Novels Now

I’ve always felt almost human. I’ve always known that there’s something about me that’s different than other dogs. Sure, I’m stuffed into a dog’s body, but that’s just the shell. It’s what’s inside that’s important. The soul. And my soul is very human. – from The Art of Racing in the Rain, page 3 -

Enzo is a dog – but he is not just any dog. Enzo is a philosopher and an observer of humans…he is a dog with the soul of a man. He lives with Denny Swift, a semi-professional race car driver, and Denny’s beautiful wife Eve and daughter Zoe. Enzo’s story begins at the end, and then rewinds to the beginning and works forward again. It is a simple story, really…the story of a family seen through the eyes of their dog; but Enzo’s insight into the human condition is what turns this simple story into something special. Like his owner Denny, Enzo loves car racing and he takes what he learns from the sport (through Denny) and uses it as a metaphor for living one’s life.

This is what Denny says. He says racing is doing. It is being a part of the moment, and being aware of nothing else but that moment. Reflection must come at a later time. - from The Art of Racing in the Rain, page 14 -

I must admit, I was very reluctant to read this book – not because I didn’t think it would be a great read (I heard Garth Stein speak last year at the San Jose Book Club Expo and immediately bought The Art of Racing in the Rain afterwards); but because I knew it would make me cry. And it did. Enzo is a wonderful character and his view of life, and ultimately of death, is tender and moving. Stein makes the reader embrace his characters. For me, it was easy to believe that a dog could think and feel as Enzo did…and so I internalized his story and it became real for me. Despite my tears, Enzo’s story is not all tragedy and sadness. There is joy, exhilaration and hope in the novel as well. There are many messages embedded in The Art of Racing in the Rain, but one of these seemed the most important: we are what we manifest.

Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves. - from The Art of Racing in the Rain, page 43 -

As Denny and his family face challenges and tragedy, this concept (’that which we manifest is before us‘) becomes a recurrent theme. Another recurrent theme is facing our darkest fears in order to overcome them. For Enzo, it is a stuffed zebra who embodies evil intent…and now I know why Garth Stein inscribed my book: “For Wendy, Beware the zebra!”

There are many beautiful passages in Stein’s novel. His writing is graceful and insightful. Enzo’s ruminations on life, on what makes a good human, and the state of our souls upon death…are simple, tender and thoughtful.

Here’s why I will be a good person. Because I listen. I cannot speak, so I listen very well. I never interrupt, I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own. - from The Art of Racing in the Rain, page 101 -

We could learn a lot by listening to our dogs, perhaps.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautiful novel on many levels. Readers who love animals will certainly be drawn to Enzo. This is a novel about family, love, loyalty and spirituality. It is about overcoming obstacles and moving forward through tragedy. But mostly it is about our connection to others – whether they be beast or human. Those readers who have recently lost a beloved pet will find this a tough read at times, but it is worth the journey.

Highly recommended.

Up Till Now: The Autobiography by William Shatner with David Fisher

Pages: 342 + index
First Published: May 13, 2008
Genre: memoir, actor
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

I was going to begin my autobiography this way: Call me … Captain James T. Kirk or Sergeant T.J. Hooker or Denny Crane Denny Crane or Twilight Zone Passenger Bob Wilson or the Big Giant Head or Henry V or the Priceline Negotiator or … Well, that’s the problem, isn’t it?

Reason for Reading: I love William Shatner and there was no doubt I’d be reading his autobiography!
Comments: William Shatner’s autobiography covers his entire life from growing up in Montreal, Canada to virtually the present with his thoughts on not being invited to participate in the recent new Star Trek movie. His childhood is briefly summarized though his acting ventures as a child, in high school and university and then book focuses on his career as an actor starting with his days on the Canadian stage at the Stratford Festival and moving right along to his current role as Denny Crane. In between he has had a career with many ups and downs. Though never any really big downs as he is the type of actor who accepts work when he needs it. Thus he has done a lot of B-grade movies (and proud of it) and played character parts on hundreds of TV shows and every now and then he hits it big. So big in fact he has become an icon in the industry and love him or hate him, who doesn’t know the name William Shatner?

I love Shatner’s sense of humour! He is dry, witty and most importantly doesn’t take himself seriously and plays that up to the media, who often take him seriously; reporting him that way and creating a false persona, “Bill Shatner”. It’s very funny to watch in real life when people actually take the guy seriously when he’s acting his famous Bill Shatner character. Maybe it’s a Canadian humour thing. He talks about these “pranks” and how he first told the media an outrageous made up story back in the early Star Trek days, of how it just popped into his head during an interview, he thought he was telling a joke but everyone actually believed him and so it all began. His humour shines through in the book, with pompous statements, one-liners and segues into commercials for priceline or promos for the book. It’s quite hilarious.

There’s also another side to Shatner though as he tells of his personal life. Such as his first two failed marriages and his faults as a husband that contributed to there demise; the tragic death of his third wife and the tumultuous marriage they had preceding that death; his thoughts and fears about growing old and realizing his own mortality is approaching; his thoughts on the negative opinions of his fellow Star Trek cast members (all except Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley).

