The Thing About Great White Sharks & Other Stories by Rebecca Adams Wright (+Giveaway!)

Surreal ... yet very human. 

About The Thing About Great White Sharks and Other Stories by Rebecca Adams Wright: In this collection’s richly imagined title story, our brutal and resourceful protagonist is determined to protect her family from a murderous, shark-ridden world—at any cost. Elsewhere, an old woman uncovers a sinister plot while looking after a friend’s plants (“Orchids”), and a girl in the war-torn countryside befriends an unlikely creature (“Keeper of the Glass”). In “Barnstormers,” a futuristic flying circus tries to forestall bankruptcy with one last memorable show. At the heart of “Sheila” is the terrible choice a retired judge must make when faced with the destruction of his beloved robotic dog, and “Yuri, in a Blue Dress” follows one of the last survivors of an alien invasion as she seeks help.

Extending from World War II to the far future, these fifteen stories offer a gorgeously observed perspective on our desire for connection and what it means to have compassion—for ourselves, for one another, for our past…and for whatever lies beyond.

My two cents

Most readers of this blog will know that I had a great short story year in 2014. With this collection, I think the streak continues! What a strange trip this was! Going through the first short story "Sheila," I knew that this collection was going to put me on edge ... who talks about tender feelings towards a robotic dog? And why did I just buy into it?

"Sheila" sets the stage for this wonderful bundle of 15 short stories that reimagine the future, revisit the past... and delve into the human psyche.

Sprinkle these short stories with a dusting of magic, a brilliant sci-fi twist, a touch of the surreal ... and each story will keep you guessing at the turn of each page. Despite (or maybe because) these are set in past or the future, human beings fundamentally haven't changed much in several hundred years. Loss, isolation, loneliness, pain and survival, there's more to the human experience that what is obvious.

***

A quick look at the 15 stories with some initial impressions:

Some stories about beloved pets - the joy of having them and the pain of losing them, guaranteed to pull at the heartstrings of pet owners.

Sheila is a sad story about a man faced with the difficult decision to give up his robotic dog (named Sheila) of 25 years, considered as part of his family as Sheila was bought to ease the pain of his dying wife. Tiger Bright is about the experience of a couple who inherited a tiger from their Aunt Gertrude, and the wonders and the scares of taking care of such a magnificent animal. The White Chalk Road rounds up the collection, making its way back to the present time. It once again hones in on the pain and loss of a dying pet.

There are quite a few stories set in the future, foremost of which is The Thing About Great White Sharks. I loved loved LOVED this. Wow. I am rendered speechless -- except maybe to say: I want more of it! (I decided I wouldn't spoil the experience for you; just go read the synopsis at the beginning if you want a gist.)

And a few more ...

What to Expect When You're Expecting an Alien Parasite is a play on the popular What to Expect When series ... minus the baby and plus an alien parasite that takes over your body. Cleverly written just like the books, step by horrific step.

Barnstormers is about a futuristic flying circus putting on their last show. This is probably the one story that didn't really interest me (I am going to re-read this when I get a chance).

Yuri, in a Blue Dress is the story of one of the remaining survivors of an alien invasion. And she needs help.


And the remainder ...

Orchids is a quick little dark whodunit that satisfied the Agatha Christie lover in me, with a paranormal twist!

Melville Loves Hawthorne is a love story of sorts between two stage actors ... can you guess who?

The Other Husband is a metaphorical take on a common household annoyance.

The Space We Share is about the death of a schoolmate and the ensuing strangeness as his friends cope with their loss.

Poland, 1952 recounts the encounter of scared young Polish girl with a soldier off duty. Is he the enemy?

Keeper of the Glass is about a girl, whose family is tasked with protecting priceless glass windows in a war-stricken countryside. She befriends a strange creature who becomes the "keeper of the glass."

Storybag is whimsical and sweet ... and a little creepy.

Aleph Bat is a short story for wild animal researchers and language lovers. (It reminds me too much of Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn so it didn't make too much of an impression on me.)

Uh-oh

While I recognize that this is supposed to be all odd, what struck me is that this collection doesn't quite feel like a "collection." I can see a thread of commonality in the strangeness of it all, but the breadth and scope made it feel hodgepodge-y. I am not complaining though, I think it is totally part of its charm.

As you can also see, I loved some, I merely liked some, and even sort of glossed over one because it didn't really appeal to me. It's a mixed bag for me, but overall a good mixed bag.


