Novels Now

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais
Scribner, 2010
Fiction; 245 pgs

Those of you who know me well, know I am not fond of the kitchen. I like to eat (although lately, not so much), but my tastes are rather simple. Therefore, I am not sure I would feel at home in a high class French restaurant. So what was it that drew me to a book like The Hundred-Foot Journey, a novel about a young Indian boy who pursues his dream of becoming a famous French chef? It certainly wasn’t the elaborate descriptions of food and slaving over a hot stove. I do, however, enjoy an inspiring story about reaching for one’s dreams. And I like going behind the scenes in worlds or lives I am not familiar with, including getting a look inside the workings of a restaurant.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is not a deep novel, nor is it one I would label as a light read. Hassan Haji retells his life story, about his beginnings in the family kitchen in India to his eventual training in a haute cuisine French restaurant in Lumiére, just one hundred feet away from his family’s own Indian restaurant and then onto strike it on his own in Paris. His family is forced to flee India after a tragic event that destroys everything his family worked. The family’s relocation to France is met with some resistance, as is their attempt to establish themselves in the restaurant business there.

There was a distance in the telling of the story, and it made getting to truly know Hassan difficult on some level. However, from what I did learn about him and his life, I liked and admired him. He has a natural talent for cooking and even his chief rival cannot deny it.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book on one hand, but lacking on the other. I really would like to have gotten to know Hassan more. But there was a simplicity to the novel that was quite appealing. I enjoyed reading the behind the scene descriptions of shopping in the market for the freshest foods, the search for the perfect venue, spending time with Hassan’s family, and seeing Hassan go from a young boy still trying to find his way to reaching his dreams.

Rating: (Good)

For more information about the author and his book, visit his website.

Source: Copy of book provided by publicist/publisher.

It is the night of Easter Sunday. I’ve already been to chapel and received God on my tongue. I sit in my cell with the lights off. Everyone’s light is off. I wait for the man with the cross to begin his walk. He’s been doing it once a year for the whole twelve years I’ve been in here. Carnival is coming in a few weeks. The queens have already had their pageants. The steel bands are practicing every night–until late in the morning. But this man. He will come, I believe. He always comes. I wait for him. And I think about why he is doing his penance. And I think about why I am doing mine. [opening paragraph of "Kill the Rabbits"]

How to Escape From a Leper Colony: A Novella and Stories by Tiphanie Yanique
Graywolf Press, 2010
Fiction; 184 pgs

There is beauty in words. Beauty in a story. And beauty in the characters that fill those stories. Tiphanie Yanique captures all of that in this collection of stories and a novella, steeped in culture and life.

The characters are the main thrust of each of Tiphanie Yanique’s stories. And with many of them, the endings gave me pause. The stories may not be wrapped up with a neat little ribbon at the end, but they certainly offer one food for thought. Yanique’s writing style is lyrical, and, while several of the stories are straight forward, with others she takes creative license. I was reminded of how much of an art writing can be. I found myself wanting to take my time with each story, lingering over the words and taking in the experience. For each story truly is its own experience.

There was not one story in the collection I did not like. In fact, I’d come across one story, decide it was a favorite and then claim the next was a favorite too. This happened over and over again.

One of my favorites was “Street Man”, about a drug dealer who falls for a straight girl. He is so focused on his own life and his own perception of their relationship, keeping the street out of his relationship with her, that he misses the fact that she may have a life and ideas of her own. There is also the story about a young woman who is sent to live in a leper colony, isolated from the rest of the world. She befriends a young man whose entire world is the island, and they both long to be free. I was moved by “The Bridge Stories: A Short Collection” which is a series of stories seemingly independent of one another but interconnected at their core. Another of my favorites was the novella, “The International Shop of Coffins”, covering moments in the lives of three very different characters. The story begins the same in each case, and yet each story is unique but equally sad.

The collection is made up of eight stories all together. The stories are about love, despair, regret and longing. They are about dreams, both lost and hoped for. They are set mostly in the U.S. Virgin Islands, touching on several different cultures and lifestyles. This is one of those books that would make a great book club selection, if the group is willing to take a chance on a collection of stories.

Ratings: (Very Good)

Book Source: I bought the book myself.

Time played tricks on him whenever he stood in front of the easel. Hypnotized by the rhythm of the brush on the canvas, by one color merging into another, the two shades creating a third, the third melting into a fourth, he was lulled into a single-minded consciousness focused only on the image emerging. Immersed in the act of painting, he forgot obligations, missed classes, didn’t remember to eat or to drink or look at the clock. [opening of The Hypnotist]

The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose
Mira, 2010
Crime Fiction; 409 pgs

Synopsis from the author’s website:

An FBI agent, tormented by a death he wasn’t able to prevent, a crime he’s never been able to solve and a love he’s never forgotten, discovers that his true conflict resides not in his past, but in a…Past Life.

Haunted by a twenty-year old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a Special Agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiation that takes him undercover at the Phoenix Foundation—dedicated to the science of past life study—where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.

Under hypnosis, Glass travels from ancient Greece to 19th century Persia, while the case takes him from New York to Paris and the movie capital of world. These journeys will change his very understanding of reality, lead him to question his own sanity and land him at the center of perhaps the most audacious art heist in history: the theft of a 1,500 year old sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I was first introduced to M.J. Rose’s writing through her crime fiction series, featuring a sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow. I enjoyed the series and so was excited when she came out with the Reincarnationist series, especially given the subject matter. Like so many books, however, the series went on my wish list, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to read any of the books until now, beginning with the third book in the series, The Hypnotist. Although labeled a series, the Reincarnationist books (The Reincarnationist, The Memorist, andThe Hypnotist) can be read in any order. Their only connection seems to be the fact that they deal with past lives at their heart. The stories and the characters are independent of one another.

The above synopsis only covers a piece of what can be found in The Hypnotist. So much is going on that I would not recommend setting the book aside once you start for days a time before returning to it. You may lose a thread or forget an important detail. I had the luxury of reading most of this book in one sitting and found it captivating all the while. It was never dull and each thread of the story seemed carefully crafted to create a suspenseful and fascinating ride. As I read, I could hardly wait to see how everything would come together in the end.

The idea of past lives has long interested me, and so I was especially drawn to that aspect of the book. I haven’t done nearly as much research into the subject as the author has, but my interest has been piqued. While the novel itself stretches believability, it does not do so in a way that interferes with the suspension of disbelief. I was hooked from the start and lost in the novel right through to the end. The characters were well developed, some more complex than others.

Art history has never been one of my strong suits, but I am fascinated by history itself and find the world of art theft intriguing. One issue the novel brought up that especially caught my interest was the trail of ownership a piece of art may leave, the complexities of it and just how difficult it could be to trace the art back to its origin. History is full of its own mysteries. It is no wonder I love it so.

Having been reading so many books about the Vietnam War recently, The Hypnotist was a nice change. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Ratings: (Very Good)

You can learn more about M.J. Rose and her books on the author’s website.

Source: Book provided by publisher for review.

I’m supposed to feel so blessed to be seventy-five years old. Hell, I tell people that myself, but that’s mostly to make myself feel better. [pg 1]

29: A Novel by Adena Halpern
Touchstone, 2010
Fiction; 269 pgs

Sometimes I come across an unexpected gem of a book. In this case, it’s a book I never would have given the time of day had the publisher not sent it to me for review. I hadn’t requested it, so I could have easily passed it over for the next book. But in the moment I picked it up, it seemed like the right thing to do. And it was.

Adena Halpern’s novel, 29, is funny and charming. It’s the story of a 75 year old woman, Ellie Jerome, who wishes on her birthday to be young again for a day. She longs to live the life her granddaughter is living, to start over and make different choices than she had the first time around. When she wakes up the next day, she discovers her wish has come true. Suddenly, she is young again and she can’t wait to live life to its fullest.

Wrapped up in a story about taking chances and having fun, this is also a novel about family, friendship, love and regrets. It is about growing old–the way we see ourselves and others. It is also about appreciating what one has, while at the same time, not being afraid to make changes. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with Ellie.

