A Book A Week

My quarantine reading continues today with Andrew Sean Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less. This is one of those books that I felt almost obligated to read. It pretty much checks off most of the boxes for the kinds of books I wish there were more of. LQBTQ character? Check. Critical acclaim? Check. Heck, at a terse 260 or so pages, even the length seemed great. Still, as is all too common with too many of the books I buy, Less has sat on my bookshelf unread for a couple of years now. It even made it into the box of carefully curated books that made the move with me to my new house last month! And so, with a shelter in place order in effect for my county and only a finite number of Netflix shows to catch up on, it was finally time to dust off my copy and give this novel the read it very much deserved.

Arthur Less is a man on the brink of crisis. His longtime publisher has rejected his latest attempt at a novel, his former lover has announced his marriage to another man, and, perhaps most distressing of all, Less is about to have his 50th birthday. Things really couldn't be worse for this fabulously cosmopolitan man. At least his tailor-made blue suit still fits like a dream. Oh, there's one more thing. This former lover, the one who broke Less's heart and is marrying another man, has had the nerve to ask Less to attend the upcoming nuptials as a friend. The nerve of some people!

Not to worry though. Less has a plan. He conveniently has a stack of requests for his appearance at multiple literary events that span the globe. Normally Less would carefully peruse the invitations, accepting the ones that were either the most prestigious or the most lucrative, but this emergency is no time for caution. Less enthusiastically accepts each offer, a move that will conveniently see him on the other side of the world for his 50th birthday and the dreaded wedding of his ex-lover. What could possibly go wrong?

I think that readers' enjoyment of Andrew Sean Greer's Less will hinge upon their ability to empathize with the titular character. He's not likable in the traditional sense, and I think that may make it a bit hard for readers to connect with him. As a member of the LGBTQ community myself, I initially struggled to see beyond the stereotypical aspects of this character as a gay man. They were good for some brief chuckles, but there had to be more for me to invest in this story. Fortunately, I stuck with Mr. Less and was able to find a completely fulfilling and beautiful narrative as I went on his journey. Beyond the surface level satire lies a very raw and intimate portrait of a man dealing with aging, love, and loss. The depiction of one of Less's former relationships is probably one of the most realistic that I've ever read. My biggest takeaway from the novel is that ultimately life hinges upon love and human connection. Nothing more and nothing less.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 8)

"Death is abstract. It can't be understood."

Tom has a mix of emotions as his partner Karin is rushed to the hospital. He's excited meet the child that they are about to be parents of, but he's not so certain he's ready. A struggling writer, Tom fears that his meager income won't be able to support a family. Still, he knows his love for Karin is unwavering, and Tom can't wait to meet their child.

What is supposed to be a joyous occasion soon takes a cruel turn. A healthy baby girl is born, but Karin is not so lucky. The discovery of acute Leukemia causes complications during the birth, and the doctors are unable to save Karin. In one instant, Tom gains one love while losing another. He is instantly faced with the challenges of being a single parent while grieving for the love of his life.

The novel follows the next year of Tom's life. He grapples with the complexities of grief and love while doing everything he can to give a proper upbringing to his baby girl. he has the support of both his and Karin's parents, but the challenges he faces are uniquely his own. As if the pure emotional obstacles of the situation weren't enough, he also confronts the legal ramifications of not being married to the mother of his daughter and the slow-growing illness that threatens to take the life of his father.

In Every Moment We Are Still Alive is an autobiographical novel by Swedish author Tom Malmquist. The book attempts to tackle the tough subjects of death, grief, and love. While the situation that Tom finds himself in is heartbreaking, I couldn't help but feel a bit removed from the entire story. If felt more as if I were watching everything unfold from above rather than experiencing it with the characters. Whether this is a repercussion of the novel being translated from Malmquist's native language or simply how he chose to present his story, it caused me to have a difficult time connecting on an emotional level with the characters. Still, Malmquist's quiet contemplations about the true meaning of bereavement and family make the novel one worthy of reading. I didn't have the emotional experience that I though the novel would bring, but I definitely found myself reflecting upon the illness and death that has passed through my own life in the last year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 11)

"What they're doing down there is mourning. As millions of people across the infinitude of the grid shall always be mourning, coping with every imaginable variation of loss. Every loss deserves a telling."

8-11 was the day that changed everything. Twenty-year-old Skylar was watching from her apartment window when she noticed the object falling from the sky. Before she could reach the young boy she was babysitting, the night's sky was illuminated by the brilliant flash of the mass impacting the earth. The Golden Gate Bridge was reduced to rubble, and a haze of ash and debris enveloped the city. As soon as she ascended to the chaos on the streets, Skylar's fate was sealed. The toxic air polluted her lungs and she, like so many others that day, fell victim to the catastrophic tragedy.