The book is very satisfying covering everything you’d really expect to find in Shatner’s biography. The one thing not present is long meanderings on Star Trek as that material is covered in his first memoir, Star Trek Memories, which I read when it came out and also enjoyed. He still has a few stories to tell, though, and talks about the conventions, movies and such. I felt as if he gave Star Trek just the right amount of space in this book seeing as he’s already covered it in depth. I especially enjoyed his thoughts, and reminiscences on making Rescue 911, Invasion Iowa and Boston Legal. A very enjoyable read from an actor who is not-so-surprisingly a down to earth man at heart and a brilliant actor (and a bad singer, yes, he knows this!).

What had persuaded her to buy the house, though, were none of these sensible reasons but the thought that sprang into her mind at the first sight of the address – 41 Fortune Street – that her grandfather would have liked the name. “Straight out of Dickens,” she could hear him say, straw hat rocking. The pleasure of that image more than outweighed her own faint twinge of superstition. - from The House on Fortune Street, page 275 -

The House on Fortune Street is a leisurely novel about how our past reflects upon our future, and how our relationships with others are inextricably linked to how we integrate events from our childhood.

The book is broken into four separate parts – each narrated by a different character. Abigail  is an actress and playwright who immerses herself in loveless sex, protecting herself from the intimacy she knows may hurt her. Sean has left his wife and struggles to complete his dissertation on Keats. He moves into the Fortune Street house with Abigail and finds himself regretting his decisions. Dara is Abigail’s best friend from college. Highly sensitive, she works as a counselor and longs to find true love and start a family, but her questions about why her father abandoned his family when she was a young girl overshadow her happiness. Cameron, Dara’s father, is living with a secret and struggling to come to terms with yearnings he is unable to explain.

Early in the novel, a pivotal event occurs … and from this point onward the reader searches for understanding of each character’s motivation, desire, and fears. Livesey has given each character “a literary godparent” – an author who the character relates to and provides further understanding of that character’s personality. For Sean, Keats provides that role; for Abigail is is Charles Dickens; Dara relates to Charlotte Bronte, and the novel Jane Eyre; and Cameron connects with Charles Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll).

“My grandfather thought he could learn everything he needed to know about England by studying Dickens. He said everyone had a book, or a writer, that was the key to their life.” – from The House on Fortune Street, page 258 -

Margot Livesey’s prose is gentle and probing. In The House on Fortune Street she brings her story together with patience, carefully flushing out each character and putting together the pieces of their lives as though constructing a psychological jigsaw puzzle. Thematically she explores the idea of luck or chance vs. choice, and examines the role which early childhood plays in the development of our personalities. Specifically, she gives the reader a glimpse into the complexity of women’s friendships – the intimacy, as well as the secrecy which these types of relationships engender.

I found myself deeply involved in the lives of Livesey’s characters – I grew to care about them, to wonder about their choices, and to sympathize with their struggles. The format of the novel – a series of interlocking narratives – gave depth to the story which might not have happened if told only through the eyes of one character.

The House on Fortune Street is a heartbreaking tale which deals with some uncomfortable subject matter. It is not filled with action, but requires patience and a slow reading to fully appreciate. There are no sudden “aha” moments, but rather a gradual realization and understanding of the underlying message of the novel. At times I wanted to flip ahead to get to the nitty-gritty of the story, but I am glad I restrained myself from doing so as I think I would have been disappointed that there are no easy answers in this book.

Readers who enjoy well-written literary fiction will like Livesey’s style. Written with sensitivity and compassion, The House on Fortune Street is recommended.

Rivers of Fire by Patrick Carman
Illustrations by Squire Broel
Atherton, Book 2

Pages: 303
First Published: May 1, 2008
Genre: children, science fiction
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

It was the middle of the night when Edgar entered the fig grove alone.

Reason for Reading: With the release of the last book in the trilogy this year, I decided to read the series. This is the second book.
Comments: This book picks up right where book one left off and continues the story. I cannot tell you anything about the plot without spoiling details that happen in the first book and I like to keep my reviews spoiler free. So instead I’ll focus on the characters. Edgar and Isabel are split up into different groups this time as they continue on important quests. They both join characters from book one whom we’ve only briefly met before; this time giving us greater insight into those characters. Doctor Kincaid, an aging scientist and Victor his attendant; Samuel, a boy from the upper class Highlands and Horace, the lead guard. We also become better acquainted with the villagers including Isabel’s father and the owners of an Inn in The Village of Rabbits.

The story of is full of adventure, plot twists, mad villains and believable heroes who risk and sometimes give their lives for the greater good. Many of the mainstream reviews call this book, and the series, a fantasy (and the publishers add to the confusion with the fantasy covers) but while the plot does follow your basic fantasy quest premise it is not fantasy at all but science fiction. Everything that happens, is used, or met along the way has a scientific foundation and reason to be, there are no magical or fantastical elements.

I read this book through only stopping when life demanded I must. A real page-turner. I really love the world that Carman has created. It is very unique to say the least. This book ends with a finite ending, all threads are finished off and there is even a “One Year Later” epilogue. So the two book set does end very nicely here. There is a third book however, which goes in a completely different direction and I can’t wait to read it; review to come soon. This is a great series, highly recommended for ages 9 and up!