Ratings: (Very Good)

For more information about the author and her books, visit her website.

Source: Received book from publisher for review.

There are some stories no one wants to hear. Some stories, one told, won’t let you go so easily. I’m not talking about the tedious, the pointless, the disgusting: the bugs in your bag of flour; your hour on the phone with the insurance people; the unexplained blood in your urine. I’m talking about narratives of tragedy and pathos so painful, so compelling, that they seem to catch inside you on a tiny hook you didn’t even know you’d hung. You wish for a way to pull the story back out; you grow resentful of the very breath that pushed those words in the air. Stories like this have become a specialty of mine. [opening paragraph]

Author Octavia Frost is on her way to deliver her latest manuscript to her editor when she catches a glimpse of a news story about her estranged son being arrested for murdering his girlfriend. Not sure what else to do, Octavia heads for San Francisco to be there for her son. The reception she receives is chilly, however. Milo doesn’t want to see her. Just as she is thinking of returning home, she discovers a note in a sugar bowl that changes her mind. She’s sure her son couldn’t have committed the murder and maybe she can help prove he didn’t.

Octavia’s world evolves around her writing, and she often looks at life through the lens of a story unfolding. She has regrets about the past, especially about her relationship with her rock star son, Milo. When Milo was nine, his father and sister died tragically, leaving just him and Octavia. She and he are a lot of alike and constantly butted heads as he was growing up. She wasn’t there for him as much as she would have liked, lost in her own grief and not quite sure how to handle his.

While there is a mystery aspect to the book, the main thrust of the story is of Octavia’s reflection on her own life and of her relationship with her son. She is getting to know him again, as if for the first time. The author did a good job of capturing Octavia’s thoughts and feelings. I wasn’t sure what to think of Octavia for most of the book, but she showed a lot of growth as the novel progressed. By the end, I quite liked her.

It took me a while to get into the novel. Interspersed throughout the novel were excerpts of Octavia’s latest writing project, a book called The Nobodies Album. Octavia has taken to rewriting the endings to all her novels and hopes to publish them in an anthology of sorts. Had she written those same stories today, how differently would they have ended? This was her opportunity to change the past, so to speak. I was less than impressed with the excerpts, however, and think that the novel would have come off fine without them, perhaps even better if only for the lack of distraction. The same connections the author made in the excerpts were made in the actual story as well. Although, I will say the excerpts got better towards the end.

There were several passages I wish now I had jotted down to share with you, phrases and ideas that caught my fancy. As a person who loves stories, I was drawn to Octavia’s observations and take on life, especially in regards to her writing–how it affected her life and how her life affected her writing.

While I enjoyed The Nobodies Album in the end and came to care for all of the characters, I still felt a bit disappointed when all was said and done. I do think I’d like to give the author another try. She clearly has a way with words and is able to get inside the minds of her characters.

Rating: (Good)

She tried to summon her best composure but her expression changed like a cloud movement: flashes of red emerged in sudden streaks across her face, and tears began coursing along her cheeks. her countenance betrayed such anxiety that Connery eyed her closely. His instinct told him to remain still–emotional moments like these were often followed by a confession. [pg. 15]

31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
Harper Collins, 2010
Crime Fiction; 352 pgs

When Dr. Harvey Burdell, a New York dentist, is found brutally murdered in his own home, behind locked doors, suspicion immediately falls on those in the household, particularly Emma Cunningham whose sudden production of a secret marriage certificate between her and the doctor two weeks before the murder raises eyebrows and puts her innocence in doubt. Emma is a woman who is desperate to hang onto the last vestige of her social status, both for her daughters’ sake as well as her own. She is near broke and facing eviction when she first meets Dr. Burdell. Dr. Burdell seems like a gentleman through and through. Only, he isn’t nearly as perfect as he seems. As the investigation into his murder unfolds, it becomes clear that Dr. Burdell had many secrets and just as many enemies.

With the media, public opinion, and the ambitious district attorney, Abraham Oakley Hall, already poised to hang Emma, Henry Clinton steps in to defend her. He puts his own career on the line to do so.

Ellen Horan’s novel, 31 Bond Street, is lush with detail. The mystery is tightly woven, at times intense, and always interesting. The story went in several unexpected directions. I had my theories, but nothing was quite as simple as it seemed. The narrative follows events as they unfold from the moment the body is discovered and is interspersed with flashbacks to the months before the murder, offering insight into the characters lives and motivations. New York was a character of its own: the bustling streets, the spreading out of a city, the back alleys and the upper class neighborhoods. I felt as if I was right there in the middle of the events as they transpired.

I hadn’t realized when I first began reading 31 Bond Street that it was based on a true crime that took place in 1875 New York. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t know as I might have been tempted to run and look up the story before finishing the novel. While that isn’t always a bad thing, I’ve found, this is one book I preferred to go into blind. I look forward to reading more by Ellen Horan in the future.

Ratings: (Very Good)

You can learn more about Ellen Horan and her book on the author’s website.

Little Green by Loretta Stinson
Hawthorne Books, 2010
Fiction; 290 pgs

A woman once told me that every couple fights. She wasn’t talking about a verbal argument. She meant the kind of fighting that involved hitting, pushing and hair pulling. Her mother had been a victim of domestic violence as was she. She did not know anything different. She loved her husband, and, while leaving him crossed her mind, she was too afraid of him and worried that she wouldn’t be able to support her children without his help. Alcohol and drugs played a part in her husband’s violent episodes and they helped numb her to get her through.

Domestic violence is a prevalent problem in our society. It affects men and women of all ages and social classes. Author Loretta Stinson brings home one such example in her book, Little Green. Janie Marek ran away from home when she was 14 years old. Her mother and father had died early in her life, leaving her in the care of her father’s second wife. Janie took to the streets hoping for a better life. What she found was hardship and strife. At sixteen, Janie has learned the rules of living on the streets, and yet she still maintains a sense of hope that life will get better. She takes a job as a topless dancer and settles in a small Washington town for a short while, at least long enough to earn a little money. It is there she meets Paul Jesse, a drug dealer ten years her senior. They feel a connection that they both fight against, but, after tragedy strikes, the two give in.

At first life seems good. Janie and Paul get along well. She dreams of a future with him. Paul, on the other hand, is less sure. He’s an independent spirit and likes his easy life. But he also cannot deny the love he feels for Janie. So, when she asks him if she can move in with him, he agrees.

As the story progresses, Paul’s drug use spirals out of control and his violent rages increase. Janie is sure her love and influence will change him. She puts up with his behavior because she loves him . . . and later because she is afraid of him.

Author Loretta Stinson’s writing is matter of fact. I instantly liked Janie and cared about her, but I never really got that sense of walking in her shoes that I look for when reading a novel. I was always just an observer–kept at a distance. I am having a hard time putting my finger on exactly why I felt that way. Was it me? Was it the book? I’m not sure. Despite that, the author did an amazing job of capturing the attitudes, thoughts and motivations of her characters as well as the realities of how drug abuse impacts not only the abuser, but those around him too. My heart broke for Janie, and even for Paul, as he descended further into his drug addiction. Even with all Janie went through, as broken as she was, her resilience is a testament to the human spirit as are the friends who stood by her through to the end.

Janie and Paul may be fictional characters, but their story is one shared by very real people. The novel is set in the late 1970’s, however, it could very well be set today. Little Green is an important novel that is well worth reading.

Rating: (Good +)

She sprang from the womb and waved to the crowd. Then she smiled and took a bow. [opening. pg. 3]

Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
Random House, 2010
Fiction (historical); 448 pgs

A young man on the cusp of adulthood has lead a relatively good life up until that point. His father is a well-respected farmer and seems happily married to his mother. Everything changes, however, when he attends a traveling show performance with his father one evening. His father refuses to return home, emphatic that he is joining the show. The elder MacCarthy is smitten with the show’s lead act, Venetia Kelly, an interest that had begun two years before, unbeknownst to the son. Ben MacCarthy is forced to grow up very quickly after that. Tasked by his mother to go after and bring home his father, Ben must give up his own dreams of college. The year is 1932 and the story takes place in Ireland, a beautiful and yet tense backdrop. Political tensions are high with the upcoming election and subsequent battle for power. What follows is a story full of intrigue, drama, comedy and family loyalty and strength. It is also rich in history with a dash of Irish lore. I laughed. I cried. I held my breath in anticipation of and fear. What sounds like a simple story is far from it. Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show is quite complex, with many layers.

