Puny smuny. Sorrow smorrow. Anything but. {All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews}

When the biggest irony is that I loved loved loved it.

About All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews*: You won’t forget Elf and Yoli, two smart and loving sisters. Elfrieda, a world-renowned pianist, glamorous, wealthy, happily married: she wants to die. Yolandi, divorced, broke, sleeping with the wrong men as she tries to find true love: she desperately wants to keep her older sister alive. Yoli is a beguiling mess, wickedly funny even as she stumbles through life struggling to keep her teenage kids and mother happy, her exes from hating her, her sister from killing herself and her own heart from breaking.

But Elf’s latest suicide attempt is a shock: she is three weeks away from the opening of her highly anticipated international tour. Her long-time agent has been calling and neither Yoli nor Elf’s loving husband knows what to tell him. Can she be nursed back to “health” in time? Does it matter? As the situation becomes ever more complicated, Yoli faces the most terrifying decision of her life.

All My Puny Sorrows, at once tender and unquiet, offers a profound reflection on the limits of love, and the sometimes unimaginable challenges we experience when childhood becomes a new country of adult commitments and responsibilities. In her beautifully rendered new novel, Miriam Toews gives us a startling demonstration of how to carry on with hope and love and the business of living even when grief loads the heart.

My two cents

Upon putting this down, I sighed and felt my heart was full. This is what real, raw, honest writing is ... and wow, what that does to a reader. This moved me deeply.

Very few authors can pull off what this book has accomplished: it is funny yet compassionate, sensitive and sweet yet uncloying. When I see an obviously ironic cover, I can't help but duck sometimes - but yes, suspend judgment I did, because I loved Toews's A Complicated Kindness.

And lo and behold, I didn't even roll my eyes even once or inwardly groan or cringe. And that's saying a lot about a book that delves deep into the complicated stuff of sisterhood, depression, pain, suffering, assisted death, and suicide.

Toews is unafraid to articulate all those messy bits and then some. She lays it out bare, never mind being political correct. She takes no heed for taboos.

And the humor! Her humour comes with a really honest emotion that made me unafraid to continue reading. Especially charming about this book are the banter and dialogues which are very realistic and oh-so-relatable. In my mind's eye, I relived some of my own little arguments and conversations with family members. I loved getting immersed and invested -- mentally and emotionally - in Elf and Yoli's lives and the complicated relationship that rules most siblings. I couldn't believe it when the book rolled to its close. I wanted more.

***

This book takes place in Canada, more or less equally between Winnipeg and Toronto. I am familiar with both cities so it was lovely to see mentions of specific places including restaurants and landmarks and get a real sense of the place. Locals of these cities can't help but see these subtle little nods to beloved haunts.

There also little nods to literature and classical music. Throughout, there are mentions of much-loved books. I love classical music so the fact that Elf is a famous and tortured artist appealed to me - it lent a little more humanity and the suffering behind creating beauty.

Verdict

This is a gem of a novel in my eyes. I think anyone who loves and honest book will get sucked int this one. Highly recommended.

P.S. If you pronounce the author's last name as "toes" then you're not the only one! I'd been doing it for ages until I got heard someone say it otherwise (to my dismay and embarrassment). Here's how to pronounce Toews  - properly!

This is a book that qualifies for the Travel the World in Books Challenge. The story is set in Canada and the author is Canadian. Toews is well-known for her novel A Complicated Kindness.

Book Depository*

The double-edged sword that is family. {Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg}

The double-edged sword that is family.

About Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg: On the eve of her daughter’s wedding, June Reid’s life is completely devastated when a shocking disaster takes the lives of her daughter, her daughter’s fiancé, her ex-husband, and her boyfriend, Luke—her entire family, all gone in a moment. And June is the only survivor.

Alone and directionless, June drives across the country, away from her small Connecticut town. In her wake, a community emerges, weaving a beautiful and surprising web of connections through shared heartbreak.

From the couple running a motel on the Pacific Ocean where June eventually settles into a quiet half-life, to the wedding’s caterer whose bill has been forgotten, to Luke’s mother, the shattered outcast of the town—everyone touched by the tragedy is changed as truths about their near and far histories finally come to light.

My two cents

For most of the night I was awake, wondering at it all, the pattern that seemed to emerge where I laid every fluke and chance encounter, puzzling through all the possible signs and meanings; but any trace of a design disintegrated when I remembered the chaos and brutality of the world, the genocide and natural disasters, all the agony. I never felt so small, so humbled, by the vastness of universe and the fragility of life. - p. 113

With the synopsis pretty much giving away the entire storyline, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I was shocked when I fell hard for this phenomenal book that explores the themes of loss, grief and healing in a powerfully moving way.

This is a "wow" book for me not just this year but ever. All I could say on Goodreads after putting this down—with some regret that it was over—was "How amazing was that?" I was in a book-induced stupor for days! After partially recovering, I reread the entire thing and came away with an even greater appreciation of how amazing this book is.