The Cellist of Sarajevo
Stephen Galloway
235 pages

She knows that twenty-two people died here and a multitude were injured, will not walk or see or touch again. Because they tried to buy bread. A small decision. Nothing to think about. You’re hungry, and come to this place where maybe they will have some bread to buy. … And then some men on the hills send a bomb through the air to kill you. For them, it was probably just one more bomb in a day of many. Not notable all. (p. 82) 

The siege of Sarajevo took place between April 1992 and February 1996, killing approximately 10,000 people. The city was repeatedly shelled, and snipers took up posts in the surrounding hills, firing on unsuspecting victims. Following the May, 1992 bombing of a bakery, a local cellist played Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor (listen here), every day for twenty-two days, in memory of the dead. Each day he would quietly take his place in the street, putting his own life at tremendous risk. The title character of this novel is based on that cellist. Other characters include Arrow, a young woman caught up in the fighting, and sent to protect the cellist from snipers; Dragan, struggling to survive after sending his wife and son to safety in Italy; and Kenan, a young husband and father who routinely traverses the dangerous city streets to get water for his family and an elderly neighbor. None of these characters know each other, but their stories are loosely intertwined around the cellist. 

The real power of this book was in its portrayal of war-torn Sarajevo, and the impact of the struggle for survival on its people. Kenan put himself in grave danger to fetch water, and during his journey across town, he imagined a better time for his family where they will once again be able to visit restaurants and go on long walks eating ice cream. Dragan’s story centered on one particular day where he attempted to cross a street on his way to the bakery. He was paralyzed with fear of the snipers who had set their sights on the street that afternoon. And then there was Arrow, who became involved in the conflict after losing her own family. She also lost both her youth and her happiness. Each character’s life was changed irrevocably: food shortages took a toll on their bodies, and frequent contact with death shattered their spirits. 

Every time I read a book like The Cellist of Sarajevo, I wonder what it is about humankind that makes us do such things to one another. (  )

And so I was in a state of fuming helplessness when I stepped out into the inverted obscurity of the afternoon. As I stood there, thrown by Herald Square’s flows of pedestrians and the crazed traffic diagonals and the gray, seemingly bottomless gutter pools, I was seized for the first time by a nauseating sense of America, my gleaming adopted country, under the secret actuation of unjust, indifferent powers. The rinsed taxis, hissing over fresh slush, shone like grapefruits; but if you looked down into the space between the road and the undercarriage, where icy matter stuck to pipes and water streamed down the mud flaps, you saw a foul mechanical dark. - from Netherland, page 68 -

The protagonist of Joseph O’Neill’s latest novel is Hans, a wealthy banker living in the Chelsea Hotel in post-911 New York City. Rachel, Hans’ conflicted wife, abandons him to return to London with their child and leaves Hans to navigate his way through a city of immigrants, idealists, and whacky characters. It is not long before Hans discovers the little known, yet thriving culture of immigrant men who gather each week to bat and bowl their way through cricket games. One of these men is Chuck Ramkissoon - an immigrant from Trinidad who runs an illegal gambling operation, cheats on his wife with a scrapbooker, and dreams of creating The New York Cricket Club - a venture which he envisions making millions while introducing Americans to a ‘whole new chapter in U.S. history.‘

“I’m saying that people, all people, Americans, whoever, are at their most civilized when they’re playing cricket. What’s the first thing that happens when Pakistan and India make peace? They play a cricket match. Cricket is instructive, Hans. It has a moral angle. I really believe this. Everybody who plays the game benefits from it. SoI say, why not Americans?” - from Netherland, page 211 -

Netherland explores the aftermath of 911 through the eyes of America’s immigrants who have come to America in pursuit of their dreams but find a country conflicted in the face of impending war with Iraq.

We were trying to understand, that is, whether we were in a preapocalyptic situation, like the European Jews in the thirties or the last citizens of Pompeii, or whether our situation was merely near-apocalyptic , like that of the Cold War inhabitants of New York, London, Washington, and, for that matter, Moscow. - from Netherland, page 24 -

O’Neill uses Hans and Rachel’s marriage as a metaphor to explore fear, isolation, disaapointment and reconciliation as they separate and then come back together. Family and country are two intertwined themes as Hans tries to understand his own identity within the larger concept of community.

Although O’Neill’s writing is fluid and evokes a New York which most American’s will relate to, I found myself indifferent to Hans and his troubles. I liked the colorful and outgoing Chuck, but his ultimate fate left me thinking “so what?” I am not exactly sure why the character development left me cold in this novel - O’Neill certainly gives the reader plenty of background and insight into the two main characters - but, ultimately, I found them forgettable. There are also long passages about the game of cricket - a sport which I know next to nothing about - and these I found mostly boring.

At the end of the book, Hans is talking to a minor character who had considered funding Chuck’s idea for a cricket club in New York:

“The New York Cricket Club,” Faruk says, raising his eyebrows, “was a splendid idea - a gymkhana in New York. We had a chance there. But would the big project have worked? No. There’s a limit to what Americans understand. The limit is cricket.” - from Netherland, page 251 -

And this is pretty much how I felt about O’Neill’s novel. A good idea, but it did not work for me. Although this book has gotten some great reviews (including being recognized as a NYT Most Notable book in 2008), I wonder if many Americans will struggle as I did with a story which in large part centers around a sport which is not well-known in our country. Some readers might like this one.

Creative and Deeply Touching

Enzo knows he’s different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul, he has educated himself by watching TV and listening to his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver- Art of Racing in the Rain (Front Flap)

Enzo is convinced that he will come back in his next life as a man. On the last night of his death, he looks back on his life and the struggles that Denny had. The loss of his wife Eve and the custody battle for his daughter Zoe, against Eve’s wealthy parents. Enzo knows that he did his part to reunite the family and has the hope that Denny can still become a champion race car driver.