What I found most exquisite in this novel was Frank Delaney’s writing. Narrated by an older Ben MacCarthy as he attempts to document the events that took place during the early 1930’s. He begins by setting up the characters, introducing them and sharing a little of their background. It was almost too much, but just when I was growing tired and wondering if the book would go on like that forever, Ben’s narrative moved into the story and the events that changed his life forever.

I really came to care for the characters. Ben, in his innocence and naivety, was charming and thoughtful. He does what he has to do with the confidence of the young, yet he is still unsure and scared at times. His parents seemed like good people, hardworking and persevering. There were moments I was less than sympathetic with his father, quite a few, actually, but I could see why Ben held him in such high regard. I really felt for Ben’s mother. She lost so much in all of this. The Kelly family remains difficult for me to describe. King Kelly, Venetia’s grandfather, is a cold man, charming in his own way, but clearly used to using people to reach his own ends. Sarah King, Venetia’s mother, and Venetia herself were held at a distance for the first half or so of the book–untouchable almost–but not without reason. The author dazzled the reader with their beauty and skill, both on stage and off. Both were actresses, you see. It is only as time goes on and Ben reveals more that we are given a deeper view of the two women. Venetia, eccentric as she is, never really loses her luster.

The side characters are just as intriguing. From Mrs. Hass, the King’s housekeeper, to my favorites, Miss Fay and James Clare, a smart and supportive pair who offer their help to Ben along the way. James Clare was an especially interesting character; his occupation involved traveling around Ireland collecting and telling stories. He knew just the spin to put on a story. The most ordinary of circumstances seemed like an adventure when he was through weaving his own tale.

The political undercurrent that runs through the novel plays a significant part in the novel. Just as the MacCarthy family is facing serious upheaval of their own, so seems to be the government. Violence threatens to erupt from under the surface and Ben unwittingly finds himself at the forefront of it all.

As I read Frank Delaney’s novel, I couldn’t help but be entranced. The art of storytelling is in high gear in the novel, both as a theme running through the novel and the way the book was written. I would love to hear this novel narrated–I imagine it would be just as wonderful in the right narrator’s voice. Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show is definitely one I will be keeping around. I can see myself returning to it again and again, each time getting something new out of it.

Childhood was illusion. [pg 1]

The Last Child by John Hart
Minotaur Books, 2009
Crime Fiction, 419 pgs

Let me say upfront that I was not too enthusiastic about reading this book. I had seen mention of it before, but my interest wasn’t stirred. My boss, however, insisted I read it, saying she couldn’t put it down, forgoing the necessary chores she was supposed to do. So, with her copy in hand, two months later, I finally opened the book and began reading. I nearly put it down after the first forty-nine pages. Not because it wasn’t good, but because I just wasn’t in the mood. And it seemed a bit predictable. But then, on page 50, I was hooked and there was no going back.

Johnny Merrimon is a fourteen year old boy whose world was irrevocably changed when his twin sister disappeared the year before. His parents’ marriage fell apart, his father took off, his mother turned to drugs to numb her pain, and his mother’s new boyfriend, a well-to-do and respected man in the community turned out to be a monster behind closed doors. Johnny, with a child’s innocence, believes that he can make things right by finding his sister, and so, carefully and methodically, he sets out to do just that. His pain is raw, his courage unfailing. I fell in love with Johnny’s character from the first moment. Even as I wanted to protect him, I cheered him on.

Homicide Detective Clyde Hunt is obsessed with the disappearance of Alyssa. It is a case he was unable to solve, and he feels a strong attachment to the Merrimon family. I was reminded of the private detective from Emily St. John Mandel’s Last Night in Montreal in the way Hunt neglected his family in his obsession to find out what happened to Alyssa. Hunt’s son is struggling with his own demons and could really use a father, but Hunt has little time for him. He’s more worried about Johnny and his mother.

I am not sure how much more to say about the plot, only that it is complex and takes many turns, some unexpected and some more predictable. Regardless, the intensity of the events that come is high. John Hart knows how to draw the reader in and make her hold on for dear life. In part, that comes from his creation of such layered characters.

Johnny’s mother is oblivious to her son’s wanderings and efforts to find his sister. She witnesses him being beaten at the hands of her boyfriend, but does nothing to defend him–she cannot even defend herself. Domestic violence and child abuse are two prevalent problems in our society today, often hidden behind closed doors. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like for Johnny’s mother. One minute married to a wonderful man with two children and happy. To suddenly have that ripped away from you . . . I wanted to wring her neck for neglecting her son, the only person she still had left. But I also could understand a little. We see it all too often, the weight of grief and loss, the toll it takes on a person can be overwhelming. It doesn’t make it right, of course, but I can see how it could happen.

Johnny has had a hard life since his sister disappeared. He turned to God for help but felt that got him nowhere. And yet he did not lose faith, not completely. He just began to look elsewhere for answers. His determination and resolve is admirable but also frightening. I wanted so much to give him back some of that innocence he lost.

Then there is Johnny’s friend Jack, Levi Freemantle, Detective Yoakum, and others whose stories intertwine with Johnny’s. All of the characters have their part to play, even if in the smallest of ways.

The Last Child is dark and at times ugly. John Hart pulled no punches when painting the ugliest side of humankind. Even in that, however, he also demonstrated the best side of humanity: the hope, resilience, strength and love. I am glad I decided to read The Last Child after all, even despite my initial reservations. I would have missed out on a great book, one that kept me up late into the night.

Rating: (Very Good)

You can learn more about John Hart and his books on his website.

Source: My boss twisted my arm to read this book. It was a copy she bought for her own personal use, which she then loaned me.

I knew something was wrong with me when I fell asleep in school. I never fall asleep in public because it is way too embarrassing. Your face goes slack. If you’re sitting up straight, your mouth hangs open. You could say something stupid or say someone’s name or make some weird inappropriate noise. You could snore. Twitch. Drool! In the movies, people watch other people sleep and say that it’s beautiful. Those people are crazy . . . [pg 1]

It’s funny really. I had every reason to say no when I was approached to read The Turning: What Curiosity Kills. I nearly did. I am not even sure why I said yes exactly. Unlike so many bloggers out there, I am not smitten with young adult novels in general. Take Peanut Buster Parfaits. I like them, but only now and then. It’s the same with Young Adult fiction. Then there is the little fact that people assume that because I go by the name Literary Feline that I love to read about cats. Sometimes I do. I tend to be picky in that regard though. Animal books and I don’t always get along. I have a thing for shape shifters though and it isn’t too often I come across a book about shape shifting cats. So, I was more than curious.

I set aside an afternoon to read this book as part of my recent Reading Day adventure, and it made for the perfect light reading, especially after a heavier book that left me feeling a little sad. Helen Ellis has a great sense of humor that shines through in her writing. I really liked the characters, Mary and her sister Octavia in particular.

Both Mary and Octavia were once foster children and have been adopted by a loving and well-to-do family. They attend an elite private school where there is the requisite bully (Ling Ling) and the handsome crush (Nick Martin). Life couldn’t get any better for Mary. She has everything she could ever hope for. That is until she begins to notice little changes: a patch of orange fur here and a sudden and undeniable craving for milk, among them. Mary is scared and embarrassed at the changes coming over her. The turning throws her into an entirely new sub-world, one of a feud between cats, the Strays and the Domestics. Not only is Mary told she must choose sides, but she also faces the threat of losing the life she’s come to love.