Unique for this book its approach in storytelling. Told in multiple voices in third person, each chapter is a vignette of a character's backstory sprinkled with small revelations, like little puzzle pieces, that feed into the overall storyline. There were many characters, some that I felt came out of the woodwork, but all were essential as this book slowly peeled away the layers of people's facades. In the end, the bitter reality of what had led to the tragic explosion and its frighteningly horrific yet hopeful resolutions come into focus.

Slow character revelation had me empathizing with each of the characters, sometimes frighteningly so, as their thoughts, fears, insecurities and motivations were laid bare. Getting to know each one was a slow, even tedious process yet the emotional payoff was high for me. Overall, this is an emotional read and I felt there was a "nowness" and a tangibility in the atmosphere of each vignette.

Most of the characters lead sad and misunderstood lives. June is the main character since she is the sole survivor - middle-aged, divorced, and not quite sure where to go in her relationship with her younger boyfriend Luke. However other characters will win your heart too. Lydia, Luke's mother, described as a small-town Elizabeth Taylor who had more than her fair share of misery. Lydia's backstory is the stuff of small-town gossip, but I felt for her. Then there are the minor, yet surprisingly essential, characters like Silas, a teenage pothead who works for Luke; the bridal couple, Lolly and Will; and even the owner of the hotel where June seeks refuge.

Did You Ever Have a Family asks this rather pointed question and reveals that everyone eventually finds their own kin, whether because one is born into family or the family is formed by circumstance. All family relationships can be wrought with much joy and even greater sorrow and pain when relationships die or when there is loss. But this book captures a spark of hope and the promise of healing for those who choose to seek out others who can once again be called "family."

Verdict

I was "wowed" by this complex, emotional, and highly nuanced story of tragedy which made me ponder the double-edge sword of family and family relationships. I highly recommend this for those who enjoy complex storytelling, intense characterizations, and are willing to be affected by a highly realistic story.

Endnotes: I later learned that this book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for honest review consideration. 

Book Depository

The Summer Solstice and Other Stories by Nick Joaquin #booktrailadvent

Philippine folklore, religion, history packed in 3 short stories.

Synopsis of Summer Solstice and Other Stories by Nick Joaquin*: Widely regarded as the greatest Filipino writer of the 20th century, Joaquin continued to write literary and journalistic pieces until his death on April 29, 2004, at the age of 86. Stories in this volume: -The Mass of St. Sylvestre -The Summer Solstice -The Order of Melkizedek

My two cents

I am trying (trying being the operative word) to get more Filipino-penned books on my reading list, as well as reviewed on this blog. With The Book Trail's Advent, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to turn the spotlight on a book penned by a Filipino and set in the Philippines. (This book seems to be hard to find if you're not in the Philippines. I've scoured Amazon, Book Depository and a few other mainstream online book sources and there are so few places to buy this!)

I really enjoyed this collection of three very Filipino stories, all very different, by National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, Nick Joaquin. He is on my list of top Filipino authors ever since I read his short story collection May Day Eve which I absolutely pored over and gave me a better appreciation for my roots.

I am quite excited to share with you some of my thoughts on the stories in this collection, and thereby share a piece of my own culture and history.

The Mass of St. Sylvestre

Setting: Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

The first story, The Mass of St. Sylvestre, in all of eight pages, is a brief history of the emergence of folklore of how pope and confessor St. Sylvestre, whose feast falls on the last day of the year, appears on earth, opens the gates to the archiepiscopal cities, leads a grand procession and celebrates the first Mass. 

Touted as classic Filipino New Year's story, this is part history and part religious lesson melded with the folklore of Old Manila.

Folklore crosses into the mystical and magical when an American soldier, stationed near the ruins of Manila post-war in 1945, shares his recollection of the grand procession in Intramuros in all its glory ... only to realize that what he had witnessed was a mere illusion, or maybe a hallucination.

The detailed descriptions of the procession, the small trivia associated with the ceremony, and of course with a little bit of a folkloric twist, make this short story packed to the rafters for the reader. 

The setting is an important one as it takes place within Intramuros, which translates to "Walled City" in Spanish. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over 300 years since the 1600s. Intramuros is a hub - the location of the country's capital Manila, guarded by the city's citadel Fort Santiago. It is also the location of many churches, including San Augustine Church, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

I have personally been to Intramuros many times and there is so much history to take in as one wanders around centuries-old Fort Santiago, the cobblestoned roads of Intramuros, and the beautiful San Agustin Church. I think the following Google Street View tours will give you a better sense of this:

San Agustin Church, built by the Agustinians in 1571.


Cobblestones streets in Intramuros



Baluarte de San Diego, a stone bastion in Intramuros.

The Summer Solstice

Setting: Paco, Manila

The Summer Solstice is a short story about the Tadtarin, a three-day fertility ritual held during the summer solstice. This pre-Hispanic religion celebrates the erotic woman and her dominance over man. The last day of the festival coincides with St. John's Day, highlighting how Catholicism and pagan religions are melded in Filipino belief systems.

A scene from Tadtarin, via Philstar Global

Taking place in the 1850s, Lupeng and her family are set to visit their grandfather on St. John's Day, only to discover that her cook Amada is in a frenzied sexual state. Lupeng speaks to Amada's husband Entoy, who is positively scared of Amada despite it being implied that he wields a heavy hand on his wife. Lupeng learns Amada participated in the Tadtarin ritual and that she is "possessed" with the spirit of the Tadtarin.   