I received a copy of this as an advanced read from Harper Collins Canada. I was just about to start reading this book when my precious dog, Robbie died. Because of the nature of this book, I couldn’t get myself to pick it up until now. It was difficult for me to get through the parts where Enzo described his health and his passing. I had a good cry.

Garth Stein has an amazingly creative and fresh writing style. Using a dog, as narrator not only works, I don’t think the book could have been written any other way.

This may sound like it has the potential to be saccharin sweet and I must confess it has a little bit of that. The ending was also quite predictable, however, don’t let these little “flaws” keep you from this book. There are moments of great sadness, moments that are laugh out loud funny, and moments of great joy. This book is a gem!

The Prism Blade by Patricia Bow
Passage to Mythrin, Book 2

Pages: 267
Finished: Dec. 10, 2008
First Published: May, 2008
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
Reason for Reading: Received a Review Copy from Chapters Top Reviewers Club.

First sentence: Long, long ago, in the springtime of the world, Adam was the first man.

Comments: The second volume of this wonderful YA series is just as good as the first one. This time around, two visitors from Mythrin come through the passage to Ammy and Simon’s earth looking for a mythical sword. But which of the visitors is on the good side and which is on the bad side? Simon and Ammy have differing opinions and don’t always work together to help their respective friends from the other world. That is until a third visitor passes through and everyone concerned realizes that he is really working on the side of evil.

A fun fantasy romp that was pure enjoyment. A complete contrast to the first volume which is mostly set in Mythrin this one is mostly set in our world though plenty enough happens in Mythrin as well. Mystical beasts and objects are always fun to read and while this book does contain a quest, it is not your typical journey type of quest making it rather unique. Really a whole lot of fun with engaging characters, well-written and a page-turner. Suitable for ages 8 and up, I still think it will appeal to teenage audiences as well as this 40 year old reviewer. I’m certainly looking forward to the third book (possibly the last in a trilogy?) which hopefully is in the works for 2009.

Hans van den Broek and his wife Rachel are living and dealing with post-9/11 New York City. Hans is a banker and originally from the Netherlands, while Rachel is a British attorney. Rachel believes New York has become too unsafe and leaves for London, taking the couple’s son with them.

With his new-found spare time, Hans spends more time playing cricket in the park and meets a Trinidadian named Chuck Ramkissoon. Chuck has some big dreams and schemes involving the sport of cricket and brings Hans along for the ride. The question is whether Ramkissoon’s dealing are on the up and up. Hans begins spending more and more time with Chuck while also travelling back and forth from London so he can see his son.

Some have compared this book to The Great Gatsby, and while it does have a little of that ‘vibe,’ I don’t think the book really merits that comparison. The real question of the book is whether or not Hans is a reliable or an unreliable narrator. If he’s reliable, I don’t think I really got the point of the book. If he’s unreliable, it certainly makes the novel more interesting with all the ramifications of what that might involve. I wasn’t really clued in to the fact that he might be unreliable until I looked at some other reviews of the book.

Discussing and discovering the truth of the reliability of Hans’ narration would really make this novel a good choice for a book group. Too bad I can’t tell you more. Come back and email me if you end up reading the book, I’d like to hear your thoughts!

2008, 272 pp.
(3.5/5)

Book number two from the Amazon Vine program is yet another (gasp!) Young Adult book. It is Evernight by Claudia Gray (336 pgs, Harper Teen, 2008), and this is the latest offering in the burgeoning world of Teen Paranormal/Vampire books.

It was the first day of school, which meant it was my last chance to escape. I didn’t have a backpack full of survival gear, a wallet thick with cash that I could use to buy myself a plane ticket somewhere, or a friend waiting for me down the road in a getaway car. Basically, I didn’t have what most sane people would call “a plan”. But it didn’t matter. There was no way I was going to remain at Evernight Academy.

Bianca Olivier is about to start her first day at the Evernight Academy, an exclusive boarding school in a desolate area of New England. Her parents had been offered teaching positions with the school, and they decided it would be beneficial for Bianca, such a painfully shy girl, to be enrolled at Evernight. But Bianca had barely ever left the small town she grew up in, and hated the idea of leaving the few friends she had, especially to go live in the Gothic, eerie, and utterly creepy boarding school. And due to a change in Admission Policy, a new group of kids were admitted for the first time this year.

The “old” kids at Evernight were rich, smart, beautiful snobs. But Bianca found a kindred spirit in Lucas Ross. He was different than the others. Very confrontational, Lucas made no bones about being different from the others. And Bianca fell for Lucas….hard.

But there were many secrets the kids at Evernight were keeping. Even Bianca and Lucas had their secrets. And secrets always have a way of coming out…at the most inopportune moments.

First of all…this is another teen vampire story. (and I’m not really giving anything away here.) In the same vein as PC Cast and Kristin Cast’s Marked series, Evernight is the first book in yet another series. But Evernight has its original moments too. There is a big “twist” in the middle that really threw me for a loop. I’m usually pretty in tune with what’s going on in most of the books I read, but this one actually got me.