Events unfold quickly in The Turning: What Curiosity Kills. And while I think that the author could have developed certain aspects of the story more fully, I never felt it suffered because she did not. Besides, she has to save something for future books, right? Overall, this was a fun and entertaining read. Mary is a likable character, thoughtful and kindhearted. She has the usual insecurities of a girl her age, and is a character most readers will be able to relate to. Her adopted sister Octavia is probably my favorite character. She doesn’t think twice about standing up to the biggest bully in the school, but she is deathly afraid of cats, which makes things even more interesting and tests the sisters’ bond. Okay, and so my affection for Octavia might have a little something to do with her love for books too, the hours she spends at the library book sale. Just saying.

I do not often complain about an ending of a book, but I had a problem with the ending of this one. It had more to do with my own personal bias, however, than quality or fit. The ending made total sense in the scheme of things. It’s just, well . . . I don’t want to say. Spoilers, you know. While sometimes an ending can ruin a book for me, it did not in this case. Far from it. The book has so much going for it, and I really did enjoy reading it. I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long for the second book in the series!

Now, to snap a photo of one of my cats with What Curiosity Kills and try to decide what kind of cat I would want to be . . .

Source: Book provided by publisher for review.

The recording began with a click: the sound of a woman picking up her telephone, which had been tapped the day before the call came in. A man’s voice: It’s done. There is a sound on the tape here — the woman’s sharp intake of breath — but all she says in reply is Thank you. We’ll speak again soon. He disconnects and she hangs up three seconds later. The woman’s name was Aria Waker, and the call had taken place fifteen days earlier. The incoming call came from an Italian cell phone but proved otherwise untraceable. Police were at Aria’s apartment forty minutes after the call went through, but she was already gone and she never came back again. [pg 1]

Fiction; 288 pgs

From the Publisher:

Everyone Anton Waker grew up with is corrupt. His parents deal in stolen goods and his first career is a partnership venture with his cousin Aria selling forged passports and social security cards to illegal aliens. Anton longs for a less questionable way of living in the world and by his late twenties has reinvented himself as a successful middle manager. Then a routine security check suggests that things are not quite what they appear. And Aria begins blackmailing him to do one last job for her. But the seemingly simple job proves to have profound and unexpected repercussions.

As Anton’s carefully constructed life begins to disintegrate around him, he’s forced to choose between loyalty to his family and his desires for a different kind of life. When everyone is willing to use someone else to escape the past, it is up to Anton, on the island of Ischia, to face the ghosts that travel close behind him.

I first was introduced to Emily St. John Mandel’s writing in Last Night in Montreal, which nearly knocked my socks off. The writing was superb and the story was intriguing. Even so, I was not sure what to expect with her latest, The Singer’s Gun. I was eager to give it a try though. Like with her first book, I hesitate to describe it (which is why you are presented with the publisher blurb above). There is so much to The Singer’s Gun. On the surface it sounds like a crime fiction novel, but it really is more about the characters: about Anton Waker in particular, and his struggle to lead a law abiding life and also about Elena who is also struggling to form her own identity and live life as she desires.

I was struck by how similar Elena and Anton are and yet also how different. Both want different lives than they are born into. Both are going through the motions of life. Anton comes close to realizing his dream, only to have it disintegrate. Elena, in her effort to be free of normalcy and routine, ended up doing exactly what she didn’t want to do in the first place; at least, until her own life, based in falsehood, was uprooted too.

Aria’s appearance in the novel was sparse, but the reader gets a good idea of her background and importance in Anton’s life. She is resourceful and clever. She is also greedy. I felt sorry for the young Aria, but even then there was something about her that warned me to keep my distance.

The story is revealed to the reader layer by layer, and not necessarily in chronological order. The novel opens as Alex Broden with the State Department’s Security Service is in the middle of her investigation, searching for Anton Waker who has disappeared. From there we go back in time to the day Anton arrives at his office only to discover his secretary , Elena, has been reassigned and he no longer has any responsibilities. He suspects something is up, something related to a recent background check, but he isn’t quite sure. And no one around him will give him any answers.

The novel raises questions about personal responsibility, about how one’s upbringing influences the direction our lives take, and about the choices we make in life and the consequences that follow. It also touches on morality, both in its clarity as well as how ambiguous it can be. Nothing is quite as it seems.

Like with The Last Night in Montreal, the author caught me in her spell with her subtle style and simple yet lyrical prose in The Singer’s Gun. I still find myself thinking about the book days later, wondering about the characters and where they might be now.

Rating: (Very Good)

Be sure to check out this excerpt from the book on the author’s website and learn more about the author and her books on her website.

Source: Review book provided by the publisher.

The Killing of Mindi Quintana by Jeffrey A. Cohen
Welcome Rain Publisher, 2010
Crime Fiction; 256 pgs

Not everyone likes to read the synopsis of a book before reading the book; you know, the one that falls on the back cover or inside flap of a book. I am not among those. I often base my decision to read a book on the synopsis, determining whether it sounds like something I might be interested in reading or not. Favorite authors, of course, are an exception sometimes. Occasionally I read a synopsis and it turns out to be misleading, but that isn’t often. I can only remember one occasion when the synopsis on the inside flap of the cover gave too much away. The reason I bring this up now is because I am undecided about the synopsis provided for The Killing of Mindi Quintana. It isn’t misleading, not really, but it does border on giving too much away. And yet, I can also see why offering so much of the plot to perspective readers might be necessary too.

As a result, I am having a difficult time settling on how to summarize this book without spoiling anything. It is about a man, Freddy Builder, the manager of the China department at a department store. His life is rather dull, or so he believes. He dreams of being a writer and being famous. He is just biding his time, making spectacular China displays until opportunity comes knocking at his door. The novel is also about a young beautiful woman, Mindi Quintana, with a big heart and gentle manner who is editor for a literary magazine and once dated Freddy. Freddy’s world changes when she walks back into his life. There is Mindi’s best friend, the painter, and a defense attorney whose just going through the motions of life, feeling numb. And there is an ambitious prosecutor and a corporate manager who is a bit full of himself. They all are set on a collision course the day Mindi and Freddy meet again. Then there is a murder.

The Killing of Mindi Quintana is an experience all of its own. It is not your usual crime fiction novel. Author Jeffrey A. Cohen’s characters seem more like caricatures than fully realized people (except perhaps defense attorney Philip), which, I believe, is the effect he was aiming for. The story itself was satirical. And it worked.

The novel takes a hard look at the notoriety and sensationalism of our society’s criminals and their crimes, about how the justice system plays into that and where the victims stand as a result. Freddy seems like your every day sort of man. Stuck in a job he doesn’t like, dreaming of bigger things, a man in love, a man done wrong. Freddy, however, is not quite what he seems. He is the epitome of a psychopath.

I liked the way the author wove art into his novel: Freddy’s China displays, Mindi’s appreciation of words and Lisa’s paintings. It seemed a fitting juxtaposition to the crime itself, or, rather, more directly to the aftermath. It also tied into the abstract feel of the novel.

I enjoyed the book overall, finding it both entertaining and thought provoking, and I appreciate what the author set out to accomplish. However, at times I was not completely satisfied with the approach. I think that was more a me issue than the author’s. I found the ending quite satisfying and fitting with the rest of the tale. It wasn’t an ending I expected, and yet I can’t see it ending any other way.

Rating: (Good)

You can learn more about Jeffrey A. Cohen and his book on the author’s website.

For all the books I have read over the years set around or during World War II, I have yet to explore every facet of it. The Soviet Union’s involvement is one such area I am still relatively new to. And so, when the opportunity arose to read and review Michael C. White’s novel, Beautiful Assassin, I was quick to volunteer. The novel opens with an American journalist on her way to meet who she believes is the namesake of the novel, a woman she has long been searching for. The two women talk long into the night as Tat’yana tells the story of her life all those years ago.

Tat’yana was once a Soviet Hero, having killed over 300 soldiers. She had come to the United States as a guest of Eleanor Roosevelt, but under the watchful eye of the Soviets who dictated just about every word she spoke and every move she made. She had been told her purpose was to draw support from the Americans and to encourage the U.S. to become more active in the war, to fight the Germans alongside the Soviets. Only, she soon learned that she was to also glean as much information as she could from her new friends. Tat’yana did not want to be a spy as it went against her very nature. She was loyal to her country, but she also knew the faults of her government. She was put in a difficult situation, having to choose between her country and a new one.