Verdict: A very special short story collection! With the variety of short stories, the long time span (to eternity and beyond!),  and the brilliant melding of the surreal and magical with the human experience, I am willing to bet at least one will grab you. I highly recommend me this if you need a change of pace, are stuck in a reading rut, or simply want to try something totally different. Get ready!

About Rebecca Adams Wright

Rebecca Adams Wright is a 2011 graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop and a former University of Michigan Zell Writing Fellow. She has an MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan and has won the Leonard and Eileen Newman Writing Prize. Rebecca lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with her husband and daughter.
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Connect with Rebecca: Website | Facebook | Twitter

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour with an honest review. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!

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)

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

No boring mythology here.

Synopsis of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes. 

My two cents

Throw away the tale of the invincible Achilles foiled because of that vunerable spot in his heel that wasn't touched by the waters of the river Styx. Now replace this with a man-god who falls in love with his childhood friend Patroclus, a man who would follow him to the ends of the earth. But Achilles needs to choose his path: will he answer the call of his destiny to become a god? Or will he choose true happiness with the man he loves?

***

*Sigh.* I've fallen in love. Again.  

This was among my favourite reads for 2013. I had been meaning to review this but I seem to have such a harder time reviewing books I love because I agonize over how to express why I love the book so much. In the meantime, I decided to re-read it and now I have to put this book among my all-time favourites.

I got my first taste of mythology in high school through, you guessed it, Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey. I remember I was ahead of the pack in high school because I really enjoyed mythology; something about it just drew me in. Revisiting mythology through this award-winning book was such a treat! I honestly could. not. put. this. down. I remember feeling like this when I first discovered Philippa Gregory... so excited and wanting to read more in the genre! (What is this genre Miller has created, I don't know: mythological retellings?)

If you got bored with mythology in school, this is a far cry from it. This is well written, engaging and entirely accessible. It features a bevy of gods and goddesses but with oh-so-human feelings and personalities. There is drama, love, backstabbing and politicking, and epic heroic battle. There are lessons to be learned. There are stories to be immortalized.

This is about tortured souls, heartache, and ambition. The golden boy Achilles torn between true happiness of loving and of the call of his destiny for godhood. The weakling Patroclus who eventually grows into his own and is torn between protecting Achilles' reputation as a god-man and of declaring to the world his love. The chilling sea nymph Thetis is torn by her raw ambition for her son's success and her deep love for him. 

If you want to feel every emotion, hang on every word said, and find out how this love story plays out, I urge you to pick this up. I am willing to bet that you will love it just like I did.

There are books. And there are books that are a cut above the rest. This one is way above those.

Verdict: An intimate retelling of the love story between the mythological characters of Achilles and Patroclus, this book will throw away any misconceptions that mythology is dull or boring and will seal your love of all things Madeline Miller.

Shout out to Ellie of Curiosity Killed the Bookworm -- I won this over on her blog during a Literary Giveaway Blog Hop last year!

Book Depository

Incendiary Girls: Stories by Kodi Scheer + Giveaway (US/Can)

Short stories that will sear you, body and mind.

About Incendiary Girls by Kodi Scheer: Scheer’s debut story collection INCENDIARY GIRLS explores our baser instincts with vivid imagination and dark humor. With sharp and tender language, Scheer interrogates our expectations of reality, melding the surreal – visions of humans transforming into animals – with the emotions of everyday. In these stories, our bodies become strange and unfamiliar terrain, a medium for transformation. In “Fundamental Laws of Nature,” a doctor considers her legacy, both good and bad, when she discovers that her mother has been reincarnated as a thoroughbred mare. In the title story, a mischievous angel chronicles the remarkable life of a girl just beyond death’s reach.

In Scheer’s hands, empathy and attachment are illuminated by the absurdity of life. Inspired by her studies in medicine and science, INCENDIARY GIRLS is a reflection of the power of healing, with all of its magical twists (and will remind readers of Karen Russell’s and Hannah Tinti’s stories). When our bodies betray us, when we begin to feel our minds slip, how much can we embrace without going insane? How much can we detach ourselves before losing our humanity? Scheer’s stories grapple with these questions in each throbbing, choking, heartbreaking moment.

My two cents

Of the body and mind, of the healthy and diseased, of the real and the imagined: the confluence of which makes up these eleven unusual short stories that only Scheer can concoct. This is one of the most innovative and imaginative books I've read in a long time! This short story collection is bizarre, surreal, odd, sometimes absurd, sometimes oddly disturbing ... but always unique and memorable.