The characters in the book are all very well drawn out, and I loved the relationship that Bianca had with her parents. There is also a really good love triangle portion of the story involving Bianca, Lucas, and another student named Balthazar. And the plot is very suspenseful. Again, this is the case of me NOT knowing I was starting yet another series, but the ending is open enough for more. (Then I tripped on over to the author’s website and found that this is the first of a four-book series!) While I think this book would appeal immensely to the YA sect because of all the “teen angst”, there is still alot for adults to enjoy. The pages turned fast, and by the time I hit the twist, there was no stopping until I finished. All in all, I found Evernight to be an exceptionally good story and one that will leave you wanting more!! 4/5

Not having read any of the Twilight Series (yes, I heard the collective gasp from the crowd!), I didn’t have any expectations coming into reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer (624 pgs, Little, Brown and Company). I don’t have any of the bias that a lot of readers will have. I didn’t expect to find a book that I would fall head over heels in love with. But that is exactly what happened!! If it’s any indication on how wonderful this book is, I read over 600 pages in 2 short days….hardly pausing for sleep!! I read The Host for The End of the World Challenge, The Stephenie Meyer Mini-Challenge (see…I’m PLANNING on reading the Twilight series!), and The Pub ‘08 Challenge.

In a time when Earth has been almost completely taken over by aliens, there were a few rebel Humans left in existence. The aliens, or Souls, have done a systematic take-over of this planet. They are a parasitic creature that can not live without a Host body. When they are inserted in a human body, their “soul” takes over. You can tell by the silver that shines in their eyes.

Wanderer is unlike most souls. She has lived on 8 other planets in 8 other host bodies. And yet, she has never found a place that she could truly envision herself at home. Hence, the name Wanderer.

Melanie was a rebel human. Along with her little brother Jamie, and her true-love Jared, she was carving out a small existence for herself. But when she saw on the news a person that looked like her cousin Sharon, she knew she had to find her and see if she was still human. That’s why she went to Chicago in the first place. But when she was caught by the Seekers, the souls that were scouring the planet for the last of the humans, she knew she would rather die than become one of THEM. Unfortunately for her, the attempt of suicide failed. Her body was healed, and Wanderer was inserted into her body.

But unlike all the other Hosts that Wanderer had taken over, she couldn’t lose Melanie. Melanie was such a strong human, she refused to let Wanderer completely take over. Mel was still there with her, talking to her and making her miserable. Wanderer knew all of Mel’s memories and feelings. As much as Mel tried to block her thoughts, Wanderer would dream of Jared and Jamie. Soon, Wanderer finds herself longing to find the Humans that meant so much to Mel. On a trip to Tuscon, Mel remembers a map that her Uncle Jeb had drawn for her, and the two of them set off to find out if Jared and Jamie have survived.

But when Wanderer is found by the group of rebel Humans that include her family and friends, it isn’t pretty. No one is sure what to do. They want to hate the alien that has taken over Mel. But things are not always as it seems. And Wanderer isn’t the typical soul.

Can I tell you now how much I LOVED this book?? Although sci-fi in nature, it is so much more than that. It’s a story of love and understanding, acceptance and humanity. This book is so deep and so beautiful that I’m having a hard time putting down in words my feelings for it. Melanie is such a strong human, but there were times that I just wanted to throttle her. She had become jaded and pessimistic during the occupation….and rightfully so. But she didn’t think things through very well. Wanderer was such a beautiful and kind soul. Altruistic was a word that was used frequently, and for good reason. She would rather die than cause pain to other person or soul.

The cast of characters in this book is large, but my favorite would have to be Ian. He was one of the rebels that initially wanted to kill Wanderer. But spending time with the soul, he realized that to be human didn’t always mean being a body without an alien presence. Stephenie Meyer has put together a brilliant novel. Her focus is more on relationships than on the alien presence, and is amazing to read. And the relationships are complex. There is a really weird triangle with Melanie/Wanda/Jared. Then you thrown Ian into the mix and it gets weirder yet. There are some seriously hard scenes to read. And as the end nears, as a reader you can see how difficult it is going to be to end this story well. You come to love the soul as much as the human. In fact, they come to love each as much as they do themselves.

If you are a fan of the Twilight series, I beg you to give this book a chance. I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed in this story. I can’t remember the last time a book completely left me so emotionally drained. I laughed, I cried, I cringed at times. But I wouldn’t take back a second of it! This book was Freakin’ Fantastic….and I’m telling you: GO READ THE HOST!!

5/5

Pam Jenoff
360 pages

Earlier this fall, I read The Kommandant’s Girl, which is the story of Emma Bau, a young newlywed who belongs to the Polish resistance during World War II. The Diplomat’s Wife is a companion book that is told from the perspective of Marta Nedermann who is friend and fellow resistance member to Emma. As The Kommandant’s Girl ends we believe that Marta is dead. She is not, however, and The Diplomat’s Wife is the story of the direction of Marta’s life at the end of the war and beyond.

I found The Diplomat’s Wife to be every bit as engaging as The Kommandant’s Girl.  I was drawn to these books because of their World War II setting but this book takes place mainly after World War II during the turbulent rise of Communism in Eastern Europe. Initially, I was disappointed about this but in the end, it really didn’t lessen my enjoyment at all.

My only complaint would be that I found the romance between Paul and Marta a bit predictable. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless. (4.5/5)

Atmospheric Disturbances
by Rivka Galchen

Starred Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus

2008, 240 pp.

It’s rare that a book gets starred reviews from all four major review publications. Was this book that good; does it really deserve that much attention? Yes, absolutely. I really, really loved it; so much, in fact, that I held off reading the last 20 pages or so for two days because I didn’t want it to be over.