Tat’yana is not someone anyone would expect to become a soldier. She was an academic, a poet. When tragedy befell her family, however, she was desperate and full of rage. The only thing she wanted to do wass strike out at the enemy. Her skills in marksmanship proved an asset in the war.

Although women fought alongside men in the Soviet Union, Tat’yana and other female soldiers did not have it easy. There were those who did not believe a woman’s place should be on the battlefield and they made life difficult. As Tat’yana tried to prove herself in a man’s world, she quickly learned that it would be an ongoing battle. While others sought to keep her in her place, Eleanor Roosevelt had other ideas. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt instantly takes a liking to Tat’yana, a capable, strong woman, as does Tat’yana to Mrs. Roosevelt.

There was so much I liked about this book. Tat’yana is an interesting character who evolves as a person over the course of the novel. Because Tat’yana is telling her story in hindsight, she has insight into the events that took place all those years ago, and so she comes at it from a place of maturity we might not have seen from her younger self. Tat’yana is by no means perfect. She is strong and yet vulnerable. She did not always make the best or even the most heroic choices.

At 464 pages, this novel has a lot packed into it; it is at once a war story, a political thriller, and a historical novel with a touch of romance. Although I enjoyed nearly every aspect of the novel, my favorite time was spent when Tat’yana was in the Soviet Union. I felt like I got to know Tat’yana best during that time as well as her family, including her husband and her relationship with him.

Once Tat’yana arrived in the United States, I felt as if the plot began to overshadow the characters. I found the later romance portion of the novel difficult to buy into if only because Captain Taylor was not as well-developed a character as I would have liked. He is charming and mysterious, and while I could understand the attraction between Tat’yana and him, I never felt like I got to know him as well as I did her character. I never lost my fascination and interest in the story and of Tat’yana, however, and I was anxious to see how it all turned out in the end.

Beautiful Assassin was a satisfying read overall. I enjoyed the time I spent with Tat’yana and look forward to exploring the author’s other novels.

Rating: (Good +)

For more information about the author and his books, visit his website.

Source: Received book through BookBrowse First Impressions Program.

Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead: The Frank Meeink Story as Told by Jody M. Roy, Ph.D.

Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts, 2010
Nonfiction; 350 pgs

In June of 2001, I had the opportunity to join my mother and a contingent from her school on a tour of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California. Although I am not an educator, my mom thought I might be interested in going along (not to mention spending a little time with her since we live over 400 miles apart). The experience made a huge impression on me. The museum was so much more than I expected, covering a wide range of topics. It was an eye opener to say the least. Along with the usual museum displays and recorded presentations, there were also live presentations, one a Holocaust survivor whose story was heartbreaking and another was a former neo-Nazi, whose story was not only sad but very frightening. Especially frightening because of their growing numbers and with just how organized groups like the neo-Nazis had become. They are breeding grounds for home grown terrorists. A different variety than the fundamental islamists we hear about on the news today, but similar in their violent, passionate anger and self-righteousness.

This past year I read about a small protest in my own city, a gathering of neo-Nazis protesting illegal immigration. The anti-protesters far outnumbered the skinheads. There were many jokes made at the expense of the skinheads. I read a few of the comments on the newspaper’s website and decided to do a little research. I visited a random white supremacist website. I confess I was embarrassed to be doing so. It felt wrong as it goes against just about everything I believe. I watched a recruitment video, which I found more humorous than factual–in an angry making sort of way. I read the tenets of the organization, and while most made me cringe, I also could see the draw. They spoke to a person’s sense of self-worth, to the parent who is struggling to raise a child, to a person’s need to feel secure and safe, and to building a cohesive community. There was also something about drug use, how it hurts a person and community more than it helps. That one really surprised me, I have to say, as I tend to associate drug abuse with groups like that. I can see why someone might be attracted to an organization like that even as I sat there feeling a little sick to my stomach. In fact, I think that’s part of what made me feel sick–how easy it would be to sway someone to that way of thinking, depending on a person’s state of mind and situation in life. Groups, gangs and organizations like this prey on people who feel disenfranchised and are not happy with society or their lives. Maybe that person is feeling all alone in the world, battered and bullied. Groups like this, at least on some level, offer young people a family of sorts and a sense of security. That’s exactly what the neo-Nazi skinheads offered Frank Meeink and he his own recruits.

In the introduction, Elizabeth Wrutzel writes:

This is the truth: I read Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead with my mouth either actually or metaphorically agape, because I just could not believe anyone could be this much of an idiot and live to tell the story so clearly and cleanly. I don’t know what the worst of it is: the racism, the anti-Semitism, the sexism, the alcoholism, the addiction, the depression, the abuse, the violence, the homicide, the suicide - or just the way all these maladies co-exist. Frank Meeink’s story is upsetting and crazy, but it is above all a strangely absurdist drama that forces us to ask a troubling question about American life: Why, in a land with so much opportunity, is a critical mass of young people choosing hatred over possibility?

It was with that very question in mind that I decided to read this book, why I visited that website, and why that presentation years ago interested me so much. I do not think I will ever be able to truly understand the whys in answer to questions like this, but perhaps I can gain a little insight. I’m a true believer that armed with knowledge, we can work toward change–of course, it takes more than that, but it’s a start.

This is not a pretty book to read. It is raw and straight forward. I could definitely hear Frank’s voice, however, in the words I read on the page. Frank is very matter of fact about his experiences, and with good reason. His story is what it is. He did not sugarcoat anything or try to make himself look better. And that’s what makes this such a difficult read. Yet, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I knew going in that this book would make me angry–and it did. It also provided me with a perspective into why a person would turn to the neo-Nazi skinhead movement. There were moments when I could not help but to feel for Frank and admire his strength and ability to overcome his anger and hate and turn his life around.

Frank is not so different from any one of us. My heart broke for that little boy who was severely beaten by his stepfather and repeatedly rejected by his mother. He was the son of drug addicts. He was lost and alone, searching anywhere and everywhere for approval and guidance. He got it where he could. Frank was fourteen when he was introduced to his first neo-Nazi skinheads, his cousin and his cousin’s friends. They took him under their wing and made him feel a part of something. Frank would go on to start his own crew of skinheads back in South Philly, where he was from, and he earned a reputation for being one of the most brutal and violent skinheads out there. He was cruel and vicious in a fight, but on the inside, he was still that little boy craving approval and attention.

Frank, at age 17, landed in an adult prison after kidnapping and nearly murdering a young man. It was a wake up call for him and one that sparked the beginning of a change in his way of thinking. During his teen years, he turned much of his anger and frustration towards other races, gays, homeless people, and Jewish people. As an adult, however, as his hatred for these groups diminished, he became more involved with drugs and his alcoholism worsened. Frank made several attempts to clean up his life and remain sober, but it proved to be too daunting of a task. Time and time again, he failed. What makes it all the more heartbreaking is that he had so much going for him, and yet he had yet to deal with the underlying causes that lead him addiction and, initially, the skinhead movement. Until he dealt with those issues, he wouldn’t be able to get a better handle on his addiction, much less move on with his life.

Frank was fortunate to have family and friends who stood by him through all of his transgressions. Even when he was at his worst, they were in the background, helpless to help, but willing to catch him when he fell nonetheless. Strangers, those he once would have sooner kicked with his Doc Martens than turned to for help, reached out to offer him support. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Frank is invited to join a Bible study session in jail. He is the only white person there. Despite his reputation and swastika tattoo, the black inmates still made room for him.

This is not a book about white supremacy. Ultimately, Frank’s story is a coming of age story, one about child abuse, gangs and drug dependency. It is a story of tragedy as well as one of hope. Frank’s violence and hatred against others is in no way acceptable nor is this book meant to excuse anything he has done–it is simply a look into one man’s life and how he ended up on the path that he did. Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead is an important book that is as relevant today as it would have been when Frank Meeink was growing up.

