and is held on course by the councilmen who oversee the laws, the merchant/tradesmen who guard the trade (and thereby the livelihood of the villagers), and the Hangman, who carries out the just punishments meted out by those who govern. 

As you may gather from the title, our Hangman is the linchpin upon which the story rests.  Far from the hulking, axe wielding, belly-baring sycophants who tend to bear the moniker in popular legend, Jakob Kuisl is a quiet, God-fearing man who loves nothing more than tending his family, studying science, and plying his side-trade of medicine man.  But suddenly, orphans from the village begin disappearing, and turning up dead.  Fingers are pointed at the village midwife who spent time with them, and suddenly, the witch hunts from years ago begin to foment again.  In order to save lives, and seek out the truth amidst rumors, superstitions and evils real and imagined, Jakob must work together with the village doctor to find the true culprit, and thus restore peace to their village.  I have to say, I have not read a mystery that was this much fun in a long time.  Potzsch manages to deal with some very dark themes, and creates a multi-layered scenario, populated by believable, three dimensional characters who are various parts believers in faith, superstitious of evil, truth-seeking, manipulative, and desirous of justice…and that’s just on the town council!  Do yourself a favor, and pick this one up.

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: this is one of those books that I grabbed because I was seeing it everywhere.  NPR covered it more than a few times, there were excerpts posted, author interviews, and rave reviews.  So, having had my interest piqued, I ordered it from the library and sat down to see what the hype was all about.  Was it engrossing? Yes. Was it well-written? Yes.  Did I like it? Not remotely. 

Based on the sudden disappearance of Nick’s lovely wife, Amy, the pages begin to spell out what looks to have been the rise, and pitiable fall of the marriage of a young couple who have it all together.  Set in the muggy Mississippi we learn of the slow crumble from the ivory tower experienced by Nick and Amy, and then are brought face to face with Amy’s abrupt erasure.  She is simply…gone.  Suspicion, of course, immediately falls on Nick (isn’t it always the husband? At least when there is no butler?) who must do his utmost to prove to both the law and the reader that  he didn’t do it!  But as lie begets lie, we are confounded again and again by damning revelations, false facades, and human error.  I’m not gonna lie, there were a few instances where I literally breathed out “idiot” under my breath.  And then we get to hear Amy’s side of the story.  

And here’s the rotten part; I can’t gripe sufficiently about how I feel without ruining the surprise for you!! And boy oh boy, where there surprises!

So, one might assume that this would be a winner- engrossing story, empathetic characters, tightly wound twists and turns….but I have to say unabashedly that I pretty much hated it.  If you decide to try for yourself, I’m sure you’ll see why.

Yes, yes, I know that’s only two out of four! If you’re not sick of me yet, the other two will be forthcoming soon J

Have Library Card, Will Travel

So, I’m in situation that I’m sure many individuals can relate to.    While I would LOVE to spend my summer reclining in the sun, with a cool, frosty beverage in my hand, a warm wave slipping up to rinse the sand from between my toes, it’s just not in the foreseeable future.    It appears that someone lost the necessary paperwork on my trustfund, and well... (sigh...)This makes me a bit sad, but, as I’m not destined for faraway climes anytime soon, I’ve decided to make the best of it by curling up my pasty-white self into a corner of the couch (or stretching on a deck chair- life’s really not that bad J ) and diving headfirst into a plethora of promising looking tomes that I’ve heard of, read about, or inadvertently discovered.  

Truth to tell, my journeys have been pretty exciting;  So far this summer, I’ve been to Mississippi, France, Bavaria, New York and quite a few other uncharted regions!  Now, that being said, some of those journeys that I’ve taken haven’t ended up how I would have picked, and there were a few that had me downright irate…when you travel by book, you have to travel by the book, if you catch my meaning.  You can’t alter an ending just because it displeases you; you can’t change an outcome to save a beloved character (even if you see their fate descending on their heads like the snapped string of the sword of Damocles), and no matter how hard you slam a book shut and then proceed to rant, rave, and lose sleep over a rotten ending, you must accept the simple fact that the book doesn’t care.  

 This can be a hard truth to face, especially when we invest our time (and sometimes our emotions, if the author’s gifted) in pouring ourselves into a story, grow attached to the characters (some of them, anyway), who, either in spite (or because) of their flaws and foibles still manage to speak to us and draw us in.   It can be a bit of any unrequited love, you could say; or maybe a single sided infatuation.  Even if we invest ourselves in a promising book, we can still end up being betrayed, enraged, outraged or just feeling downright gypped. 