The family runs into the St. John's procession en route, which features an all-male group carrying the image of St. John the Baptist. Lupeng later talks with Guido, her husband's cousin visiting from Europe, who had observed both rituals. Lupeng's modesty and subservience - a mark of a refined woman at the time - is challenged as Guido suggests Lupeng participate in the Tadtarin and even makes a point of it by kissing her feet in adoration. 

Lupeng joins in the final night of the Tadtarin and finds herself tapping into her inner woman. She wields her newly-found (or simply dormant) power of her husband, who reluctantly yet acknowledges and yields to her.

This is a story of juxtapositions - of the passionate female Tadtarin with the male arrogance of St. John's procession, of the power of women over men, of bucking the convention of male dominance, and a return to the primal over societal conventions. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this for its exploration of themes despite its simple storyline. The strong feminist message will likely resonate and challenge readers to understand the precarious balance in which we are in constantly. 

Links:

• Wikipedia: Summer Solstice
• I Talk Too Much - The Summer Solstice
• Women celebrate superiority over men
• Pista ng San Juan

The Order of Melkizedek 

Setting: Manila, with mention again of Intramuros

The third story, The Order of Melkizedek, is a mini-novella which surprisingly reminded me of a Dan Brown novel. It opens with toothbrush in hand at the Philippine airport, balikbayan Sid Estiva is kidnapped. Stumbling upon a conspiracy which preys on rich matrons and young, impressionable revolutionaries, Sid seeks to expose the inner workings of a secret society headed by a purportedly centuries'-old prophet, Melkizedek.

In a suspenseful turn of events, Sid's investigation is with littered death, pagan religions, plenty of Biblical backstory, suspenseful interviews and confrontations, including the involvement of his own younger sister, Guia. This is partially set in the churches and convents of Intramuros.

I enjoyed this for its exploration of traditional religions with Catholicism and how they can co-exist and even meld together. I also found fascinating the folklore of a man living over centuries, which I know is quite common across cultures.

Of the three, I liked this the least only because I felt it dragged on too long in comparison to the succinctness of the others. I also found some holes in the investigation and wondered how Sid was so easily able to come to making non-obvious connections.

Links:

• Wikipedia: Melchizedek

Verdict: This is a crash course in Philippine folklore, religion, and history packed in three short stories. As a Filipino, it gave me a newfound appreciation of the richness of my culture. I encourage everyone to read this, whether you want to read more diversely, want to discover a new Filipino author, or simply read outside of your usual fare. Happy travels!

Book Depository*

Nick Joaquin
Via

About Nick Joaquin
Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín (May 4, 1917–April 29, 2004) was a Filipino writer, historian and journalist, best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature. He is considered most important Filipino writer in English, and the third most important overall, after José Rizal and Claro M. Recto.

All consuming, deeply affecting, disturbingly hard to shake off {A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara}

All consuming, deeply affecting, disturbingly hard to shake off

About A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara: When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever. 

My two cents

I started this book with a lot of apprehension. One, it's 736 pages (seriously, what a chunkster! How many books have you read that are over 500 pages?). Two, I've read only raves (so what if I hate it?) Three, it deals with very dark subject matter (sexual abuse, cutting, violence, suicide) and honestly,  I generally steer because I find it hard to shake. 

However, despite these disclaimers, I can only add my voice to the raves. A Little Life cannot be called "little" in any way. This novel has the scope and breadth of an epic novel, which is a lot to say for a story that focuses on the life of a man who is named after the patron saint of lost causes. 

I can't go into the detail of the plot because it would spoil too many things for first-time readers. In sum, reading this is a journey in itself. It made me feel such a rollercoaster of emotions: it made me laugh, cry, cringe, want to throw up, cheer, and it even traumatized me slightly. I can't describe it myself as being empathic because I could never ever imagine myself in Jude's shoes (nor would I dare to). But this novel is all consuming, deeply affecting, disturbingly hard to shake off. It made me totally uncomfortable with its graphic descriptions of neglect, abuse and self-inflicted pain ... but then when I felt the desire to look away, it just sucked me right back in. 

Why couldn't I put this down? The characters are realistically multi-dimensional and following them though their lifetimes, I couldn't help but buy into the notion that are real people. Then there is the writing, which is simple and beautiful. The highs and the lows of this novel are extreme and necessary, if only to highlight that everyone has a "little life" that is begging to be lived. 

As I navigated this novel, I had to stop and breathe at many points. Literally. When I finished, I didn't pick anything else up, if only to just soak up and realize how beautifully tragic and real this book was.

Uh-oh

I hate the cover. Why does it have to be such a literal take of the contents? If it bothers you too, read this novel sans book jacket. 

My verdict: Dark, realistic, disturbing, epic. Read it if you dare.

I received a copy of this book through the publisher for honest review consideration.

The Mask Carver's Son by Alyson Richman

The agonized and solitary life of an artist.

About The Mask Carver's Son by Alyson Richman: 1890. Yamamoto Kiyoki is a Japanese art student, dreaming of studying in Paris with the inspiring and vibrant Impressionist painters.