Breathe, she told herself. Rest, and soften the shoulders, and stop the mind’s seesawing, at least until dawn. Yes, dawn. And then, young adult or not, she would track him down. She would touch his cheek and hug him tight - mother him until he shrugged her off - so the next time night fell, she could hold assurance close to her like a childhood blanket and rest with vigor of the innocent and the blessed. [pg 3]

In 2006, I read and reviewed The Attack by Yasmina Khadra, a book that came to mind after I finished reading Masha Hamilton’s 31 Hours. That particular book is about the aftermath of a suicide bombing, a doctor discovering he had not known his troubled wife as well as he thought he had only after her death. He goes on a mission to find out why she became a suicide bomber. Masha Hamilton offers a similar perspective in 31 Hours, only she captures the hours when a young man, 21 year old Jonas, is contemplating his own act of violence, before his scheduled detonation.The novel is told from several different perspectives, opening with a mother awakened in the wee hours of the morning with a feeling that something is terribly wrong. She has not heard from her son, Jonas, in several days and is worried about him. He has become more withdrawn with increased mood swings. Jonas, for his part, is consumed by his passion and anger over the immoralities of the world and is determined to make a statement. He believes that only a violent act will precipitate change for the better. Jonas is not a monster. He is a human being with fears and vulnerabilities like each of us. While he is opposed to the injustices in the world, he is so focused on the ideals he is supporting that I am not sure he really considered the people who might be hurt by his actions. He claims to have clarity, but in reality is confused, lost even, seeking something missing from his life but of which he isn’t sure what it is.

The author also introduces readers to Jonas’ friend, Vic, who has been so busy rehearsing for an upcoming state performance that she has not had much time for her friend or family. Her young sister, Mara, feels the weight of the family’s burdens on her shoulder, caring for a grief stricken mother after Mara and Vic’s father walked out. I couldn’t help but think of Mara as a young Jonas, with their similar backgrounds at such a young age and with their strong desire to set things right, or, at least, what they perceive as right. Jonas himself identifies with Mara on some level.

The subway system in New York is its own character, the location of where the terrorist act is supposed to take place. As a result, the reader gets to know a few of the regulars who spend much of their time underground, in particular Sonny Hirt, a homeless man who makes his living pan handling. It is through him, that the subway itself feels alive, pulsing with people from all walks of life going or coming from somewhere. A myriad of emotion and experience fills the subway at any hour. It made the story all the more powerful, knowing the impact a terrorist attack on the subway would cause.

What was most powerful for me was seeing Jonas through his mother’s eyes. Jonas is everything to Carol and her pain and concern is palpable. I ached for her and for Jonas’ father. I also felt for Vic, who had just found love and so suddenly could lose it. It is through their eyes, their memories of him and their love for him, that I came to care for Jonas, as misguided as he was, and even in spite of not agreeing with his logic or choice of resolution.

31 Hours is an intense and beautifully written novel. The countdown continues with every new chapter. And with each narrative by the various characters, the tension grows. The fate of all the characters hangs in the balance as the author weaves their stories together. Masha Hamilton succeeds at putting the reader into the minds and hearts of the characters, making this all too frightening story all the more real.

Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good)

Helen picked her way back home using the less traveled streets and alleys, avoiding the larger thoroughfares such as Nguyen Hue, where trouble was likely. When she first came to Saigon, full of the country’s history from books, it had struck her out little any of the Americans knew or cared about the country, how they traveled the same streets day after day - Nguyen Huge, Hai Ba Trung, Le Loi - with no idea that these were the names of Vietnamese war heroes who rose up against foreign invaders. That was the experience of Vietnam: things in plain view, their meaning visible only to the initiated. [pg 7]

I watched the film The Hurt Locker recently. I have had difficulty putting my thoughts onto paper about it and so you haven’t seen a review. One thing in particular that stood out for me, however, was the scene where Staff Sergeant James is grocery shopping, followed by a scene of him trying to talk to his wife about his experiences in the Iraq War as she prepares a meal. These are very revealing scenes. The soldier goes from intense and life threatening situations in Iraq to the every day monotony of life back home. His wife is not able to understand what he has been through, everything he has seen.

The violence and shared horrors, the adrenalin rush, the camaraderie and strong bonds that form between the soldiers, and the sense of duty and honor . . . War can change a person. It can make adjusting to home life upon return difficult. It is not uncommon for soldiers to return to battle even when they don’t have to. Some feel most comfortable there in a way many of us who haven’t experienced it can’t even begin to understand. I thought of this as I read The Lotus Eaters. A different war, a different time period. A novel about photojournalists rather than a movie about soldiers. The pull of war, of danger, seduces some almost like a drug. It makes the title of Tatjana Soli’s novel all the more fitting.

I was drawn to Soli’s The Lotus Eaters because of the setting. The novel is set in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It is the story of an American female photojournalist, Helen Adams, who is set on following in her father and brother’s footsteps, wanting to know how her brother died and to experience some of what he must have as a soldier in the Vietnam War. It is also the story of Linh, a Vietnamese man who has lost everything and who is doing what he can to survive. And then there is Sam Darrow, an American photojournalist whose entire life is wrapped up in shooting wars.

The novel opens as Helen is making her way home to her apartment in Saigon where Linh, bedridden and in need of medical care, is waiting. The Americans are fleeing the city as the Communists take over, the final sign of a war lost. Helen struggles with whether to leave with Linh or stay to see the changeover first hand, capturing it on film. Her decision made, the novel, and her thoughts, shift to the past and the reader is taken to the moment she first arrived in Saigon and from there her story and that of Linh’s and Darrow’s unfold.

I fell in love with this novel from the very first word. My biggest regret is that I read the novel without my reading journal handy and so my notes are few, and I don’t have a record of the many quotations that especially moved me. The author’s writing is beautiful. There was a melancholy and underlying tension about it which helped to create the tone of the novel. None of the characters in the novel are perfect, each one flawed and multi-faceted. They are tormented but driven, eager but at times reluctant.

Helen changes quite a bit during her time in Vietnam. She arrives as a naive young woman, eager to make a name for herself and prove she can hold her own in a man’s world. She has her work cut out for her and, even at her most fearful, she is courageous. As the novel progresses, Helen grows stronger and wiser but there is a recklessness there too, much like that of veteran photographer, Darrow, who finds comfort and meaning in war. He sees something in Helen, a hint himself in his younger years, but also someone who may finally be his match.

Linh’s story intrigued me. He is Darrow’s assistant and proves to be an invaluable companion. He is the biggest mystery of all throughout the novel, but as his personal story unfolds, I was even more drawn to him, and I couldn’t help but wish I had known him in real life.

Through the author’s words and the characters’ eyes, I could understand their love/hate relationship with Vietnam. It is a beautiful country. The Vietnamese people were tenacious and adaptable. They had to be given the circumstances of the country’s history. The author’s knowledge and interest in Vietnam shined through on every page. She included a bibliography at the end of the book for those interested in reading more about the country. While her story is fiction, there is truth woven in. Soli did not take sides but presented a realistic and complicated picture of events in Vietnam at the time.

The Lotus Eaters is beautiful, dark, and thought provoking. War is cruel and Soli does not hold back from sharing the ugly side of it. Within it too, however, are sparks of humanity and compassion. The author does not leave that out either. In fact, it is often those moments, that help Helen through the darker moments. The Lotus Eaters is an amazing novel: a love story just as much as it is about the Vietnam War and the impact war can have on those touched by it. After having just finished it, I am still hesitant to pick up another book, still caught in its spell.

One minute she was belting out “Oops! . . . I Did It Again,” the next she was on the floor, her arms flailing as the Moët - not the really expensive kind, but that White Star you can get at discount if you look hard enough - showered her. [pg 1]

I did a little happy dance when I received Karen E. Olson’s second book of the Tattoo Shop mystery series in the mail last month. I loved the first book in the series, The Missing Ink, and was excited to see what Brett and friends were up to now.