 Luckily, this is not always the case!  In fact, more often than not, we as the readers end up awash in a sea of tranquility that stretches around us as a story takes hold.  A great author can navigate us through the ebbs and swells that batter our vessels, steering through the salty depths of an experience by the guidance of universal truths that speak out as constellations to sailors amidst a black night.  When you are lucky enough to journey into a book like that, my friend, don’t let it get away.  Keep it, buy it, shelve, save it; and when necessary, take that trip again when your life needs a respite.

What books steer you true?   What speaks to you, guides you, refreshes you?  What have you found that, unlooked for, makes you laugh while reading in the doctor’s office, or cry on the subway, or cuss at the culmination?  In addition to those that can guide us, I feel (and some may disagree) that any book that slips off the page and pulls a human emotion from the depths of your heart is a book worth having read.

Happy travels!

A Brave Critique

My husband and I took our babies to go see Disney/Pixar’s new movie “Brave” this evening. Ok, truth be told, I whined and nagged until they took me to go see it, but who cares.  Visually and even musically it was stunning.  I love any movie where the characters have accents, and if it’s a Scottish burr, than all the better!   The scenes were beautiful, the music was beguiling, and the artistry was incredible.  

Here’s my complaint: the story, as it were, was not merely pockmarked and flimsy, it was also inconsistent.  

Here’s the reason for my complaint: THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR CRAPPY STORYTELLING IN DISNEY!

There’s actually no excuse for crappy storytelling in any forum, but that’s another rant.   There is such a wealth of legend, lore, and myth in the Celtic culture that to try to cobble together a new story in a land steeped in folklore is just lazy.  Water-horses, forest sprites, Arthurian legends, the Loch Ness monster, for crying out loud!!  None were to be found in the vast, sweeping views of “Brave”.    The misty bits of magic that did make an appearance were so ambiguous, that they seemed more (to me) to be space-fillers than central to the story.  Of course, there is a purveyor of magic, and a giant battle of man vs. beast as well the internal man vs. self struggles¸ all of which are crucial elements of any Disney flick.   But there seemed to be two separate story lines (that of the Bear, and the struggle between the heroine, Merida and her mom) and rather than offer mutual support to the other, they acted as two ropes of a rickety mountain bridge with naught but scraps binding them together. 

In an effort to avoid spoiling the movie, I realize that I’m lacking quite a bit of articulation, here.   But, truly, I hate to have the ending given away to me, so I’m trying to keep myself in line.  I have another long standing critique of movie makers that I must needs voice as well, but I’m almost through.

That being said, I’ll summarize and be gone.

 As I mentioned earlier, the movie is visually stunning.  It also bears the marks of true Pixar genius- one must watch the whole screen in order to avoid missing cleverly placed or implied quips and comedy.  The actors who lent their voices were also incredible.   With all those elements in place, I feel that so much attention was focused on those facets that the story was let slip on by.   In researching a bit of the background, there seemed to be some changes in the mix that may have contributed.  The initial director (a woman), was found to have artistic differences with the studio, and was replaced (by a man) with about 18 months left before release.  I know, I know, it’s politically incorrect and sexist to be calling out gender qualifications.  But in a film where the central story revolves around the relationship of a mother and a daughter, is having male direction really the best way to go?  (C.S. Lewis has a phenomenal statement on the uphill climb male authors have when trying to write from a female perspective, but I can’t find the blasted quote that I want for here!).

As for my longstanding gripe about all movies in recent decades- studios seem to think that there cannot be both a strong female lead alongside a strong male presence.  The nearest exceptions to this rule that I have seen in recent years are Mr. Incredible, and Rapunzel’s father in Tangled.   Mr. Incredible does a great job, although his tragic flaw definitely trips him up.  Rapunzel’s dad is an admirable figure, but has nary even one vocal line with his daughter.  We assume the best of him, but maybe that’s because he shows up as a constant, despite only being on screen for a mere handful of frames.

Brave’s father figure, Fergus, suffers a more traditional fate.  While obviously gifted with great strength, and just as obviously loves his wife and daughter, he fails to truly champion either when their need is the greatest.   Rather, he is ruled by his passions, and hands over all of the actual ruling (all that we see, at any rate) to be handled by his wife.   Don’t get me wrong here- I love strong women characters!!  I’ll take an arrow slinging, horseback riding, betrothal-bucking Celt over a simpering namby-pamby waiting-on-Mr. Right-to-save-me any day of the week.  But I do not feel that emasculating our men makes us stronger women.

  Pixar at its peak is the family dynamic in The Incredibles.  It’s the self-sacrifice evidenced in Cars, and the tenacity and hope in Finding Nemo.    Brave, for all of its visual glory, falls short of that mark. 