Yamamoto Ryusei is Kiyoki’s father. Ryusei’s art, carving intricate masks for traditional Japanese theater, has been his refuge from loneliness since the death of his beloved wife, and he is revered as the most inspired artist of his kind. He expects his only son to honor the traditions of his family and his country, not to be seduced by Western ideas of what is beautiful. Ryusei hopes Kiyoki will follow his own distinguished career, creating masks that will become the family’s crowning achievement.

But what is a father to do when his son’s path is not what he had planned? And how can a son honor his father, and yet fulfill his own destiny?

My two cents

This story has so many elements to it that I thought it would become messy -- two settings (Japan and France, look at that cover with the Eiffel Tower and cherry blossoms), a father-son story, an obscure art angle, and a rather long timeline. But what do I know about writing? Nothing obviously, as the author was able to bring all this into a coherent tale that was both enlightening and heartbreaking at the same time.

This book is a peek into the traditional art of Japanese mask carving used in Japanese theatre, which is wrought with spirituality and believed to be a calling. I found this fascinating: how Yamamoto Ryusei found himself as a mask carver and how his entire life revolved around this calling.

The story traces the life of Kiyoki, who was born into Ryusei's mask carving world, bound by association into this profession but whose heart lies elsewhere in the art world - Paris's Impressionism. On the cusp of old and new, Kiyoki has to decide whether he will continue with the Japanese tradition or find his own way and his own passion. This dilemma is all the more heightened because of the entire backstory of his father which depicted how much his father loved his craft, the impact on their community, and the contribution to the Japanese arts scene. On the other hand, I couldn't help but cheer Kiyoki on to find his own path. I agonized with him during his uncertain steps in Paris, his missteps, and his successes.

It is difficult to read about agonized artists, artists who pour everything into their creations at the expense of everything in their lives. But is is a stereotype that continues to ring true and it makes me all the more appreciative of the art that is created and continues to be created in cultures around the world, regardless of time.

Verdict: A historical fiction piece that is both heartbreaking and enlightening, bringing to sharp focus the artist life of creation, beauty, and agony. I highly recommend this to those who love the arts, have a soft spot for anything Japanese, or simply want to learn about the obscure and fascinating tradition of Japanese mask carving and theatre.

I won this book in the giveaway for the Travel the World in Books Readathon last September 2014. Thanks, Tanya! 

The Full Ridiculous by Mark Lamprell

Funny. Not. More cringeworthy.

About The Full Ridiculous by Mark Lamprell: A funny, compelling novel about love, family, and the precarious business of being a man. Michael O’Dell is hit by a car. When he doesn’t die, he is surprised and pleased. But he can’t seem to move from the crash position. In fact, the accident is just the first in a series of family crises: His wife Wendy is heroically supportive, but when his daughter Rosie punches out a vindictive schoolmate, all hell breaks loose. His son Declan is found with a stash of illicit drugs. A strange policeman starts harassing the family and ordinary mishaps take on a sinister desperation. To top it all off, Michael’s professional life starts to crumble. Mark Lamprell’s extraordinary debut examines the terrible truth: sometimes you can’t pull yourself together until you’ve completely fallen apart.

My two cents

I read this very quickly, like two days quickly. Granted, I was suffering from jetlag and I thought this book would engross me enough to kill a few hours. And it did just that. But I didn't quite know what to do with it.

Uh-oh ...

For one, this is severely depressing. About three-fourths of the book is about Michael O'Dell's life just spiraling out of control ... and it starts with a car crash. The remainder of the book is the hopeful part.

Two, this is touted as "funny." Where is funny about other people's woes?

Three, this is realistic as heck. I guess this isn't the right time for me to read this. This wasn't escape, it was pure torture to read. If you want to read about sinking into the depths of every possible problem that a middle-aged man could experience, heck go for it. Wallow with Michael and his near-death experience, his sore leg, a family falling apart, unresponsive and/or rebellious teenaged children, and a writer job that is barely able to make the mortgage ... and top all that off with some depression. Whoopee.

I guess this all bad. But didn't make me feel any better.

What I did like

I chalk this one up to my jetlag. There were definitely a lot of good things going for this book:

It's got very sharp writing, the characterisations are truthful and well-rounded (and very realistic), and there is a moral to it.

Plus the story goes at a rather fast clip reminiscent of scene change in movies ... which isn't surprising when I found out that Lamprell co-wrote Babe: Pig in the City.

Verdict: Short and sweet: highly realistic with great writing and characterisations. I do not recommend that this book be read under the influence of jetlag, depression, or if the reader is looking for an escapist read. This is a debut novel so I think I may just be on the lookout for what else Lamprell has to offer.

Do you think you'd read this book?

Many thanks to Deb at The Book Stop! I won this book during her recent Literary Blog Hop Giveaway.

The Angel of Losses by Stephanie Feldman

Past is future and vice versa. 

About The Angel of Losses by Stephanie Feldman: The Tiger’s Wife meets A History of Love in this inventive, lushly imagined debut novel that explores the intersections of family secrets, Jewish myths, the legacy of war and history, and the bonds between sisters.