In this particular novel, readers step into the Las Vegas drag queen scene where one such drag queen, Britney Brassieres, is struck by a champagne cork–on purpose–at the premiere of the Nylons and Tattoos show. Brett Kavanaugh, owner and tattoo artist at the Painted Lady, and her staff had drawn the tattoos that the drag queens are sporting and were invited to the big event. Brett is the only one who sees the cork shooter, and, while she is unable to identify him by his face, she does get a good look at the tattoo on his arm. When the queen dies mysteriously a few days later, the situation grows all the more suspicious–and complicated. One of Brett’s own employees is missing and seemingly in trouble. Brett is determined to do her own investigating both to help her friend and to solve a murder, placing herself in the path of danger.

I had a lot of fun reading Pretty in Ink. I fell into the rhythm of the novel almost immediately. The book is fast-paced both in tone and action. There were comic moments, as can be expected. I love Brett’s dry sense of humor. And her friends are a real hoot. Joel is one of my favorite characters. He reminds me a lot of a former coworker who was large and imposing size-wise, but was really a big teddy bear, cuddly and kind-hearted. He also loved to eat. Jeff Coleman, owner and tattoo artist of a competing tattoo business, is ever present. I wasn’t sure what to think of him in the first book of the series, but he’s growing on me. There’s certainly more to him than meets the eye. And that Bitsy is a spitfire. She may be small, but like many of us who are short know, you shouldn’t be quick to underestimate us.

This series is fast becoming a comfort read for me. It is not a series that should be taken too seriously. It has just the right amount of suspense and comedy to keep me entertained while I am reading. I cannot really think of anything I did not like about the novel. Readers interested in getting to know Brett would probably be better off starting with the first book in the series as her character is more fully developed there, although the mystery in Pretty in Ink stands on its own.

Upon completion of the book, I actually read the excerpt for the upcoming book, Driven to Ink, something I never do. I read introductions, acknowledgments, glossaries, appendices, and the dedication, but never the excerpt to the next book. And yet I did with this one. I wasn’t quite ready to let go of Brett just yet come the end of the book.

Professor Bullock’s office was an academic’s hideaway, a throwback to an earlier era. Bookshelves ran up every wall, which between the dim lighting and the constant fog of tobacco seemed to be even taller than they probably were, reaching to an unseen - doubtless smoke stained - ceiling. A series of lamps, some precariously perched on piles of books, shed strategic shafts of light on the professor’s stained blotter and one shabby reading chair, its armrests pockmarked with small burns. No computers had infiltrated this bookish retreat, nor any other signs of the last century really. [pg 3]

A mystery with Gothic undertones seems a fitting book to read on a rainy day; at least I think so. I enjoyed my introduction to author Clea Simon’s latest series in Shades of Grey, and looked forward to revisiting Dulcie and friends in the second novel, Grey Matters. A murder, dark secrets, a ghostly cat, and a dash of romance make for an entertaining read.

Dulcie Schwartz hasn’t had a particularly good week. Her roommate Suze is busy with her final year of law school and a new boyfriend. Dulcie’s own boyfriend, Chris, seems distracted, always working with hardly any time for her these days. The new kitten in her life is no substitute for her beloved Mr. Grey, who seems to only appear to her in ghostly form when she needs a little nudge or to be comforted. Her thesis adviser isn’t on the same page in terms of her research, and Dulcie feels at a loose ends as a result. After a meeting with her adviser, she nearly stumbles over the dead body of a fellow graduate student right outside her adviser’s house. As she looks at those around her as possible clues as to why he was murdered, she discovers that quite a few people around her are holding secrets of their own. Dulcie does not like to think the worst of her friends and colleagues, but she cannot ignore that something is going on, and one of them just might be involved in the murder.

The kinship I felt with the main protagonist in the first book was renewed in the second as I stepped into Dulcie’s life again. I cannot help but think just how much she and I are alike personality wise. We both have a penchant for letting our minds wander–and analyzing just about everything we hear and see. She is rather soft-spoken and kindhearted. Dulcie may not always say what is on her mind immediately, but she is not afraid to take risks or do what must be done. She is ever curious, a trait that occasionally puts her in the middle of danger, however unintentional.

Throughout the novel, Dulcie continues to struggle with her graduate thesis. Her recent research threatens to derail all the progress she has made. My own graduate school experience was quite different from Dulcie’s, but then, so was my discipline. The self-doubt and challenges that come with research and juggling other academic responsibilities is something I remember all too well.

As a book lover, I really like the bookish side of Dulcie and her love for books. Her interest in 18th century Gothic literature seemed particularly intriguing to me this round, having just read a historical fiction book set in that time. A book had been alluded to in that particular novel that stirred my interest and I found myself researching novels written during that time. Even though I hadn’t yet begun reading Grey Matters, I had, in fact, thought about Dulcie and Clea Simon, wondering if they had come across the same titles in their own research.

The cats are as delightful as ever, and not at all overbearing to the story. I couldn’t help but see my Anya in the kitten Dulcie had taken in and Parker in Mr. Grey. While Mr. Grey occasionally offers Dulcie cryptic advice, his appearances are more often than not rather vague–did Dulcie really see a swish of a tail or feel a presence rub against her leg? While it’s clear that Dulcie believes so, others around her aren’t so sure.

All of this is wrapped around the murder mystery in such a way that made it all the more intriguing. I was never quite sure who to suspect of what, but I knew something was up just as Dulcie did. Although I have enjoyed each of the books author Clea Simon has written that I have read, both in her Theda Krakow series and in this one, I must say that Grey Matters is her best book yet.

Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good)

Forcing his head up into the deluge, Clark peeled back an eyelid and squinted. The heavens had paled to a deathly green, with clouds rolling and tumbling, black as midnight with fire boiling inside. A great sheet of white lightening ripped the sky so violently that Clark felt it vibrate through his hair to his heart and down into his bare feet, warm against he mud. [pg 11]

A recent death in the family motivated me to pull out the family tree my husband and I began working on years ago. It had been a year or two since I last looked it over or given it a much needed update. I found myself reading through the names, going back through our families’ histories. One branch of my family, I can trace back to Virginia (and Germany before that) during the late 1700’s, which is the time period of Frances Hunter’s novel, The Fairest Portion of the Globe. As I read the novel, I could not help but imagine what the life of my ancestors must have been like in early America.

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in history. When I was in school, I had a particular fondness for U.S. history. To this day, I still enjoy visiting historical landmarks whenever I travel. In recent years, my interest in history has taken a more broad form. I am drawn to the history and cultures of other countries, sometimes more so than my own. And yet, my interest in U.S. history has narrowed some. I find myself interested more in 20th century history. It shows in my fiction reading. I am not sure why that is exactly. Perhaps something to explore at greater length another time . . .

It’s been years since I last read a book set in early American history. When the authors approached me to review The Fairest Portion of the Globe, I felt a spark of excitement that took me back to those days when I couldn’t get enough of early U.S. history.

Frances Hunter is a writing team of two sisters, Liz and Mary Clare. The Fairest Portion of the Globe is their second novel, sort of a prequel to their first book, To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark, but readers do not have to read one to enjoy the other.

The authors take great pains to create as accurate a history as possible and yet also make the history come to life for the reader. It is a novel, after all. There was nothing textbook about it. It was an engaging and suspenseful book to read. I originally had written my own summary of the novel to include with my review, but it ended up being a bit too long. I think the authors sum it up best on their website:

La Louisiane–a land of riches beyond imagining. Whoever controls the vast domain along the Mississippi River will decide the fate of the North American continent. When young French diplomat Citizen Genet arrives in America, he’s determined to wrest Louisiana away from Spain and win it back for France—even if it means global war.

Caught up this astonishing scheme are George Rogers Clark, the washed-up hero of the Revolution and unlikely commander of Genet’s renegade force; his beautiful sister Fanny, who risks her own sanity to save her brother’s soul; General “Mad Anthony” Wayne, who never imagined he’d find the country’s deadliest enemy inside his own army; and two young soldiers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who dream of claiming the Western territory in the name of the United States—only to become the pawns of those who seek to destroy it.

From the frontier forts of Ohio to the elegant halls of Philadelphia, the virgin forests of Kentucky to the mansions of Natchez, Frances Hunter has written a page-turning tale of ambition, intrigue, and the birth of a legendary American friendship—in a time when America was fighting to survive.