So, apparently, I'm that lone child in the field playing "Blind Man's Bluff" whilst all the rest of the better informed and non-blindfolded children laugh from the shade at my blundering about the field, sipping lemonade and tea cakes. (What do you mean?  That's not what you're childhood consisted of?)

Apparently, one can now pass things on through blogging...who knew?! I'm still trying to figure out my formatting :-) 

At any rate, one of the women on the blogosphere whom I admire greatly (while shamelessly rifling through her blogs for tips that I can employ in my own) sent me a note that I had been nominated for the Kreative Blogger Award!! What joy! What rapture! What does that mean?  To paraphrase, in order to accept this prestigious nomination (pronounced 'press-tij-uss' to properly convey the height of this honor) one must bare one's soul by denoting seven little known facts about myself, and then nominate another Magnificent Seven.  The best part, as Joanne noted : "there’s no monetary investment and you don’t have to send a book or a dish towel to thirty of your closest friends".  Talk about myself with no added postage fee?? Sign me up!  So here it is, kiddos; put up with hearing seven fast facts about me, then you can go off and visit the realms of seven much cooler bloggers than I!! Shall we begin? 

1.  I have a sad obsession with YA fiction.  It's my version of train wreck TV.  I'm proud to say that I've never watched an episode of The Bachelor, but I have read scores of novels...many with one word titles.  I'm not proud of it, but there it is. 
2. One of the greatest things I learned in college is that a large spoon, a (wide-mouthed) jar of peanut butter, and a 1 lb bag of M&M's is a better dinner (or lunch, or breakfast) than you will ever find in a cafeteria. 
3. I consider myself a pretty good haggler, but I'm terribly inefficient with coupons. 
4. I know the words to every song in about 7 Disney musicals, and can hold my own with many of Broadway's. 
5. I often drive at least 5 miles over the speed limit home from work.  The speed often increases in direct proportion to the Bon Jovi song to which I'm belting out at the time. 
6. I was hopeless as a cook through my collegiate years- much of what I learned was gleaned from my husband and the food network.  I <3 Barefoot Contessa.
7. I get uber pissed off when people downplay the work and talent necessary to be a stay at home mom.  I am back to being full time in the workforce, but secretly wish every day I could stay home to bake with my daughter and read stories to my son at all hours. 

So there you have it...is your life now enriched? 

On to bigger and better things!  In no particular order, here are my archetypes in the blogging world. Stop by to be transported, informed, and amused :-)

•  My Broken Fiat is written by a fantastic young woman who is daily working to live out her chosen faith, while maintaining an honest, upfront dialogue with the world in which she lives.  Gina pulls no punches, and I love seeing what she has on the table for discussion.  
• Joanne's Nuts and Bolts- Mama Jo is the phenomenal mother of one of my greatest friends.  She was a source of great encouragement to me for starting this blog...you have her to blame :-) 
• Nicholle Goodnight Photography- I am not a photographer.  If I was, I would want to be Nicholle.  Her talent oozes out of her blog, sometimes straight through my keyboard, and makes me want to go take pictures.  Alas, mine look nothing like hers.  My own children appear even MORE beautiful when captured with her magical lens.   Oh, and she's total unpretentious.  I like that about her. 
• Phew. this is harder than I thought. I'm going to have to go a bit more commercial here.  Ok. The Pioneer Woman is a source of great culinary inspiration to me.  I love her rustic, down homey recipes, and I think she'd be a lot of fun to invite over for dinner. Plus, her cookbook makes me laugh. 
• The Art of Manliness...this is one that my husband came across. He is actually a much better blog-follower than I am, but I must say, this one is really cool.  It's a treasure trove of, well, manly stuff. There are tutorials on how to build things, prizes like a straight razor shaving kit, and of course, how to use said straight razor without inflicting bodily harm. 
• Into the Wildwood- I'm switching gears here a bit, but that's ok...I'm tricky like that.   Into the Wildwood is an Art/Book/Writing/Drawing blog by a fascinating gent named Ed.   Ed and I have exchanged thoughts on books and such back and forth for a good while now. We tend to argue over methods, or book selection, and I must say that such conversation always makes me feel much smarter than I actually am.  A very peaceful blog.  I like it. So you should go see it. 
• Lastly, but certainly not leastly, Sarah Unfiltered . I'm new to this one, but I have to say, I'm a fan. SarahUnfiltered is a happy amalgamation of life, recipes, DIY, and cute babies.  Seriously, stop by, and if the cover photo doesn't make you giggle, or at least smirk, then feel free to go about your life.  Just know you'll be missing out. 