I loved this short story collection because of:

Its unique subject matter. The subject matter is unique and not an area that is explored by short story writers. These are based off Scheer's experiences in the medical field. I've read mostly medical thrillers so I have never come across a treatment like this. Scheer explores the realms of medicine and science with a magical touch. She looks at the human body and the human psyche. She also has a strong focus on the woman.

An emotional, even visceral response. It's interesting what a rollercoaster ride these stories can be. They're disturbing and thought provoking; they're sweet and they're bittersweet; some are downright revolting and very dark; some are utterly absurd and silly and funny! The pictures Kodi Scheer paints and emotions she tugs ... just be prepared. Because I wasn't and I was pretty blown away by their effect!

If you've ever been in a hospital for a period of time, it is interesting to see the various viewpoints of those providing the care (doctors, nurses, aides), those receiving it (the patients), and the interaction between them.

No duds in this one. There are eleven stories in all, with each one looking into different facets of the body and mind. I'm summarizing some key themes and what struck me the most in some of them:

• Fundamental Laws of Nature -  Ellen is convinced that her mother is reincarnated as the horse her daughter rides, which she oddly finds a small comfort as she discovers a disturbing lump in her breast.
• Transplant - With her new transplanted heart, Angela believes that her changing colouring and hair is a sign to become Muslim ... only to realize that the answer is so much more simpler.
• Miss Universe - This is a powerfully shocking metaphorical short story of jealousy, aptly taking place at a beauty pageant. All of three pages: Wow.
• Gross Anatomy - The cadaver this medical student is dissecting in class, follows her home. She carries on an ongoing conversation with the cadaver, revealing the truth about his life and death.
• When a Camel Breaks You Heart - An interracial love story gone awry, her boyfriend Mahir literally turns into a camel!  What to do with a camel? Find out the sad ending.
• No Monsters Here - When her husband's body parts start appearing around the house, his wife takes it as a sign of the worst. Deals with the heartache and heartbreak of a wife with a husband at war.
• Salt of the Earth - A mysterious epidemic is causing and unusual type of havoc in a small "salt of the earth" town.
• Modern Medicine - Nurses are people too, just like their patients. A nurse narrates her need to self-medicate to deal with her day-to-day interactions with her patients ... and the aftermath.
• Primal Son - An absurdly touching story about parenthood and deciding what really matters. Warning: involves a gorilla suit. 
• Ex-Utero - Know how the weirdest things can happen all together in one day? This is how a med student's night shift turns weird: the end of the world, a battered man, a pregnant man, and a male med student who snubs sex.
• Incendiary Girls - Reminds me of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in that Death is narrating. Death predicts that this young Armenian girl will die very young, but escapes death's clutches,  against all odds, again and again, highlighting the resilience of the human race. A commentary of the violence and the tragedy of the Armenian genocide.

Cover love: Beautiful. But isn't the mare black (in the first short story)?


Verdict: One of my favourite short story collections with its unique and memorable stories of medicine, science, and the supernatural. If you love short stories and/or love something unique and off-the-wall, I highly recommend this. I look forward to more of Kodi Scheer's work and I rather expect to be blown away once again. 

PS. I was pleasantly surprised to see that among those Scheer thanked at the end of her book is Kristiana Kahakauwila whose short story collection This is Paradise really made an impression on me.

About Kodi Scheer

Kodi Scheer teaches writing at the University of Michigan. For her work as a writer-in-residence at the Comprehensive Cancer Center, she was awarded the Dzanc Prize for Excellence in Literary Fiction and Community Service. Her stories have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Iowa review, and other publications.

Find out more on Kodi Scheer's website. Connect with her on Twitter.

Check out my Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post for an excerpt.

Check out the rest of the tour here. 

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

GIVEAWAY!

 

Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: Little A/New Harvest (April 8, 2014)

A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain by Adrianne Harun

Bleak, depressing. 

Synopsis of A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain by Adrianne Harun: In isolated British Columbia, girls, mostly native, are vanishing from the sides of a notorious highway. Leo Kreutzer and his four friends are barely touched by these disappearances—until a series of mysterious and troublesome outsiders come to town. Then it seems as if the devil himself has appeared among them.

In this intoxicatingly lush debut novel, Adrianne Harun weaves together folklore, mythology, and elements of magical realism to create a compelling and unsettling portrait of life in a dead-end town. A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain is atmospheric and evocative of place and a group of people, much in the way that Jesmyn Ward’s Salvage the Bones conjures the South, or Charles Bock’s Beautiful Children provides a glimpse of the Las Vegas underworld: kids left to fend for themselves in a broken world—rendered with grit and poetry in equal measure.