Psychoanalyst Leo Liebenstein thinks his wife Rema has disappeared. Not only that, but he believes she has been replaced by a simulcrum, someone who looks and acts (almost) exactly like her. Meanwhile, Harvey, one of Leo’s mental patients (who believes he has the ability to control the weather) is also missing. Not buying in to the simulcrum’s Rema-like performance, Leo goes to the ends of the earth to Buenos Aires and Patagonia to try to uncover the truth of what has happened to his wife.

I’ll be the first to admit that although I enjoyed this book tremendously, it won’t be to everyone’s tastes. It’s very quirky, very eccentric, but also intelligent and extremely funny. Much of what I found humorous in the novel was due to the fact that I went to Argentina in April, so I was able to get many of the inside jokes about dog poop in the streets, maté tea, Alpha Wh*re Rays, and many other references to Argentinian life. The author had been in South America for a year working on public health issues, so her writing comes from first hand experience in the region. There were, of course, also references to the (not so funny) “Disappeared.”

This is Rivka Galchen’s first novel, and I definitely will be anxiously awaiting whatever she comes up with next. Oh, and if her literary career doesn’t work out (I have no doubt that it will), she can always fall back on her MD that she received from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

An interview with Rivka Galchen

Breath by Tim Winton
2008, 218 pp.

Ugh. I thought this was about a teen boy surfing in Australia. I wanted it to be about a teen boy surfing in Australia. And it was, for about 150 pages, then it goes off into a weird and extreme area that I will not mention here. I feel ripped off because I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book, but then to have to be subjected to…blech.

Pikelet and Loonie are two teenage boys obsessed with surfing. They meet up with Sando, a guy in his mid 30’s who coaches them in the sport and sometimes encourages them to go a little too far with it. Sando’s wife, Eva, was an extreme skier but now has a blown knee. Consequently, she’s bitter because her husband still gets to do what he loves and because he’s not spending any time with her. Breath is about pushing everything in life to the extreme to see how far one can go.

I’m giving it 2 stars because Tim Winton is a good writer and I enjoyed all but the last fourth (which totally ruined the whole thing for me.)

Here’s an example of a passage I did enjoy:

I will always remember my first wave that morning. The smells of paraffin wax and brine and peppy scrub. The way the swell rose beneath me like a body drawing in air. How the wave drew me forward and I sprang to my feet, skating with the wind of momentum in my ears. I leant across the wall of upstanding water and the board came with me as though it was part of my body and mind. The blur of spray. The billion shards of light. I remember the solitary watching figure on the beach and the flash of Loonie’s smile as I flew by; I was intoxicated. And though I’ve lived to be an old man with my own share of happiness for all the mess I made, I still judge every joyous moment, every victory and revelation against those few seconds of living.

Newton and the Time Machine by Michael McGowan
Illustrated by Shelagh McNulty

Pages: 211
First Published: May 13, 2008
Genre: Children’s fantasy
Rating: 3/5

First sentence:

Newton was having serious, serious doubts that his latest invention - a time machine - was ready to be field-tested.

Comments: This is a sequel to Newton and the Giant, which I haven’t read. Newton needs someone to test out his new time machine and his friends, the giant King and Queen of Merriwart, volunteer. The machine seems to be a success until suddenly there is a smoky explosion and it disappears leaving nothing behind but a 4 leaf clover. Sure that the treacherous Leprechauns are involved Newton, his best friend Max, Commander Joe (his talking plastic soldier) and Witch Hazel all help to recover the missing King and Queen, not to mention the time machine.

A fun romp that the younger set, 8-11 yo, are sure to enjoy. With non-stop action and humour of the toilet variety, this is definitely going to be enjoyed by boys mostly. The plot and action are fun but the characters are flat and one-dimensional. Newton’s quintuplet soccer-fiend brothers are simply a nasty nemesis for Newton possessing no other human qualities. But sometimes a book is just meant to be silly and fun and this fits the bill.

At this moment, I suddenly want to change everything that is me, the observer part, and move from something else: the living-your-life part. When does that start exactly? And something else. I look into the mirror and someone else says: What are you doing here? You have no right to live. [pg 145]

Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found by Marie Brenner
Sarah Crichton Books, 2008
Nonfiction (Memoir); 268 pgs

I was three when my brother entered this world. My mother had to be rushed to the hospital, nearly dropping my brother out right there in the hospital parking lot. My father’s parents were visiting, my grandmother watching me while my parents were away. I remember my father coming home with a grin on his face. It’s a boy! My brother and I were like most other brother and sister pairs, friends one minute, playing in the dirt together or taking to the high seas on our boats made of furniture in the living room, to mortal enemies the next, struggling over who would sit in the passenger seat of the car. As we got older, we grew closer; while at other times we seemed to grow farther apart, family circumstances bringing us together but also keeping us at arms distance.

I have this image of me as the older sister, the protector and the one who had to set the good example. My brother was the youngest child, the only boy, and the one who got away with more. While early on that bothered me, later it seemed the natural way of things–how it works in families–and my brother deserved a break. His was a battle that seemed uphill more so than mine. Our story is an old and familiar one. Life as it was went on for both of us. Our relationship was one that ebbed and flowed like the tide. In recent years, we have not had much of a relationship at all. We are both to blame. There are reasons, some obvious and others less so, none of which I will go into here.

Marie Brenner is a well respected journalist having accomplished much in her career. Her work on an exposé entitled “The Man Who Knew Too Much” was the basis for the movie The Insider, which took a hard look at tobacco company practices. She has built a life on asking questions and telling stories. Her brother Carl had been a trial attorney at one time who later in life chose to give that up and grow apples and pears much to the surprise of his family.