THERE! I've done it! Go forth, and blog mightily. I, on the other hand, will be going to bed.  Oh, and tag. You're it. 

                                     

Rules of Civility- Amor Towles

Ok, being once again overcome with remorse with my flippant treatment of my tiny corner of cyberspace, when so many others are being diligent, I’ll try (once again) to fill the gaping void left by my absence.  Stop snickering.

Rules of Civility

By Amor Towles

If I came back in another life as a writer, I think I want to write like Mr. Towles.  I could never aspire to anything so grandiose as Tolkien, or Tolstoy, nor could I ever have the sheer intellect necessary for greats like Clive Staples, or the gentle whimsy Mr. Dahl.  But Mr. Towles, now, he’s a fellow after my own heart; clear, incisive, witty and warm, with a bit of snark and sass to boot.  To wit: “As a quick aside, let me observe that in moments of high emotion- whether they’re triggered by anger or envy, humiliation or resentment-if the next thing you’re going to say makes you feel better, than it’s probably the wrong thing to say.”

I may need to have that particular quote ensconced on my desk…facing me, of course.

Rules of Civility was all the rage a few months back, and I heard about through one of my favorite ‘I’m-bored-find-me-a-good-sounding-book’ sites...NPR Books.   The story of a young girl trying to make good in the big city is a often a fun read, and when that story features a fun-loving roommate, a tender-hearted heartthrob and underground bars of the 1930’s, so much the better. 

Mr. Towles’ tale is told from the point of view of 25 year old Katy Kontent, and we are quickly immersed in her life…such as it is.  Katy is very bright young woman, taking advantage of every opportunity available to her in her young life.  That is to say, she is a typist in a multi-bodied secretarial pool, noted for her attention to detail, and desire to succeed.  She shares a mediocre flat with Eve, a mid-west debutante, bent on throwing off the yoke of wealth, beauty and privilege, forced upon her by birth.   Would that I were so smitten. 

“Looking at Eve asleep, I wondered what the hell was going on.  How did she end up drunk in an alley?  What happened to her shoes?  And where was Tinker?  Whatever their story, Eve was breathing easy now- for the moment forgetful, vulnerable, at peace.   It’s a purposeful irony of life, I suppose, that we never get to see ourselves in that state.  We can only pay witness to our waking reflection, which to one degree or another is always fretting or afraid.  Maybe that’s why young parents find it so beguiling to spy on their children when they’re fast asleep. “

Katy and Eve hit the town on New Year’s Eve 1938, with a strictly budgeted plan for libations which goes quickly awry.   Happily, they encounter Tinker, a debonair, suavely dressed young bachelor who is happy to help them out of their poorly budgeted evening.  The three go on to form an intricate connection, wildly different, but strongly experienced on all sides.  Their story spans only one calendar year, but it’s filled to the brim with contrasts; ten cent gin and glistening champagne, drunks on the street and dinner parties in the penthouses, true friendships and shams.   Each character bears a bit closer scrutiny, from the humble but strong Katy to the beautiful Eve, to the smartly groomed Tinker. 

Will this book change your life? Probably not.  Will it upend your view of society and redefine your entire belief system? No.  Will it fit snugly in the crook of your thumb, draw you in so you can smell the cigars and gin, and leave you with the too-oft-rare feeling of ‘wow.  That was a good book.’ ?  Yes.  Yes it will.

“Could there have been a more contrary statue to place across from one of the largest cathedrals in America? Atlas, who attempted to overthrow the gods on Olympus and was thus condemned to shoulder the celestial spheres for all eternity- the very personification of hubris and brute endurance.  While back in the shadows of St. Patrick’s was the statue’s physical and spiritual antithesis, the Pieta- in which our Savior, having already sacrificed himself to God’s will, is represented broken, emaciated, laid out on Mary’s lap.  Here they resided, two worldviews separated only by Fifth Avenue, facing off until the end of time, or the end of Manhattan, whichever came first.” 

Guest Review By the Incomparable Gina

As you know, here on T&T, we love to hear reviews from other bibliophiles!  This time around we have a review from Gina, hailing from North Jersey.  Gina and I have known each other since the days of yore when we played a pair of doddering old biddies, bent on improving the lives of lonely men by pushing them off this mortal coil in the classic "Arsenic and Old Lace".   Happily, neither of us have taken this role to heart, and now work toward the happiness of our respective families, and discovering new tomes of greatness! So, without further ado, here is Gina's take on Kate Danley's The Woodcutter.