My two cents
Inspired by real-life events of disappearing native girls in an isolated rural town in British Columbia, this novel weaves together elements of a hard-up rural life and native American folklore to tell the violent and rather hopeless lives of young folk.

***

I had a hard time with this novel -- like I missed something and I'm not "cool" enough to get it (whatever it is). I will get into the downside later because there were many elements of the book that I did enjoy:

The premise of the book, which is inspired by real-life events that Harun wanted to bring attention to. I think it's a beautiful tribute. Harun explains this in her reading guide:

Over the last four decades, a great many girls and women have gone missing and/or been found murdered along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia. Until very recently, those disappearances and killing have gone unsolved and largely uninvestigated as well, it seems. I knew I wanted to write about the murders and disappearances of First Nation women along the Highway of Tears, but I’m a lousy journalist – truly can’t stick to the facts for the life of me – and the idea of co-opting a real family’s tragedy for fiction seemed abhorrent to me. I really struggled to find a way into the story.

The characters. There are some very interesting characters in this. With the introduction of the young folk in the beginning felt hopeful. But it was also quite disturbing to read about their poverty-stricken lives, their dead-end jobs, the rampant alcoholism and violence.

• The narrator, Leo Kreutzer, who apparently has more to him than meets the eye, took some time to grow on me.
• I found the pale-skinned, mysterious, and spunky Hana Swann really intriguing (and the nod to folklore, well done!) but her character never really went anywhere and she sort of just disappeared! 
• I enjoyed the character of the charismatic sleight of hand man Kevin Seven. 
• There is a surprise which I found totally endearing and saw a sign of hopefulness in such a horrible character.

The atmosphere. A dead-end town: if you travel or have ever lived in such towns, you will probably love how the author is able to capture the atmosphere and details of lack, grimness, hopelessness. Tied in with the violence and chaos that the local bullies wreak upon the town, there is a grittiness and bleakness to the entire novel that makes for a disturbing read.

The folklore. Devil's hopscotch, the Snow Woman, Uncle Lud's dreams and pronouncements, and more supernatural happenings ... all make for dramatic, metaphorical, and superstitious explanations of the "evil" that is happening in this small town.

What I struggled with:

Storyline? I love experimental novels, don't get me wrong, but this book was a hodgepodge of individual life stories and of locals in a small town mixed in with lots of local folklore. I couldn't quite grasp the storyline and felt like I was rambling through this and that with no real direction.

Depressing. I don't think I was in a very good mood when I was reading this. I found it utterly depressing -- the violence, the hopelessness despite the youth of the characters. While there are glimmers of hope and the value of friendship and family throughout, I found the novel hard to stomach.

***

Verdict: A novel that has all the elements of a brilliant read -- except it seemed I wasn't in the right frame of mind reading it. I will be shelving this for the meantime and hope that my re-read bodes for a better experience.

I would recommend this for those who like gritty stories and those who enjoy experimental or innovative novels.

 


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

The Isolation Door by Anish Majumdar {+Literary Blog Hop Giveaway!}

Kicks the isolation door wide open.

Synopsis of The Isolation Door by Anish Majumdar: Neil Kapoor, 23, finds the fragile threads of a new life threatened by a mother's descent into schizophrenia.

The debut novel of acclaimed journalist Anish Majumdar examines the inner world of the mentally ill and those within their gravitational pull. A mother's delusions of Bollywood stardom become a son's raw materials for finding happiness beyond her shadow. Enlisting the aid of an Aunt with means and questionable motives, Neil finds love and forms crucial friendships. But when the life he's kept secret begins to crumble, a choice must be made: family or freedom? Intimate in approach and devastating in impact, The Isolation Door marks the arrival of a unique talent in American letters.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated towards schizophrenia research and treatment.

My two cents

This post is part of the The Literary Blog Hop Giveaway because I thought it was a beautiful piece to share with you all! There is a giveaway for 3 paperback copies (US/Can), courtesy of the publisher through TLC Book Tours.  

Make-up, a beautiful sari, and non-stop prattling about her adoring fans. Neil is helping his mother get ready for her big acting gig. But in a blink of an eye, this innocuous scene turns ugly when I realised that Neil was humouring his delusional mother to get her ready for readmission to the hospital. It's tough love .. unfortunately with roles reversed.