Several years later the world is still coping with the effects of that incident. Authorities were never able to determine what exactly caused the disaster and have no idea who, if anyone, was responsible for the attack. Some claim that the object was a missal or a bomb. Others swear it was an object from outer space. In the end, whatever the object was doesn't really matter. The events of that day have caused an immense shift in the daily lives of everyday people. They now, "live, day to day, with the chance of something violent, something tragic happening at any moment."Motivated by this constant fear, post-incident America has responded in a historically misguided way. Much like Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Muslim Americans have been corralled into camps. As Americans search for any scapegoat to place their anger and grief upon, Muslims become the victims of hate and distrust.

Skylar's family has found her death to be unbearable. So much so that her parents, Mitch and Kathryn, have erased any trace of their deceased daughter.  Whether they have done this consciously or not is unclear, but they constantly tell their youngest son, Dorian, that he does not and has never had a sister. Dorian was a toddler on 8-11, so he has no recollection of Skylar. But the young man is beginning to suspect that his parents are hiding something from him. He has vivid dreams of a young woman watching a blinding flash from an apartment window in the city. His parents refuse to acknowledge any questions about the girl, but Dorian persists that evidence of a sister must exist somewhere.

Dorian's life becomes even further conflicted when his elderly neighbor introduces a young boy, Karim, who he has adopted from one of the Muslim camps. Dorian is instantly filled with hate for the boy. "Hating . . . not him exactly, but the idea of him, or the idea of people like him -- and though he has been taught to not believe in the sameness of all such persons, a logic as inborn as the structure of his DNA connect each and every one of them. . ."

Karim is equally troubled with his new life. In the camps, he was indoctrinated with the teachings of self-sacrifice to reach eternal paradise. The Sheik had Karim memorize a number that he was to use to contact the camp after he settled into his new home. Once contact was established, Karim would begin the process of planning for a suicide bombing mission. But as he assimilates to his current situation, Karim begins to realize that he may have more similarities than differences with the people he has been taught to hate.

In Not on Fire, but Burning, author Greg Hrbek explores the ways in which people deal with the grief and fear that comes from loss. He changes between first and third person point of view as each of the characters are explored. At first, this can be a bit disconcerting, but the changing perspectives soon fall into a steady rhythm that allows for a breezy pace. By shifting to the different characters, Hrbek provides intimate insight into each of their situations. While they are all connected as participants in the main narrative, the characters are further united by the same internal conflict. Each character is trying to reconcile societal decorum with their own conscience. This makes for a layered drama that delves beyond the main story. Through this extensive character study and an almost poetic prose, Hrbek crafts an exquisite novel that works as a metaphor to America's reaction to the events of 9/11 and a stunning exploration of the human reaction to tragedy.

For more information, visit Amazon and GoodReads.

(2015, 29)

A couple of years ago, author and journalist Stephen P. Kiernan made his fiction debut with his novel The Curiosity. That book, about a man reanimated from death, showcased Kiernan's aptitude for a creative character driven story that defied the confines of traditional genres and left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of readers. In his sophomore novel, The Hummingbird, Kiernan trades in the high concept premise of his debut for a more intimate narrative that is remarkably understated, but equally affecting.

As someone whose life has been intimately touched by cancer, I was extremely hesitant to read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Regardless of the positive reviews, bestselling status, and movie adaptation, I simply was not ready to subject my emotions to a book about the awful disease. As time passed, however, I was overcome with curiosity. A year after cancer invaded my life, I finally broke down and read the book that everyone was talking about.

Sixteen year old Hazel has a terminal case of cancer. An experimental drug has held the tumors at bay, but the threat of the disease remains. Her lungs regularly fill with fluid and she requires the assistance of an oxygen tank to help her breathe. There is no denying the truth. Cancer will kill Hazel. But there is much more to this character than her illness. A voracious reader, college student (she completed her GED while undergoing treatments), and fan of America's Next Top Model, Hazel shares many attributes of a typical teenage girl. At the insistence of her overbearing mother, who fears her daughter is becoming a recluse, Hazel finds herself at a weekly support group for  critically ill teens. She grudgingly attends the meetings, but the shallow sentiments of the group leader and rotating group of teens (it's hard to keep a consistent membership when all of the members are terminally ill) do little to interest Hazel.

It is at these meetings where Hazel first meets Augustus Waters. A lanky, attractive, former high school basketball star, Gus lost one of his legs to cancer. The young man seems to live life by his own rules. For example, Gus frequently places an unlit cigarette in his mouth, a metaphor for controlling  something that has the power to kill him. The two immediately hit it off, bonding over literature and philosophizing about life and death. As their romance blossoms, they face the ugly truths about cancer and the ways the disease will inevitably affect their relationship.