There are several story threads that run through the novel, and quite a few characters to follow, but I was never lost or confused as to what was going on. In fact, I was quite intrigued by each of the characters’ stories. My favorite, however, involved George and William’s sister Fanny. Fanny is married to Doctor Jim O’Fallen, George’s good friend and right hand man. He is the one who is able to keep George sober and has a gift for dealing with the political aspects of putting together an army. Jim is well liked and respected by the Clark family. Knowing how much her brother relies on Jim, Fanny is afraid to tell anyone about the other side of her husband, his darker, more violent side. I ached for Fanny. She was such a good-hearted young woman and yet she was trapped, feeling helpless and alone. Jim is one of those characters I was truly hoping would get what he deserved in the end the more I read about him.

Alex Michaux, a botanist from France whose wife died in child birth, was another character who stole my heart. He is completely out of his element, tasked by Citizen Genet, the French diplomat, with helping General George Rogers Clark put together an army to take against France. He merely wants to explore and study the flora and fauna of the New World, going further west.

For me, one of the most intriguing characters in the novel is General James Wilkinson, a proud man who is trusted and respected by the Clark brothers. He has his secrets, however, and like Lewis, I never quite trusted him, unsure of exactly what he was up to.

As a mystery reader who often figures out the whodunit pretty quickly, there were quite a few surprising twists in this novel. I never knew what would happen next. Well, except for the ultimate outcome. The novel is based on actual historical events after all. Even so, I learned quite a bit I hadn’t known before and even spent some time doing my own research.

The novel did get off to a slow start. I am not sure that could be helped, given the need to set the story up. Once William Clark was introduced, the story picked up, and it really took off for me when Meriwether Lewis appeared on the scene. I really liked both Clark and Lewis, and enjoyed watching the friendship bloom between them. Some of my favorite types of stories are origin stories, and The Fairest Portion of the Globe related the origin of the two great explorers’ friendship and eventual partnership.

Lewis and Clark are legends in American history. They’ve always seemed a bit larger than life as a result. The authors offer a more personal glimpse into their lives, as well as into the Clark family, reminding me that they were real people with real fears and failings.

Meriwether Lewis is a bit of a wild card, an ensign in the army and newly assigned to William Clark. In his first introduction to his commanding officer, Lewis nearly shoots Clark off his horse (one of my favorite scenes). I confess that I developed a little crush on Lewis. He is sharp and not much gets by him. He seems like the kind of person who would make a good friend, trustworthy and honorable even if a little hotheaded. William Clark, on the other hand, is more levelheaded, although no slouch either. He is a strong leader and really cares about the men under him. He is also very loyal to his family.

I felt so bad for George Rogers Clark, William Clark’s brother. He’d done much for his country, only to be left high and dry in the end. He put so much of himself into his new mission, including sobering up. Like his brother and the rest of his family, I wanted him to have some of that old glory. Yet I could also see how this new situation could end up like it did before. What if the French didn’t follow through with money and back up? It all seemed a little too shaky from my perspective, especially given what I knew about Citizen Genet from the beginning chapter.

It was interesting seeing America through the eyes of the characters, discovering what life must have been like in 1794, the year the novel is set. The beauty of the land, all that open space, the hardships the people endured, and the life a soldier led (The very thought of picking maggots out of my food turns my stomach).

There was one passage in particular that had me running to my computer to do a little research. Lewis, at one point in the novel, is reading a book and, from the description, I knew it had to be a real book. While we can’t really know if Lewis ever read that particular book, just from the descriptions of his character–his curiosity and his love for learning–I imagine that he very likely would have enjoyed reading. And when books are scarce and there’s a lot of downtime, what’s a soldier more likely to read than a popular novel? I finally broke down and e-mailed the authors asking for the title of the book since my own rudimentary search turned up nothing. That little excursion has piqued my interest in that particular book now as well.

I confess that I nearly turned down the opportunity to read The Fairest Portion of the Globe. I was a little intimidated by the fact that the novel was about such prominent historical figures–silly I know. And I also worried that reading the novel would feel too much like homework. Yet, there was that spark I talked about earlier, of revisiting a time in history that I once loved and had such a curiosity about. I took a chance and am so glad I did.

Frances Hunter’s The Fairest Portion of the Globe was not only informative, it was also entertaining. I got misty-eyed, I chuckled, and I even held my breath (oh my gosh, that ending!)–and that’s even knowing a bit about how history would play out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good)

I close my eyes and imagine the touch of my mother’s hand on my forehead, smoothing away the residue of childhood nightmares. Her finger moves across my forehead, tracing letters and words of prayer that I never understood, never wanted to understand, her mouth whispering in nearly silent accompaniment. Now, waking from the nightmare that has become routine-bathed in sweat, breathing hard, resigned to the sleeplessness that will follow-I remember her soothing touch and appreciate it with an intensity that I never felt when she was alive. [opening paragraph, page 1]

The Writing on My Forehead by Nafisa Haji
Harper Perennial, 2009
Fiction; 308 pgs

From the Publisher:

From childhood, willful, intelligent Saira Qader broke the boundaries between her family’s traditions and her desire for independence. A free-spirited and rebellious Muslim-American of Indo-Pakistani descent, she rejected the constricting notions of family, duty, obligation, and fate, choosing instead to become a journalist, the world her home.

Five years later, tragedy strikes, throwing Saira’s life into turmoil. Now the woman who chased the world to uncover the details of other lives must confront the truths of her own. In need of understanding, she looks to the stories of those who came before—her grandparents, a beloved aunt, her mother and father. As Saira discovers the hope, pain, joy, and passion that defined their lives, she begins to face what she never wanted to admit—that choice is not always our own, and that faith is not just an intellectual preference.

I love family stories. My own family’s included. When my maternal grandparents were alive, I loved listening to them talk about the past. After they were gone, I found quite a few treasures among the old photographs and letters my grandmother had held onto during her life time. I wanted to know everything about them, about my family. As an extension, I am quite fond of novels where a character delves into her own family history, whether it be uncovering a long held family secret or finding strength in the past by those who came before–often both.

The Writing on My Forehead by Nafisa Haji is one such novel. Framed around her own story, protagonist Saira reaches into her memories for answers to help her through a very difficult and tragic time in her life. Alongside the present day story is a coming of age story as Saira sets out on her chosen path. Bucking tradition, family and faith, she refuses to marry and pursues a career in journalism. And yet it is that very tradition, family and faith that will be there for her in the end.

I liked Saira. She is intelligent and curious about the world around her, unafraid to ask questions. Raised in the United States, she is faced with a culture that values individuality and another, her family’s, that is more centered around family and tradition. I was reminded of Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, which also touched on this topic. I really appreciated how the author handled the cultural aspects of the novel. Although Saira may have chosen an unconventional path, characters like her sister, Ameena who was more traditional, were not painted in a negative light. Both lifestyles were portrayed realistically–having negative as well as positive aspects.

One of the most interesting characters was Mohsin, Saira’s cousin. He had discovered their grandfather’s journal in a trunk in the attic and shared the grandfather’s story with Saira. Roshan Qadar had been an activist, fighting for the betterment of the Indian people. Mohsin hoped to follow in his footsteps. Mohsin, her grandfather and the example of her favorite aunt are what shaped Saira’s choices in life. My only disappointment is that more time wasn’t spent on Mohsin’s story, especially given the important role he played in Saira’s life once she became a journalist.

That favorite aunt of Saira’s was a favorite character of mine as well. Big Nanima, as Saira called her, is a professor in Pakistan. She had never married, not so much by choice but by circumstance. She had studied in England and was a great inspiration for Saira. Even while she encouraged Saira to make her own choices in life, she also asked her to remember her family and not be so quick to toss away the traditions the family held so dear.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Writing on My Forehead. There is so much that we can learn from the stories of our families. While Saira’s own story at times seemed secondary to the stories of her family members, it is a rich novel; while at times tragic, it is also full of redemption and heart.

Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good)
Source: Book for review provided by the publisher.