When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God.

When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli’s notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather—and her family—comes undone. To find the truth about Eli’s origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli’s past.

Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can—and cannot—escape.

My two cents

Growing up, Marjorie and her sister Holly were very close. They were both entertained with the tales their Grandpa Eli told of the wondrous miracle worker called The White Rebbe, a Jewish figure who worked with the Angel of Losses. But one night, the story of The White Rebbe turns frightening, a moment that hints of Grandpa Eli's past.

Older, Marjorie becomes morbidly fascinated with The White Rebbe to the point that she makes it her vocation as a scholar. Holly's marriage to a conservative Jewish man drives a wedge between Marjorie and Holly. However, the sisters are forced to come together when Grandpa Eli dies, leaving behind a notebook filled with tales of The White Rebbe of their childhood.

Thus unfolds two stories—the tale of the two sisters as they work towards reconciliation despite their own convictions, and the tale of a grandfather whose secrets of a lifetime have unwittingly impacted on the lives of his descendants.

***

This hits the spot in terms of intrigue: There's the modern conflict between two sisters. There is the mysterious past of Eli and of family history spanning the War and the Holocaust. The toss in the confluence of the two, which is makes up what is Marjorie's story.

The melding of history, Jewish folklore and theology make for engrossing reading. I thought The White Rebbe was an intriguing character and the mention of his prominence cross culturally was something that piqued my curiosity! (Think Santa Claus in all his incarnations across the globe.)

I was also entranced with the magical realism of this novel: dipping into events of the past melding into a dream of today, mysterious people of the past coming into the present. Some of the incidents sent chills down my spine, a certain creepiness to the mysterious.

But I have mixed feelings how all this came together. The two-fold story kept me up late into the night because I wanted to find out whether Holly and Marjorie would eventually see eye to eye despite Holly's obvious compliance to her zealot of a husband, Nathan. I also wanted to fully understand Eli's tragic past. I wanted to find out how the clash between Marjorie and Nathan would turn out. I wanted to find out how all this would play out for Holly's son.

Being totally uninitiated in Jewish folklore or theology, I fumbled through the pages-long stories of The White Magician and The Angel of Losses. While this aspect initially intrigued me, I confess that I eventually skimmed through some of the stories because I couldn't wrap my head around it all. For example, I couldn't figure out who or what exactly the Angel of Losses is, who in my mind was akin to death (that's my guess). Since the Angel of Losses is the namesake of the novel, I felt that I should've at least been clear on that point. Seems to me The White Rebbe overshadowed the Angel of Losses. A closer reading may be good for me so I can understand this. Or maybe the folkore part can be tightened up a bit taking into consideration that many may not have the benefit of some knowledge of Jewish folklore.

There is a lot going on in this novel and sometimes it was a bit overwhelming for me with two plots and the substories of the White Rebbe.

Overall, I felt it was a unique cultural and magical take on a story of the bonds wrought by family.

As a debut novel, it promises of more to come and I will be on the lookout for more of Stephanie Feldman's work!

P.S. I love the cover design and it was the first thing that drew me to the novel.

Verdict: If you are intrigued by Jewish folklore and mythology and enjoy magical realism, pick up this unique story of family, sisterhood, and the White Rebbe.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

About Stephanie Feldman

Stephanie Feldman is a graduate of Barnard College. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and her daughter.

Check out the rest of the tour here.

Hardcover: 288 pages 

Publisher: Ecco (July 29, 2014)

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman

The journey is just as wonderful as the destination.

Synopsis of Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman: Beth Hoffman’s bestselling debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, won admirers and acclaim with its heartwarming story and cast of unforgettably quirky characters. Now her flair for evocative settings and richly drawn Southern personalities shines again in her compelling second novel, Looking for Me.

Teddi Overman found her life’s passion in turning other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques. Leaving her hardscrabble Kentucky childhood behind, Teddi opens her own store in Charleston. She builds a life as unexpected and quirky as her many customers, but nothing alleviates the haunting uncertainty she’s felt since her brother Josh mysteriously disappeared. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi returns to Kentucky, embarking on a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and find herself.

My two cents

This is all about Teddi who comes from a hard-up family in Kentucky. She refuses to believe that this is all her life will be. As soon as she is old enough, she escapes her childhood with a perennially sour mother, a father who gives her her ticket out, and with a heavy heart, even her young nature-loving brother.

Leaving Kentucky behind opens up to Teddi a wonderful new life in Charleston—one filled with the things she loves: giving new life to antiques, growing her antique business, finding a man to love and be loved in return, and a sense of belonging and community. But Teddi can never escape her past, and she returns to Kentucky to deal with the issues that she has tried so hard to escape.

***

I think Hoffman had me at the beginning; I have a weakness for beautiful old things and salvaging things from the thrift store always fills me with with the thrill that is so well described in Teddi's experiences. But then as Teddi's life unfolds, I couldn't help but get sucked into this woman's life. She is so likeable, so relatable ... so real. She feels like a genuine person to me and I couldn't help but love her, cheer for her, empathize with her.