The opening scene sets the tone for a young man's personal journey from isolation, fear, and frustration to compassion, understanding and reconciliation.

***

This book did not disappoint and exceeded all my expectations in a wonderful way. It has an atmospheric quality to it but it is a brutal read. It is an intimate look into a young man's life that is impacted by his mother's schizophrenia. It is emotional, a little shocking in spots, painfully tragic in many instances, and searingly honest. 

There is so much to learn from this fictionalized experience: Neil's uncertainties and frustrations, his mother's confused struggle to make sense of things, a worried father and husband who does everything for the woman he loves, and the community from which they turn to for support. 

There were a few touches that I found really compelling:

1. I found really touching the loyalty of the relationship portrayed between husband and wife. One event just about broke my heart (no spoilers).

2. The parallels between Neil's relationship with his mother and girlfriend Emily. While his initial attraction to Emily - who was vulnerable and "damaged"- probably sprung naturally from having to deal with his mother's problems, the way he came to care for Emily probably wouldn't have been possible if not for his life experience.

3. The ending. I loved it.

Backing up a bit, when I saw this book up for review, I jumped on it. Coming from an Asian country where there is a continuing stigma on mental illness, I was curious to read another cultural take on this issue. The author is Bengali-Canadian-American and his strong ties to his own culture and the Bengali community played into the storyline. Always shrouded in secrecy, I felt an empathy to Neil's odd powerplay of relationship with his moneyed aunt (who didn't know how to handle her sister's mental illness) and moreso with his father who drew heavily from his friends and community for moral support and legal advice.  

This is a compelling read that sheds light on the personal struggles of families dealing with mental illness of a family member. This does a beautiful job of humanizing the impacts of mental illness, not only spreading awareness but, more importantly, encouraging us to be empathetic and compassionate. 

***

Uh-oh: This is written by a male. If you've read a lot of Murakami or Garcia Marquez, you'll know they love to punctuate their stories with some sexual scenes, which while not absolutely necessary to the storyline are there because, well, that's part of life. This is similar. 

Verdict: An affecting, empathetic portrayal of a young life forced to cope with the devastation of mental illness in the family. Incisive, brutal, raw and honest. Kicks the door wide open on the travails of families dealing with mental illness so that people not only understand this issue but even lend a helping hand. A dark yet empowering read! I highly recommend it and look forward to more of Majumdar's work. 

Interesting line:

I knew what it was to flounder in the service of a loved one. To know you were doing the right thing even as every instinct for self-preservation claimed otherwise. I've witnessed my father do it for most of his life. Far from discouraging or depressing me, I felt bolstered by the realization. - p. 74  

About Anish Majumdar

As a child growing up in Montreal, Canada, Anish Majumdar’s first creative writing lessons came courtesy of his mother, a former English teacher. Witnessing her struggle with schizophrenia had a profound impact and inspired The Isolation Door, his first novel.

His non-fiction work, appearing in many publications, has garnered Independent Press Association Awards for Feature Writing and Investigative Journalism. His short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He lives with his wife, son, and a growing menagerie of pets in Rochester, NY.

Connect with Anish Majumdar: Website | Twitter | Google + | Facebook

Check out the rest of the tour here.

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

Book Depository

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Ravana Press (February 4, 2014)

Giveaway!

This post is part of the The Literary Blog Hop Giveaway. 

3 paperback copies (US/Can), courtesy of the publisher through TLC Book Tours

Please use PromoSimple form below, and don't forget to check out the other stops! 

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A prostitute writes her life story; good is bad is good and bad {Belle Cora by Phillip Margulies}

A prostitute writes her life story; good is bad is good and bad.

About Belle Cora by Phillip Margulies*: Based loosely on the life of the 19th-century prostitute of the same name, the book is written in the form of a two-volume memoir by one of San Francisco’s richest and most revered dowagers. In it, the heroine tells the story of her moral fall and material rise over the course of the century, carrying her from the farms, mills, drawing rooms (and bedrooms) of New York to the California gold rush.


My two cents

The book opens with a "Foreword to the 1967 Edition" which explains how this autobiography was written by a Mrs. Frances Anderson who is introduced as a "merchant's daughter, a farm girl, a prostitute, a madam, a killer, a missionary, a spirit medium, a respectable society matron, and a survivor of the Great San Francisco Earthquake."  Fascinating already, right?