Marie was the polar opposite of her brother. She was liberal where he was conservative. She preferred city life while Carl felt most at home in the country surrounded by his orchards. Marie was married with a child. Carl was more of a lady’s man. He liked things just so and preferred a quiet life. Marie was constantly on the go, searching out details and looking for meaning. Both were stubborn and set in their ways, believing the other was wrong more often than not. The two may have held different beliefs and ideas and lived very different lives, but they were both very similar as well.

Marie Brenner and her brother Carl have always had a difficult relationship. They spoke just about every week; however, their conversations almost always turned into arguments. The constant bickering and lack of connection between them weighed heavily on Marie, especially after learning that her brother had cancer. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to connect with him, to understand him and to be there for him. She set out to make that happen, deciding to surprise him with an extended visit. She left her home in New York and headed for Washington. Marie studied up on apples and orchards with the intention of using the information to get close to her brother, but her constant questions and search for knowledge often seemed more like a way to avoid talking about the real issues that lingered between them.

Marie and Carl’s story was one that crept up on me. I had trouble settling into it at first. I wasn’t sure what to think of Marie, and it took me a while to warm up to her. I connected with Carl much more quickly despite his more curmudgeonly manner. Carl’s struggle with cancer, his will to live, along with his resilience and strength, hit close to home for me with my friend’s recent battle with cancer. The lack of availability of treatment options despite the fact that they may exist (albeit not in perfect form) must be so frustrating for families in similar situations who only want to exhaust all means before it is too late.

I was most drawn into the Brenner family history, learning about Carl and Marie’s father and his relationship with his siblings as well as that of their parents. History was repeating itself. The strain between Milton Brenner and his sister, Anita, was being played out in Marie and Carl’s own relationship.

The author’s story unfolds bit by bit, interweaving past and present. Where one began and the other ended was not always clear. The writing is stylish and poetic at times, almost a stream of consciousness. Marie Brenner effectively was able get across her own fear and the control she was trying to maintain as she dealt with her brother’s illness, her frustration with both herself and her brother for not having a closer relationship, and her attempts at developing a closer bond with him before it was too late.

So many years went by where sister and brother constantly battled with each other, their own egos and stubbornness getting in the way. It was not until her brother’s diagnosis of cancer that the two reached out for each other, already with so many years lost in between. Marie did grow and mature during the course of the book, and by the end, I felt a kinship with her. I could see bits and pieces of my own relationship with my brother in her relationship with Carl. I understood better what she was going through and what she had been trying to achieve with her brother. Both she and Carl made mistakes as we all do in our own relationships. Even when they didn’t recognize it, they shared a bond and loved each other as only a brother and sister can.

Apples and Oranges: My Brother an Me, Lost and Found demonstrates the strength and fragility of familial ties. It is a story of love and redemption and of hope and perseverance.

Rating: (Good +)

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif

In 1988, a plane carrying the President of Pakistan crashed, killing the President - military dictator General Zia, some generals, and the American Ambassador, Arnold Raphel. This book looks at what may have caused the crash and the death of the General Zia.

I had to look up at wikipedia to see how much was true. And when I saw this picture of General Zia-ul-Haq, I can see where this story came from, because doesn’t this face belong in an amusing story? The crash of the plane was never explained, so Hanif writes this amusing look at army double-crossing and plots from an assortment of people with motive to assassinate the leader. I imagine leading a military coup and killing your predecessor is somewhat like marrying the man who cheated on his wife with you: eventually it will happen the other way. Cheaters cheat again, and someone will try to assassinate you.

There are many plot threads and characters and as usual I found it somewhat difficult to follow all that wasn’t explicitly stated. Espionage stories can be tricky for me - I am that person in the theatre asking ‘Who was that? Was that the husband? What just happened?’ It doesn’t lessen my enjoyment though. I just have a hard time keeping track of characters. It’s probably not that confusing.

The setting of 1988 means the Afghan-Soviet war is still going on. The roles of the Pakistanis and Americans and the CIA are noted here, and OBL makes a cameo appearance at a party. Nice touch and a part of the absurdity present in the book.

This was a good book to use for the Orbis Terrarum challenge because I feel I have a greater understanding of Pakistan. It was amusing, but when a book is described as ‘very funny’ it sets up a lot of expectations for the reader. It takes a while for the author to set up all the possible causes of the death, but by the end, it all comes together nicely. The book is mostly narrated by a young soldier, junior officer Shigri, intent on revenge for the death of his father.

(I’m not very good at summaries; my reviews are more impressions. Here’s a summary if you like that sort of thing)

2008, 323 pp.
Rating: 4/5

Edit: July 29, this book has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize

There was only one birthday that Gus was getting tired of organizing. Tired, really, of celebrating at all. Her own. Because in short order - March 25 - August Adelaide Simpson was turning fifty. -From Comfort Food, page 4-

Gus Simpson is a huge TV personality on the CookingChannel. After the unexpected death of her husband (leaving her alone to raise two daughters), Gus discovers her inner cook and rises quickly to stardom. Her daughters are now in their 20s and struggling with their own issues, while Gus is dreading turning 50 and forced to deal with losing her Cooking With Gusto! show. She re-groups, reluctantly pairing with the beautiful Carmen Vega (an ex-beauty queen with a penchant for spiciness), to birth a new show: Eat Drink and Be.