This one will pull at all your heartstrings ... hard. And I am warning you, this could leave you in a serious mess if you: (1) have issues you have escaped by leaving your hometown, (2) struggled or are struggling with your relationship with a parent (or parents), (3) have a sibling you love to bits, (4) are dealing with the need for closure in some aspect in your life, (5) or any combination of the above.

This review is going to be a short. But I'll leave it on a sweet note: get to know Teddi as she gets to know herself. I guarantee that you will see something of yourself in her.

Verdict: A story of finding resolution and closure, this novel will tug at all your heartstrings!

I won this book over at Stacy's The Novel Life!  Thank you for introducing me to a wonderful new author and a lovely novel!

Obasan by Joy Kagawa

A shattered silence.
 

Synopsis of Obasan by Joy Kagawa: A powerful and passionate novel, Obasan tells, through the eyes of a child, the moving story of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. Naomi is a sheltered and beloved five-year-old when Pearl Harbor changes her life. Separated from her mother, she watches bewildered as she and her family become enemy aliens, persecuted and despised in their own land. Surrounded by hardship and pain, Naomi is protected by the resolute endurance of her aunt Obasan and the silence of those around her. Only after Naomi grows up does she return to question the haunting silence.

My two cents

Obviously drawing from real-life experiences, this is a heartbreaking novel that breaks the silence of the horrors faced by Canadian citizens of Japanese ancestry during the second World War.

I picked a copy of this up with the intent of adding some Canadian reading into my TBR. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when a friend pointed out that she (or someone she knew?) had heard the author speak in Vancouver ... and was quite blown away by the unassuming yet powerful woman she is. Kind of like this book ... it seems like a slim novel, it's even a little "quiet," but it packs quite the punch.

Canada is known for its open arms to immigrants, the value it puts on the cultural diversity of its population, and its pride in upholding human rights. It's interesting to think that this book is written by a Canadian national who had suffered through a time that Canada would not be proud of.

Told from the viewpoint of a young girl, this is observational, non-judgmental, yet extremely telling and insightful. There is little histrionics, no blaming (probably because the narrator is a child), just a narrative that tells how this sad history unfolded. I enjoyed the writing and the contemplative mood it put me in.

This is a story of family and how one can never divorce one's identity from culture or history, no matter how horrific, no matter how one wants to forget. It is also a story of how a country can make amends for the wrongs in its past.

Verdict: A novelized child's recounting of the evacuation, relocation, and dispersal of Canadian citizens of Japanese descent during the  Second World War in Canada. This is a powerful commentary of how war lead a country to commit heartbreaking horrors to its beloved citizens.

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

Accidental addict. Non-accidental recovering addict.

Synopsis of All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner: Allison Weiss got her happy ending—a handsome husband, an adorable little girl, a job she loves, and a big house in the suburbs. But when she’s in the pediatrician’s office with her daughter and a magazine flips open to a quiz about addiction, she starts to wonder whether her use of prescription pills is becoming a problem. On the one hand, it’s just prescription medication, the stuff her doctors give her. Is a Percocet at the end of a hard day really different than a glass of wine? Is it such a bad thing to pop a Vicodin after a brutal Jump & Pump class…or after your husband ignores you?

Back in the car, with her daughter safely buckled behind her, Allison opens the Altoid tin in her purse and slips a chalky white oval underneath her tongue. The pill unties her knotted muscles, erases the grime and ugliness of the city, soothes her as she frets about the truth of her looking-good life: that her husband’s becoming distant, that her daughter is acting out, that her father’s early Alzheimer’s is worsening and her mother’s barely managing to cope. She tells herself that the pills let her make it through her days…but what if her ever-increasing drug use, a habit that’s becoming expensive and hard to hide, is turning into her biggest problem of all?

All Fall Down is the story of a woman’s slide into addiction and struggle to find her way back up again. With a sparkling comedic touch and tender, true-to-life characterizations, this tale of empowerment and redemption is Jennifer Weiner’s most poignant, timely, and triumphant story yet.

My two cents

Allison Weiss seems to have it all. But having it all is stressful. So what's the matter with taking a prescription pill to take the edge off? Nothing, right? In this fast-paced and highly empathetic portrayal of an everywoman accidentally turning addict, we're brought into a highly realistic and even scary possibility that anyone can spiral out of control.

***

I'm not quite sure why Jennifer Weiner's books have been forgettable for me. I poked into the recesses of my Goodreads archives and the ratings of Good in Bed and Goodnight Nobody were lackluster and I have little commentary. Maybe when I read them years ago, it just wasn't time, I couldn't relate. But with her new book, an unexpected win on Goodreads First Reads, my opinion changed. I picked All Fall Down this last weekend and just couldn't put it down!

This novel shines a light on prescription drug abuse, an issue making the papers for years now because of its growing prevalence and the insidious way people get hooked.I have a feeling that this novel will hit close to home for a lot of readers because Allison's life seems so typical and is oh-so- relatable life with her precocious child and a loving husband, the demands of a home-based business, and a desire to be better off financially. Who doesn't get stressed? Who doesn't feel they deserve some relief?