I purchased The Woodcutter by Kate Danley based on the reviews of others. I can only hope my review solicits the same response. This is one of those rare gems you breeze hungrily through then suggest to 20 other friends so you can talk about the many plot devices, characters and surprises that enraptured you to begin with!

To begin with, The Woodcutter is a fairy-tale fantasy. Our hero, the Woodcutter, is charged with keeping the peace between the various Kingdoms of what we know as "Happily Ever After." He is protector, ambassador, sleuth, and when he must, assassin.

However, something frightful is afoot in his Woods - the Woods that connect the Kingdoms. Princes and princesses are being kidnapped and an ominous beast is devouring True Love. With this onslaught of despair and confusion, the once peaceful balance is being torn asunder and the omnipotent Fairy Realm, for centuries content to bequeath their loving and powerful magic to gentle, deserving souls, now finds itself being manipulated by this dark and dangerous force.

A familiar cast of characters lulls the reader quickly into rapt attention even though the adventure is foreign and wild. Since most readers already feel a childhood connection to these characters, an immediate bond is formed and the audience will cheer the "good guys" on from the very first chapter.

The ending is satisfying and ties up all loose ends. However, a door is also left open for a sequel which I hope is one day procured. I cannot possibly speak more highly of this fun, adventurous fantasy!

Full of Remorse- Three quick reviews to pacify our insatiable audience...

So, I have woefully neglected our little corner of blogging, and I’ve been so very sad about it!  In an effort to make it up to you, here are my takes on the last three notable books I’ve delved into…
 I'm still a total sucker for re-takes on fairy tales, and as such, "Entwined" by Heather Dixon.  This is one of the best that I've encountered in a long time.  If you've ever read Robin McKinley's "Beauty", (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast) you might find that the literary styling is very similar. "Entwined" is a redo of the story of the 12 dancing princesses, which has long been a favorite of mine. (If you’re into fairy tales and folklore, make time to check out SurlaLune.com.  Interesting site.) Ms. Dixon weaves an absolutely entrancing story of the princesses, their circumstances and their suitors.   A little humor, a dark history, and a lot of dancing; I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

I also just finished "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern. There was quite a bit of media hype about this, which was one of the reasons I decided to look into it, and it is a neat read.  Set in the Victorian period, it’s the tale of an ethereal and mystifying circus, in which two rival magicians vie for glory.  Ms. Morgenstern’s tale has some very arresting and intriguingly fantastical descriptions, and if you can call a non-illustrated novel ‘visually astounding’, this is it. But as descriptive as the writing was, I always felt that I was only getting the 2 dimensional version.  I wanted a bit more than what was presented.  For those of you who have watched the movie "The Prestige", this is sort of along similar lines, only (sadly) less compelling and much more polished over all.  I felt as if I could wander through the “The Night Circus” in white kid gloves, and never muss them.  To my mind, a circus implies a dark, seamy underside where lurks the barely restrained power and mystique that bulges at the seams of the canvas tents.  Still, it was an interesting book, but I can't bring myself to rave about it.

Lastly, I read "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater, which was also brought to my attention by outside sources.  Apparently, this lady has written some wildly popular teen fiction regarding star-crossed were-wolves.  I'm happy I didn't know that before I read "Scorpio", because it would have irrevocably biased me against picking up the book.   I had a similar reaction to this as I did "The Night Circus"....felt that the story line had so much promise, but it took me a while to get into. The story revolves around a horse race on a small Scottish (?) island, where the horses racing are water horses.  Not hippos, but the capaill uisce of mythology (meat eating horses of the sea which have a tendency to drag their riders to the depths.) Cool, huh?  But I felt like it just didn't deliver on its promise.  Any story placed by the restless ocean is incredibly attractive to me…Maybe I’m just too finicky, but, like the ocean, I wanted a bit more depth, and a little more undertow.  But again, I would recommend it, because maybe you'd have a different reaction or appreciation to/for it than I did. 

Overall, of the last tomes that I've tackled, "Entwined" is far and above the winner.     Check 'em out, and let me know what you think!

            

East of Eden by John Steinback

This month's post is contributed by a guest author, Joy G.   Joy is actually the one who first introduced me (Dorothy) to give East of Eden the ol' college try, and I've loved it since I first cracked the binding on it.  But enough about me, let's hear it from her! 

Joy G. says....

As a guest blogger sitting in for my two sisters I have the pleasure of reviewing one of the best novels I have ever read.  East of Eden by John Steinbeck, is also the only of Steinbeck’s books that I like at all.  So if you have ever read any of his other books and thought, “Darn that was depressing,” get ready to celebrate because he actually wrote something that was not a sucking void of depression.  There are so many things I enjoy about this book, that I would be unable to enumerate them all in this post.  I will do my best to give you a quick and dirty version.