Jacobs introduces a vast cast of characters including Gus’ two unlikeable daughters, her daughter Sabrina’s ex boyfriend Troy, Gus’ love interest Oliver, and the mysterious Hannah. I disliked them all - finding them flat, predictable and shallow. I also didn’t understand why Jacobs felt it necessary to give us involved descriptions of their hair (maybe because otherwise we couldn’t tell one from the other?).

I received this uncorrected proof from Penguin Book Group. The novel was released in May of this year on the heels of Jacobs’ first novel The Friday Night Knitting Club. I normally appreciate a well-paced chick lit book - but this one was tough to get through. I wanted to like Gus, but I never felt like I knew her. Hannah’s character was better developed, but her mysterious background grew tiresome for me. My least favorite character was Sabrina - a girl who is terrified to commit to a relationship and so she sleeps around and toys with men, using her beauty as a way to waltz through life.

As you can tell, this was not a book I can recommend. Some readers, however, had a different viewpoint. Check out Kit’s review (at Mango and Ginger) and Trish’s review (at Hey Lady! Watcha Readin’?) who both liked this book a lot better than I did. Deb’s review at Here and There seems to agree with mine.

I won’t be recommending this book. But, there are some readers out there who probably will love Jacobs’ latest novel…so if you are heavily into chick lit and food, you might still want to read this one and come to your own conclusions.

Like many of my generation I did not go to war gravely and soberly, as Lao-tzu tells us a wise man ought. But I returned from it that way. [pg 285]

Killing Rommel by Steven Pressfield
Doubleday, 2008
Fiction; 295 pgs

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was one of the most respected generals of his time, not only by those who served under him but also by his enemies. He was a gentleman even in battle. He thought nothing of fighting on the front lines with his men and showing his enemy mercy and respect. He was a force to be reckoned with, however, and his advances in the north and east African desert made him one of the biggest threats to the Allied Forces during the Second World War. In an effort to turn the tide of the war, the Allies targeted Rommel for death, hoping to loosen the grip of the Axis forces on the area. The British Long Range Desert Group, a special forces unit, played a major role in the attempt on Rommel’s life, getting behind enemy lines in an effort to gather intel on the enemy as well as to gain an advantage on them.

Author Steven Pressfield uses this time in history as the setting for his latest novel, Killing Rommel. R. Lawrence Chapman was a young academic when World War II broke out. He had lost his mother at an early age and spent much of his later schooling in boarding school before moving on to Oxford University. In September of 1942, Chapman was eager to join his countrymen on the battlefield and enlisted with the Armoured Division, where he was assigned as a tank officer. He would later be assigned to assist the Long Range Desert Group who was tasked with killing the Desert Fox, Field Marshall Rommel.

Chapman sets out to put his story in writing, recording his experiences during the war. Written from the perspective of a soldier, the novel at times may seem dry with the technical details of equipment, strategy and tactics. And yet such descriptions add an authenticity to the story as well as to the main character, Chapman. Through Chapman’s narrative, the reader is able to get a feel for the different characters in the book and to get a taste for just how difficult the conditions they were facing were.

Steven Pressfield has created a novel that is full of heart while at the same time painting a realistic picture of the war. The African desert is a harsh and dangerous landscape. The sweltering heat, sandstorms and flash floods only complicated matters. In addition, the soldiers had to make do with poor equipment that must be repaired on site with makeshift solutions and ensure that they had enough fuel for traveling long distances across the desert or else risk getting stranded or worse.

Chapman discovered that life with the Long Range Desert Group was much different from that in the regular rank and file. Everyone, regardless of rank, pitched in with even the most menial of tasks. Strong bonds developed between the men as they fought alongside each other. They would risk life and limb if it would save their brothers in arms. The missions were top secret and communication with the outside world was limited. Chapman went for long periods of time without word to his pregnant wife, and she without knowledge about him. I can only imagine how much the two worried about each other when they let themselves. Mostly, however, I think that Chapman stayed focused on the task at hand, on his survival, and immediate events. Not to could have proven deadly not only for him but also for those around him.

There were a few times as I was reading this book that I literally held my breath and read as fast as I could, afraid at what might happen as Chapman and his fellow soldiers fought to survive, sometimes fleeing for their lives. The next moment, my eyes would well up with tears at the loss of a life or a particularly touching moment between the men. I got to know the men through reading about their experiences. It was impossible not to grow attached. Chapman thought of himself as an ordinary man–and he was in many respects–but he proved himself extraordinary in midst of battle. He struggled with the morality of war, with the frustrations of being a soldier and his doubts about his leadership abilities. He cared about his fellow man, including those he fought against. He was not so different from Rommel in that respect.

Steven Pressfield has written a compelling novel that has left quite an impression on me. My father is a war veteran as was my grandfather. While they may not have faced the same dangers as the real life Chapmans and Steins, they did have their own battles to fight. As I finished reading Killing Rommel, tears running down my cheeks, I could not help but think of them and how they, too, were just ordinary men put into extraordinary circumstances.

Guess what my father is getting for Father’s Day this year.

Rating: (Very Good +)

Miscellaneous: For those interested in the book or even the time period, I highly recommend you check out the author’s website. The author presents a mini documentary, setting the stage for his book, which is not only informative but also very well put together. I watched the long version, and it sold me on the book.

Review book provided by Anna Jarzab from Authors on the Web.