Allison's justifying, denial, eventually coming-to-terms with her problem, and the struggle to normalcy provides readers with a realistic picture of prescription drug abuse. It made me hyper-aware that this could happen to anyone and how this hidden problem can slowly creep unawares into anyone's life. And it doesn't have to be you -- it could be anyone in the family or even a friend.

While becoming an addict is accidental, what isn't accidental is detection and recovery. Part of the curbing the issue is self-awareness, of other people noticing changes.

Reading this make me want to revisit Weiner's other books.

Verdict: A highly relatable personal account of how prescription drug use can become an addiction. Read. Relate. Be aware.

I received an ARC of this through Goodreads First Reads.

Book Depository

Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

Not a Snow White for me, it was an Alice. 

Synopsis of Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi: In the winter of 1953, Boy Novak arrives by chance in a small town in Massachusetts, looking, she believes, for beauty—the opposite of the life she’s left behind in New York. She marries a local widower and becomes stepmother to his winsome daughter, Snow Whitman.

A wicked stepmother is a creature Boy never imagined she’d become, but elements of the familiar tale of aesthetic obsession begin to play themselves out when the birth of Boy’s daughter, Bird, who is dark-skinned, exposes the Whitmans as light-skinned African Americans passing for white. Among them, Boy, Snow, and Bird confront the tyranny of the mirror to ask how much power surfaces really hold.

Dazzlingly inventive and powerfully moving, Boy, Snow, Bird is an astonishing and enchanting novel. With breathtaking feats of imagination, Helen Oyeyemi confirms her place as one of the most original and dynamic literary voices of our time.

My two cents

Boy (despite the name, is female) lives with her abusive father, who ekes out a living as a rat catcher in 1950s New York. She escapes the drudgery of her existence by simply hopping on to a bus to nowhere, anywhere, finding herself in the small town of Flax Hill in Massachusetts. There she starts life anew.

Boy marries a soft-spoken widower, Arturo Whitman. He has a beautiful daughter, Snow, who is doted upon by the entire Whitman family. The birth of their baby girl, Bird, reveals a secret of the Whitman family has been keeping -- they are pale-skinned Afro-Americans pretending to be white. White-skinned Snow is sent away to relatives.

The sisters grow up in separate homes but eventually reestablish contact. They become close and in their letters back and forth, they slowly realize that their families have more secrets begging to be revealed.

***

This entire novel is jarring. I felt like Alice slowly falling into the rabbit hole. The beginning started out wonderfully, albeit a little strange, but I suspended all judgement. But it got curiouser and curiouser ... and weirder and weirder.

What I liked: 

I felt that the book held great promise because of the themes it set out to explore. It touches upon race, interracial marriages, standards of beauty, and towards the end, gender. These are difficult subjects to write about but Oyeyemi manages to weave these into her story in a unique way, allowing room for the reader to ponder and make their own judgements.

The writing has a beautiful fantastical quality to it and there are tinges of magical realism. There is the allegory to Snow White—a snake in jewelry, recurring references to the "mirror, mirror on the wall,"  Bird claims not to show up in mirrors, and other odd little references which get the reader asking "true? or metaphor?"

The cover. I would pick this up just based on the cover. There I said it.

What I disliked:

Problematic storyline: Overall, I felt that this was half-finished (or is it half-edited?) as the arch of the storyline started out in one direction then suddenly veered away from what was built up.

When I finished I felt that I'd been taken for a ride. I was "What? What the heck happened there? I expected it to have a nice overall thread but then the author springs a totally different storyline! It is one thing to be blindsided by a logical revelation and another thing to have a rabbit coming out of hat! (Note that I have an Advance Reader Copy so I am unsure whether this is going to be final.)

Half-baked characters: What interesting characters Boy, Snow and Bird are! Unfortunately, they never really endeared themselves to me. The two better characters are Boy and Bird. Boy with her terrible childhood roused some sympathy in the beginning but I found she was quite flat throughout. Bird was interesting but she felt "old" in her dialogue; I couldn't put my finger on it but she seemed to somehow morph into Boy to me at some points in the story.

The "weaker characters were Snow and Arturo Whitman. Snow who was sent away seemed too, too nice when finally face-to-face with the woman who had "banished" her from a loving home (wouldn't you hold a grudge?). And Arturo Whitman seemed like an afterthought, his romance with Boy that didn't quite seem to be real, and who really didn't seem to have much to say about his backstory—he seems dry and passionless. (Mia was more memorable than him and yet she was  minor minor character!)

Iffy back book blurb. Touting that a book is a mash-up or re-telling (think Cinder) could go very, very badly. While it wasn't bad per se for this book, it didn't help it, setting up false expectations. The Snow White allegory was there but it certainly wasn't the highlight.

Verdict: Not a Snow White for me, it was an Alice, and that's not a compliment. A promising storyline that fails to deliver on so many levels.

 

Release: March 2014
320 pages
I received a copy of the book through Penguin.ca's Bloggers and Books Network in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Elizabeth!

Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope

Made little sense to me, and shook my sensibilities!

About Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope: From Joanna Trollope, one of the most insightful chroniclers of family life writing fiction today, comes a contemporary retelling of Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen’s classic novel of love, money, and two very different sisters.