The author takes the tale of this fascinating real woman and breathes life into her character in this impressive historical saga. It's an amazing read! This is historical fiction taken to the hilt, the saga of an unlikely heroine that takes one through New York and California during key historical moments. It's engrossing, well-written and extremely well paced that I never felt that I had gone through close to 600 pages. 

I took a quick gander on the interwebs and couldn't find much about this chameleon of a woman. (I guess I'd need to check out Margulies' sources!)

• Arabella Godwin - merchant's daughter then farm girl
• Arabella Moody - textile mill worker
• Harriet Knowles - high-class prostitute 
• Arabella Talbot - missionary's wife
• Belle Cora - madam and mistress of a renowned gambler
• Frances Andersen - society matron

Why I loved it

I was enamoured with Belle Cora. While this is a fictionalized version of Belle Cora, I love how Margulies' portrayed her, a paradox of a woman that challenges the mere cliche of a woman gone bad": she's good and bad, she's emotional and she's cold, she's loving and cold-blooded, she's sophisticated and she can be base. Although the synopsis plays up her notorious side as a high class prostitute in New York, the novel reveals how her decisions and actions were the result of circumstances and of the times she lived in.

Her relationships are engrossing. The highlights include the tragedies of two loves of her life: childhood sweetheart Jeptha Talbot, and gambler lover Charles Cora. Her family relationships lend a vulnerability to Belle Cora's life story, particularly of her ne'er do good younger brother Lewis, and her cousin and rival Agnes Moody. These people are as memorable as Belle Cora.

This wouldn't be much of the story without the historical underpinnings which shape Belle Cora's life. Those interested in US history will revel in the details of life, livelihood, religion and politics starting in the 1820s to early 1900s, from New York to Manhattan to the beginnings of the Gold Rush in San Francisco. There are references to the adventist preacher William Miller's predicted Second Coming of Christ, the California Gold Rush, how prostitutes were among the wealthiest and educated women in the 19th century (see this), the vigilante tradition during 1850s San Francisco, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, among others.

The scope and breadth of this novel is impressive. This novel has the feeling of a modern classic with its timeless lessons, realistic and dynamic portrayal of characters, and the historical detailing of the US during the course of almost a century. I am impressed that Margulies pulled it off with such charm, with a deep respect for the complexity of characters and the eras he describes ... all the while never allowing the reader to feel bogged down.

Uh-ohs

• If you're intimidated by chunksters, then yes, this is intimidating.
• I had issues with how slow it was in the beginning. I chugged along though, as I always do, and it picks up. Rest assured, these earlier details lay the groundwork for the novel. 
• On both points above, all I can say is, commit to it because the payoff is amazing!

Verdict

You need to read this. Believe me, I think this is one of those few reads where I went "WOW!" then needed to just sit still and let it all sink in. I feel honoured to have read Phillip Margulies' debut novel (and as an advance reader copy, too) ... this is a star of a book and I suspect it will gain many accolades -- and rightly so--from readers and authors alike.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Depository

Shattered Illusions by Leigh Hershkovich

Dark and intense reading.   Synopsis: One murder. Four eyewitnesses. An unknown assailant. A victim with a mysterious secret. Bystanders beleaguered by life's losses. A killer at large...

When Sam, the proprietor of a local cafe, is shot dead on the street, four strangers become unwitting witnesses to the crime. As the investigation progresses, this quartet of onlookers find themselves not only haunted by the homicide, but pursued by their own pasts.

As they plunge deeper into the reality of his death, all are forced to realize that the loss of Sam is far from their most devastating. Inner anguish reaches a climax point for Ella, Marco, Sarah, and Danny as the answers they are hunting for continue to elude them—and the evidence they hope will vanish refuses to disappear.

My two cents

Death has a strange power over the fate of four strangers; their lives are turned upside down when they witness the murder of Sam, the friendly young man who serves up their daily cup of coffee. Two women and two men who are more than what meets the eye, with their own struggles and harbouring their own secrets, try to shed light on who and why Sam was killed.

One of the strengths of this book is that I couldn't help but get to know the characters very intimately, get into their minds, their struggles, and their pain. It is a little unsettling to read one story ... but five life stories!? It's an intense and unsettling read as none of their stories are pretty.

The writing style is distinctive, emotional and very evocative; Hershkovitch dug her nails into my mind and she never let go in this intense psychological murder mystery. It sort of reminds me of Midaq Alley with it's multiple perspectives -- the movie which I watched, not the book which I haven't read. And then again it reminds me of The Sixth Sense, a movie which had seemingly random pieces falling into place slowly.