Steinbeck introduces us to a number of characters in this book who you will fall in love with.  These people are rich and varied and truly alive even when in the midst of terrible pain.  One of the characters you are unlikely to adore is Kate.  She is one of the most evil characters I have ever met in the pages of a novel.  She makes Sauron, the White Witch, Voldemort and some of the other villains of our day look mild.  The reason for this is not due to some side plot wherein Kate can blast people with her laser beam eyes.  Instead what is so chilling about her is that she could be real.  Her evil is at once subtle and like an impenetrable wall that crushes everything good and beautiful in its path.  If you have ever read another gem entitled People of the Lie by M. Scott Peck, which is Dr. Peck’s discussion of a psychology of human evil, then Kate will already be a familiar entity.  If you have not be prepared because she is not someone you would want to invite for dinner or fall in love with for that matter.

As I already stated the book is far from depressing, so it does not just have a great villain.  Another aspect of the story that I cherish every time I re-read it (about once every couple years) is the way Steinbeck told the story.  East of Eden, he proposes, is a telling of his family history interwoven with another famous family, that of Adam and Eve.  This wonderful tapestry draws you into a story that at its center is an interior struggle between good and evil in the hearts of Eden’s men and women.  His retelling of the Genesis story is refreshing and as well done as Lewis’ retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, Till We have Faces.

The last thing I will share is that of the stories setting.  Steinbeck paints a picture of California as it was during his childhood and before.  As with everything else this book has to offer the backdrop of the book is subtle, complex and entwined into the story to deliver a work of fiction that many refer to as Mr, Steinbeck’s opus.  I must say I agree entirely.

My sincere hope is you get yourself a copy, possibly a bottle of red wine, and you curl up in front of your fireplace to fall in love with this novel.  If you do not have any of those things but the book it will still deliver, I promise.  It will leave you longing for more, and you will be compelled to return and rediscover the richness of this story again and again.

Cheers to at least one not depressing Steinbeck novel!

Joy



The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Ever get the feeling that you’re singing a discordant note in the choir?  Me too.  My discordance has the pleasure of being both literal and figurative- I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.   But what I’m referring to in this case is the fact that I tend to disagree with book critics on a regular basis. Not always, mind you, but in many cases.  Pardon the stream of conscience divergence from our normally stately book reviews, and bear with me here for a minute whilst I rant.

When I come up dry on reading ideas, my two favorite websites to go to are barnesandnoble.com and npr.org.   B&N has some neat reviews of their bestsellers that you can skim through to try to find out what all the people with disposable income are purchasing, and NPR has an awesome section on books, period.   NPR is my top choice, because it never ceases to bring books to my attention that I would have otherwise never stumbled upon, and pique my interest in genres that I would have decried any interest in.   Some of these I have thoroughly enjoyed! However, the exception that is niggling at my brain tonight is The Magicians by Lev Grossman.  Grossman’s novel is touted as an acceptable stop-gap for those of us struggling with the painful conclusion that we’ve matriculated through seven blissful years of Hogwarts, have been handed our walking papers and are being forced back out to the muggle world, now safe from Voldemort, and a little duller for the safety. 

The Magicians is definitely a grown up novel.  There are friendships and painful coming of age relationships, dysfunctional families, and great loss.  There is magic involved, a dark, elemental magic that incinerates the careless, feeds on personal pain, and is available only to the intellectually elite. (I already feel excluded.)  The novel also corrupts much of what is beloved about our childhood concept of ‘magic’, taking particular aim at bastardizing a whole ream of children’s fiction literature and its creator.  Apparently, the main characters in The Magicians have idolized a set of children’s stories entitled Fillory and Further written by Christopher Plover.  Disclaimer: I have never read Plover’s work.  The Fillory novels focus on a magical world which exists outside of ours, and is inhabited by intelligent, talking animals and magical creatures who desire the help of some British children who routinely get called over to help solve the woes of the world.   Oh, and in The Magicians, Fillory is a real place.  With real problems.  You follow so far?  Said magicians embark on dreamed of magical quest to find nothing but pain, disillusionment and severely misguided philosophy.

Maybe this is my beef with Mr. Grossman:  the entirety of his novel is aimed at destroying the best loved elements of fantastical fiction (i.e. mystery, heroism, the proving of virtues and humans besting their inherently troubled nature).   Additionally, the Fillory novels in question seem to bear remarkable semblance to C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, which makes any mudslinging on the kid-lit fiction unacceptable to a book-nerd such as myself.  I feel as if some bored journalist tried to mate the original ingenuity of Harry Potter, with Donna Tartt’s depressing and nihilistic The Secret History.  The unappealing result seems to be The Magicians.  