John Dashwood promised his dying father that he would take care of his half sisters. But his wife, Fanny, has no desire to share their newly inherited estate. When she descends upon Norland Park, the three Dashwood girls—Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret—are faced with the realities of a cold world and the cruelties of life without their father, their home, or their money.

With her sparkling wit, Joanna Trollope casts a clever, satirical eye on the tales of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Reimagining Sense and Sensibility in a fresh, modern new light, she spins the novel’s romance, bonnets, and betrothals into a wonderfully witty coming-of-age story about the stuff that really makes the world go around. For when it comes to money, some things never change...

My two cents

Does reading this count as a classic? Probably not. The problem with re-tellings or re-imaginings is that it's difficult to say anything when you haven't read the original (or I did read it but it was forgettable because it was required reading?) So I guess I'm not really qualified to say anything. *Shrug*

Overall, I would treat this as a nice fluffy read, like chick lit. It's fun, it's got lots of girly drama, and it's easy reading. I found myself quite drawn to Elinor's spunk and gumption and Marianne's dreamy romanticism.

Now, what really threw me off and made me roll my eyes quite a few times was the strange disconnect ... I think the modern setting and the rather dated attitudes didn't really mesh well. Just because the author throws in multiple references to the iPod, iPads, laptops, social media and other modernities doesn't instantaneously update a story! Some stories are best left in the era they were written.

For example, I was slightly weirded out how Belle and her three daughters ended up becoming destitute. Living off old money in a ridiculous sounding house, and being beholden to others for a place to live ... does this even happen in this day and age? And Elinor being forced to drop out of school ... is financial aid or any sort of scholarship not possible for someone as smart as Elinor? And the theatrics in many places ... man, oh, man.

I read this thinking that I would love this to the high heavens and I would lure me into reading the original. I will be definitely be reading the original if only to get the thought of this nonsensical modern retelling out of my head.

Verdict: As a non-Austen reader, I had problems with how transplanting a classic tale did not translate well into modern times. However, if you have read Sense and Sensibility, you may want to see what this re-telling does ... and maybe set me straight! :)

Photo credit: Barker Evans

About Joanna Trollope

Joanna Trollope is the #1 bestselling author of eighteen novels, including The Soldier’s Wife, Daughters-in-Law, Friday Nights, The Other Family, Marrying the Mistress, and The Rector’s Wife. Her works have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and several have been adapted for television. She was appointed to the Order of the British Empire in 1996 for her services to literature, and served as the Chair of Judges for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012. She lives in London and Gloucestershire.

Find out more about Joanna on her website.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately it arrived too late for the scheduled TLC Book Tour.  

Morning Light by Holland Kane

Not light reading. Not at all. 

About Morning Light by Holland Kane: Emily, a twenty-four-year-old dancer and choreographer, confronts her husband's fixation with right-wing Catholic dogma that condemns her use of birth control. His faith is so powerful that he refuses to have sex with her, even though he desperately wants to. As awful as this broken faith feels, she is troubled more by her best friend's losing fight with cancer, and seeks to help her friend's grief-stricken, precocious, son--the seventeen-year-old David. But the boy's willful ways turn the tables on her. Denied intimacy by her husband, the boy's passion asserts itself, and everyone's life is explosively altered. 

Twenty years later, the successful David, a theater director, gets his hands on Emily's secret journals and uncovers her covert emotional life, revealing family secrets unknown to him, and discovering prickly truths about himself. Part literary memoir, part poignant psychological drama, this haunting love story explores the secrets of attraction and the mysteries of obsession--a boy's coming-of-age, and one woman's search for love and success in a year of intense achievement and painful loss.

My two cents

Emily is young and beautiful; she is a choreographer and dancer. Her husband Rick loves her ... but is going through a dilemma-of-sorts, his extreme Roman Catholic faith (or is it blind belief in a priest he idolizes?) gets him on an abstinence kick, much to Emily's dismay.

Not that Emily has a lot her on plate already: her dear friend and mentor Sara is battling cancer and she is choreographing her next major piece for her big debut. David, Sara's teenage son, becomes Emily's distraction and she succumbs, making him her lover. What does this action hold for Emily and Rick's marriage? How will besotted David get over Emily? What does the future hold?

***

This is beautiful storytelling! I found especially intriguing (and well-done) how this was told in retrospect -- the successful theatre director David is telling his love story and musing upon Emily's actions and feelings, including his insights into some of Emily's diary entries.

One highlight is that I found the descriptions of creating art and dance very engrossing. Dancers and art lovers will surely enjoy Kane's appreciation of the rapture (and disappointment) of creating anything of beauty.

The subject matter is heavily laden with hot buttons: religion, sex with a minor, pornography, adultery. This is heavy stuff. There are some sections which turned into some rather dense rambling and if you're not in the mood for that, this may grate on your nerves. Otherwise I think the book does a wonderful job of showcasing various religious, ethical and moral dilemma, and how it can potentially impact people's lives over the long haul. Hold any judgement and I think you'll be fine.

***

Verdict: Unfolding as a retrospective, this book will prod, poke and challenge you. I'd recommend this to people who like Jodie Picoult's ethically challenging tales, and those who have a soft spot for dance and art.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.