Uh-oh: I did not feel at all right with the revelation chapter. I wanted more -- more intensity, more clarity, more logic. I felt that there was something not quite right in how the story came to a head and I was thinking "Did I miss something?" and "Wait, what the heck just happened?" The failing may have been mine, but I found the resolution unsatisfying.

Verdict: A psychological mystery revolving around the death of a mutual acquaintance, this intense and rather dark novel draws us into the minds of four strangers who must face their own secrets to make sense of themselves. Whodunit? Why? You'll need to read it ... I recommend it. I look forward to more of Hershkovitch's work because of her unique treatment of this novel.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. My apologies, Leigh, for the delay in getting this review up.

Shattered Illusions by Leigh Hershkovich

 

From My Heart to Yours by Michelle Zarrin

Heartfelt but rambling.

Synopsis of From My Heart to Yours by Michelle Zarrin: Sofia, a young woman from a sheltered upbringing, is in for an unexpected ride when she marries Earl. As their stable union twists unnervingly through health issues, betrayal and shattered hearts, Sofia sheds layers of naivete, deepening her perspective of life. Beautiful life lessons learned from preschool children may heal her scars but can they help her to endure the greatest tragedy of all? This story offers a powerful and inspiring journey into the soul.

My two cents

This is based on a true story and is about a life that was changed, first because of circumstance, and the second time around, because it was so willed. Sofia and Earl fall in love and marry. After an unfortunate skiing accident, Earl suffers pain and succumbs to the solace he finds in painkillers ... hiding, denying, until it spins out of control and Sofia discovers his addiction.

Sophia strives to rebuild a life of normalcy, with the help of her family and friends, away from the toxic and destructive relationship that was her marriage. She gets a new job with preschool children and rediscovers the beauty and peace of simplicity. Meditation, yoga and clean living become Sophia's saving grace.

***

I liked: 

This is a very realistic depiction of a loving relationship that is challenged and later destroyed by drug addiction: the warning signals, the erratic behaviour, the inevitable spillover into other aspects of married life, and the destructive impacts not only on the husband-wife relationship but also within the family circle.

I also appreciated how Sofia's family was portrayed -- a very tight-knit family that supported each other amidst turmoil, betrayal, loss and death. We need to hear more about families helping each other out.

Uh-ohs:

While this is an honest and obviously heartfelt story, I think it may have better been marketed as a memoir instead of a novel.

I probably would've been more forgiving about the long-windedness, the muddied storyline, and the oh-so-many distracting details about the couple's travels and where they've lived. I also felt the writing was roundabout, stilted and awkward, and I somehow got the impression that English may not be the author's first language. The descriptions I felt were were unnecessarily overly flowery and just made me go huh? sometimes.

For example: 

"At Saks and Bergdorf Goodman, superlative, exquisite, imaginative art surrounded the mannequins wearing the designer clothes [..]" - p. 38 

(my comment: can we throw in a few more useless adjectives?) or

"As the couple was seated, with large menus reflecting the large selection of American food, Sofia marveled at the beguiling and alluring atmosphere they were sitting in." - p. 55

(my comment: using "large" within words of each other? and what exactly is a "beguiling and alluring atmosphere?") or

"At other times she felt claustrophobic, as if she was paddling in a sea, barely keeping her head above water, waiting for a calmer change in tide." - p. 57

(my comment: I think Zarrin may have her metaphors mixed up here, claustrophobia isn't associated with wide open spaces like the sea!)

Another interesting layer which I personally thought would resonate more with me was the transformative role of meditation and yoga. The novel touched on how Sofia turned to clean and healthy living, took yoga classes, and culminated in a retreat to learn Vipassana meditation. In the novel I felt that it was treated as band-aid to a bigger problem, and the last chapter became a blow-by-blow of the technique . It seemed to make a huge impression on Sofia, but unfortunately didn't really make much of an impression on me. To each his own, I guess.

Verdict: A heartfelt novel about a woman who gets dragged into the tumultuous world of marriage and life affected by drug addiction. If you're interested in meditation and yoga, you will get a nice little taste of its benefits.

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

Book Depository

Very Recent History by Choire Sicha

Odd. Anthropological. Fable.