The Paris Wife by Paula McClain

Title: The Paris Wife

Author: Paula McClain

Genre: Historical Fiction

So, when launching into a novel that centers on a man’s first of four wives, one has to be open to the possibility that it’s not a happy story.   Such is the case with Paula McClain’s The Paris Wife which introduced me to Hadley Richardson; Ernest Hemingway’s first wife.   Now, this would seem to me a tough storyline to sell to a publisher~ this isn’t the wife he ended up with, it’s not even the one he lasted the longest with ...”just” the first one.

Here’s the beauty of the novel; McClain takes on what we all know to be a melancholy and hopeless tale, but speaks it through the unsuspecting eyes of Hadley Richardson.  While we, the readers, can’t help but try to identify the various and telltale warning signs that the story is peppered with, Hadley comes across as a fresh, intelligent and self-giving woman who manifests a strength and resilience that one can’t help but admire.  Indeed, she embodies those attributes so well that it’s no wonder Hemingway fell in love with her.  Her unassuming and honest nature served as a great comfort to him, and her loyalty to him is above reproach, even if completely unreciprocated.

I happen to really dig Hemingway’s novels.  If not the content, I truly love the completely transportive quality of his writing, which inevitably makes me want to swim in the ocean in the south of France, and dry off in the sun, sipping on cold, unnamed white wine in a sweating bottle.  But, after reading The Paris Wife, I’m forced to accept the fact that he was a womanizer, who tried desperately to write beautifully, and lose himself utterly into whatever experience was directly in front of him.   While the novel is labeled Historical Fiction, (I think mainly due to the first person narrative) the information it contains is traceable back to records kept by Richardson, and works by Ernest himself.

I suppose that Paula McClain’s novel is a bit like a stained glass window; a beautiful work of art whose true purpose is meant to illuminate another’s story.  I was rooting for Hadley from page one, became better acquainted with her and her illustrious husband, and finally couldn’t wait for her to reclaim herself by the end. 

Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon Series

Titles Include: Moscow Rules/The Defector/The Rembrandt Affair/ and more!!

Author: Daniel Silva

Genre: Spy/Mystery

The Gabriel Allon series written by Daniel Silva are the most addicting spy novels you will ever read.  Gabriel Allon is an Israeli spy who is a modern Jewish hero.  He saves lives, restores justice and unveils historical secrets. This sounds like a copy of superman or any other superhero but Gabriel has so much depth compared to those guys.  He is a very talented art restorer who listens to Italian opera and appreciates beauty.  The depth continues with the revealing of his own sufferings and hardships that have contributed to this hero persona.  It is not like Hannah Montana who has “the best of both worlds”.  When you’re a spy, an occupational hazard is that you are never off duty~ even when you’re off duty.  Gabriel is a character that you would love to have coffee with, although he would not say much ….because he lives a secret life.

Daniel Silva not only has an art for storytelling and character development but intrigue as well.  Once you start one of his stories it’s so hard to put down that you find yourself shirking your duties to read and then being sad when the last page is read.  Though this is a series, each book can be read in their own right.  Silva makes sure within each book the history of the character is known. Silva also does an excellent job putting historical events, people and circumstances within the story.  As a history major I am surprised at things that are divulged and find myself looking them up for validity.

 I discovered this series upon leaving for a 6 hour road trip so I grabbed an audio version for the car ride.  I was so enthralled the time flew and the dreaded drive home was actually highly anticipated because I wanted to finish the story.

So if you love thrillers, spy novels, historical fiction, Middle Eastern relations with Europe, art history or politics this series is the set you have been looking for.

Daniel Silva please keep writing!

“Killing Pablo” by Mark Bowden

Another Guest Contribution, this one from the esteemed and incomparable Mary Boryschuk!

Title: Killing Pablo

Author: Mark Bowden

This searing, all encompassing account of the CIA and multi-national organization’s manhunt and subsequent death of Pablo Escobar is truly fascinating and proves the euphemism “Truth is stranger than fiction.”  While one is not supposed to judge a book by its cover, go ahead and do so!  A picture paints a thousand words and the image of a handful of heavily armed men brimming with delight while standing over the body of the dead drug lord like a bagged deer is enough to make anyone curious at the very least. 

Bowden, an exceptional journalist, states facts, not just about the demise of Escobar, but of the world he lived in and the country he created in Colombia fueled by funds from US citizens and their new “all the rage” habit.   The destruction Escobar wrought, the public support he bought (both with development and terror) are epic and Bowden does a masterful job of laying the landscape for the average reader unfamiliar with the details of the culture and “war on drugs” begun primarily and apparently unsuccessfully by Reagan, (unless you count the oodles of dough it brings each year to the federal government.)  Bowden covers the depths and heights of politics in both the US and Colombia and the only possibly perceived drawback in this fascinating piece of writing is perhaps the tedium of following the necessary drawing of relationships between the countries.   It is, however, well worth the trouble!  

I believe the History channel adapted the book for television in a special titled the same and, despite being a biased English teacher by profession, the book is exponentially better than the movie.  The detail which Bowden uses to describe the man, the myth, the legend of Escobar, as well as the futility of the countries that pursued him, is spellbinding.  It is eye-opening, fascinating, and whispers of the seemingly dead art of unbiased journalism. 

I can’t recall the name of it but Pablo Esobar’s son did a documentary (I believe it was on HBO) about the aftermath of his father in his own life and an attempted reconciliation with the sons of Luis Galan, a leading candidate for president of Colombia, who stood up to Escobar and paid the price with his life.  I didn’t see the whole thing but it was powerful as well.

Very Valentine & Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Title: Very Valentine, and Brava Valentine

Author: Adriana Trigiani

Genre: Fiction

Toto Says:
 

The Valentine trilogy is a refreshing look at life in an Italian-American family.  Italian American families have a very delicate balance between traditions brought over from Italy and acquired American traditions.  Each family varies on how much of each make up their family life but Italian-Americans in and of themselves are their own culture.  This beautifully written trilogy is about a single woman named Valentina who struggles with being a modern woman living New York City and yet holding on to her “old world” traditions. 

Trigiani is a wonderful writer and has proven this over and over in her several best selling novels.  In both Very Valentine and Brava Valentine the reader feels as if they are sitting at the huge family table eating pasta, drinking wine and participating in loud conversation.  This isn’t your typical romance novel. You will never guess what is going to happen next or how it ends.  So come on and walk with Valentine through the countryside of Italy, swim with her in the caves of Capri, dance with her in Argentina and stand on her rooftop garden in Greenwich Village and smell the tomatoes.  Can’t wait for Part III!

Dorothy Says:

Ok, I have one gripe about Trigiani’s books; feel free to read them and judge for yourself.  Here’s the deal: within the entirety of the extensive family structure that Trigiani has created in the Valentine books, there is not even a single example of a decent marriage.  Now, you may be rolling your eyes as you read this, sighing, and saying “Who cares???”  Well, it’s my blog, and I care.   Allow me to first preface my remarks, and then air my grievance for a bit. 

Valentine Roncalli is the central character in the books. She is a thirty-something young woman, who is happily working her way up the ladder of craftsmanship in the family shoe business and on her way to becoming a master of custom leather shoes. She is pretty, funny, and socially adept, and she is not married.  THIS IS NOT MY GRIPE!!!  I love the character, and I’m not here to even insinuate the fact that because she is not married, she is in some way unfulfilled, deficient, or leprous.  In fact, I would be vilely offended if someone did try to make that argument.

Here’s what does irritate my sensibilities:  Throughout the first two novels in the trilogy (haven’t read the third yet), the author assigns a laundry list of infidelities, desertions, and tragedies to the married couples within the story.  To those married couples in the story who escape the plague of infidelity, there are other various and obnoxious qualities attributed or insinuated: Sister A’s husband exudes a caveman-era prejudicial streak as wide as the Mississippi; Grammom (a fabulous and peppy septuagenarian) professes to never having had joy with Grandpa, and the offspring of all these marriages are either constantly obnoxious, repressed into rigidity, or vehicles for bitterness. 

Now, I’ve read more than a couple of books in my life.  I am adequately aware of the appearance of the theme of infidelity and troubled marriages within literature; many of the best works in history address this in one way shape or form.  Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, for example, is incredibly adept at portraying the joys and sorrows of the choices made by his characters.   However, I was very saddened by the incredibly wide brush of doom with which Trigiani paints matrimonial and family life in her stories.  Anyone who is married knows it sure ain’t easy, and anyone with kids knows the sacrifice that children entail.  That being said, all the freedom in the world can pale in comparison to holding your sleeping babe in your arms, or climbing under the covers to curl up next to your best friend in the entire world.   In the midst of all the day-to-day, there is an inherent and objective beauty to both Marriage and bearing children.  The fact that this was completely negated within the framework of the Valentine books is, I feel, a woeful injustice.