About Very Recent History: An Entirely Factual Account of a Year (c. AD 2009) in a Large City by Choire Sicha: What will the future make of us? In one of the greatest cities in the world, the richest man in town is the Mayor. Billionaires shed apartments like last season’s fashion trends, even as the country’s economy turns inside out and workers are expelled from the City’s glass towers. The young and careless go on as they always have, getting laid and getting laid off, falling in and falling out of love, and trying to navigate the strange world they traffic in: the Internet, complex financial markets, credit cards, pop stars, microplane cheese graters, and sex apps.

A true-life fable of money, sex, and politics, Very Recent History follows a man named John and his circle of friends, lovers, and enemies. It is a book that pieces together our every day, as if it were already forgotten.

My two cents 

This is a fable about a great city – in all its success, glory and grittiness, its hustle and bustle, and what makes it tick – and it's economic downturn. We also follow a group of young gay men who call this great city home, take a peek into their professional and personal lives, and how they are affected by the changing economic tides.

***

I struggled with this one; in fact it bordered on painful, reminding me of school days when I had to  slog through chapters and chapters of a textbook. Overall, the writing felt sterile, clinical and tedious. I felt totally detached from the characters and I couldn't relate to them. When I made it through the halfway mark, I sighed and wondered if I should even continue. But continue I did, hoping for the payoff.

Did my payoff come? Well, there were glimpses of it. For one, this book had quite a lot of insightful (oftentimes snarky) commentary on politics, money, power, marriage, sex (particularly gay sex), and the growing role of the Internet in people's social lives (those who love their internet and their apps will snicker at the subtle name dropping). See all the hot buttons? Maybe one these will intrigue you enough to get you to read it.

I also thought that the concept for the book was intriguing. It is meant to be an "anthropological account" of the year 2009 - meant to "enlighten" someone of the future of this present - which explains why the author seems to be talking about very mundane everyday things to someone far removed from these realities or maybe a teacher talking to  a bunch of very young kids.  That's why the beginning felt so drawn out as it involved breaking down of things.

Check out some snippets and my reactions:

A homeless man described as "a man who did not have a home, and whose practice of employment was that he would ask passersby for money." (first page)

Ok, a little snarky, and this sort of thing was fun at times. There was a lot of this throughout the book, and I mean a lot!

"The idea of a distinct unit of money was, at that time, a little more than 5,000 years old, as near as can be told. The idea of precious metals being used as currency was maybe 2,500 years old. The idea of a piece of paper standing in a for a set value was almost 1,000 years old." (p. 33, ARC page may change)

This goes on for a few more pages describing the concept of money, the different things that were used as money – gold, silver, shells - and the concepts of banking, hoarding, and how government regulated money. Somewhat interesting but too much of this and my mind was rebelling because it was textbookish; I skipped over a few of these so-called "anthropological vignettes."

"In any event these two were in love, and so they pledged to spend their lives together until they died. Or until they didn't want to be married anymore – that was currently legitimate as well. The whole "until you die" thing might have been a leftover thing that people said because they were supposed to." (p. 185, ARC page may change)

Oof! True! Now that's insightful!

I was rather disappointed in the characters. For one, I thought that the book would explore a diversity of characters as is befitting a huge bustling city; instead it focused on gay men and that subculture, highlighting their sexual exploits and their loose relationships. I found it a little worriesome that the characters simply reinforces stereotypes of the gay community; I find that surprising since it seems this will be marketed to the LGBT niche as per the back cover. (Do I read too much into this? I suspect not being from the target audience for this book maybe the reason why all the nuances and details may have simply lost on me).

I couldn't feel any connection with any of the characters and their generic names of John, Jason, Tyler, made them all feel the same to me. I found the dialogues clipped (a succession and excessive use of "said, said, said" and one character with a cutesy "like, like, like"), which were sometimes a little grating, and frankly, simply just not appealing to me.

The book touts to "piece[s] together our every day, as if it were already forgotten." If someone 10 generations in the future read this, I'm afraid they'd think that one of our "great" cities was populated mainly with gay men looking to hook up online and sleep around.

Verdict: Built on an innovative concept with glimpses of insightful social commentary, the payoff never really came for me. This felt like such a mishmash that my head was sort of spinning, and I don't think I really got my bearings. Those who like unique or experimental stories will most probably enjoy this, even revel in it! Give it a go, it may be up your alley!

About Choire Sicha

Choire Sicha is the coproprietor of The Awl. A two-time editor of Gawker, he has written for the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times as well as a suspiciously large number of magazines exactly one time. He lives in Brooklyn.

Follow Choire on Twitter.

Check out the rest of the tour here.

Thanks to the publisher for an Advance Reader Copy via TLC Book Tours. 
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.