John Green does an incredible job of accurately portraying the horrors of cancer and the way it shapes the lives of those who come in contact with it. As a young adult novel, this book could easily have fallen into the trap of romanticizing a love story about teens facing the hardships of a disease. Fortunately, Green's characters are written with the kind of depth that allows readers to naturally become enraptured in their story. It is great to see an author write intelligent characters who are smart because of their thoughts and actions. . . not because he told us they were! There are no "against all odds" or "wisdom beyond age" sentiments in this story. Rather, the character grapple with the fear and unknown that comes with a terminal diagnosis. We see the horrific toll that cancer can take on the human body, mind, and soul. Yes, cancer largely influences the story, but it is the incredible, once in a lifetime kind of love between Hazel and Gus, that makes The Fault in Our Stars the rare, must read book that it is.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2015, 5)

A few years ago, The Reader was one of those novels that everyone seemed to be reading. Boosted by a successful film adaptation and a selection as one of Oprah's book club reads, this short novel captured the attention of readers around the world. I purchased my copy, but like far too many of my other novels, The Reader languished on my shelf as a book I would "get to one of these days." This summer, as I was preparing to move, I stumbled across my copy and decided to finally give it a read.

The novel opens with Michael, age fifteen, traveling through the streets of Germany on his way home from school. He falls ill and is rescued by a mysterious woman, twice his age, who takes him to her flat. There, she nurses him to health and sends him home to his parents and siblings. For some reason, Michael can't stop thinking about the woman. He decides, under the guise of thanking her for helping him, he will wait by her flat. When the two meet and are properly introduced, her name is Hanna, they become an odd couple. They fall into a forbidden love affair that sees young Michael discover his own sexuality and forces him to deceive his family and friends. It is not immediately clear what Hanna stands to gain from the relationship, but she confidently guide the boy to fulfill whatever her needs may be.

But just as suddenly as the affair begins, so it ends. One day, out of the blue, Hanna disappears, leaving Michael to question his own actions and wonder if the feelings he had for Hanna were real, or simply a boyhood crush. Whatever the answer, the relationship casts a shadow on his life.

Years later, Michael, now a law student, comes into contact with Hanna again. After years of no contact, Hanna is on trial for horrendous war crimes. Haunted by this ghost from his past, Michael observes as the once strong woman cowers and refuses to defend herself. How could she willfully participate in the acts she is accused of? Michael struggles with the feelings he felt and still does for the woman he loved as he tries to come to terms with the man he has become.

This short novel manages to pack in many ideas and moral questions that surpass the simple explanation of a book review. Even my summary fails to paint a broad enough picture without revealing and spoiling too much of the plot. That being said, this is a bold novel that dares to hold a mirror to society, history, and the reader. Through this story of forbidden love and coming of age in the time of war, the reader is faced with questions of love, lust, and the amount of suffering we are brave enough to endure in order to maintain our pride. While I would not say this is an entertaining read, it does move quickly and stirs up moral conversations that make it well worth the read.

For more information, visit Amazon and GoodReads.

(2014)

A couple years ago, Don Winslow made waves with his fast and edgy novel, "Savages", in which young drug "entrepreneurs", Ben and Chon, embarked in a war against a Mexican drug group who kidnapped their shared girlfriend, O. It was, arguably, one of the best thrillers of that year and even spawned a film adaptation by director Oliver Stone. Now, Winslow returns to this version of California in a prequel, "The Kings of Cool".

The novel centers on two main stories, one taking place around 2005 and the other beginning in the 1960's. Both portions are presented in alternating sections until the two narratives meet in the latter portion of the book. The 1960's story tells the tale of young Californians experimenting with the various drugs of the time. A few characters, from various backgrounds, discover the potential business opportunities that these drugs posses, and become involved with the drug trade.

In 2005, Ben, Chon and O, are all recent high school graduates. Instead of following the traditional paths of their peers, they grow their own highly potent marijuana. As they become recognized for their superior product, their competitors begin to take notice. They are required to pay a portion of their earnings to their competitors in order to continue selling their drugs (think a kind of business tax). In the course of a couple of weeks, Chon receives orders to take his third deployment to the war in Iraq, O begins to search for her unknown father, and Ben is left to deal with the business. After his competitors murder a couple of his street peddlers, Ben must try to deal with the problem.

"The Kings of Cool" is the best thriller I have read this year. Winslow's unique writing style is the perfect vehicle for a story like this. His bare prose and timely observations provide a contemporary edge that breathes life into this unconventional tale. The characters are so convincing that you can't help but root for theses drug dealing criminals to beat out their competitors. The two story lines seamlessly weave together, all driving towards an ending with the perfect amount of twist and resolution. I thought that perhaps with all of the praise that "Savages" received, Winslow was somehow pressured into writing another novel with the same characters. Fortunately, he avoided the traps that many series authors fall in to, creating a story that felt naturally conceived and executed flawlessly. I understand that the subject matter and the way it is presented may be unappealing to some, but for those looking for a thriller that is a bit outside of their normal reading habits, this is a must read.

For more information, visit the author's website, http://don-winslow.com/,
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/review/R2WV25BJ3JDQHS/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm,
and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260377-the-kings-of-cool

(week 27, book 31)

Every detective has a case that haunts them. For former LAPD Detective Danny Mcguire, that case is the murder of millionaire art dealer Andrew Jakes. When police arrived at the Jakes home, they found the elderly Mr. Jakes savagely murdered and tied to his much younger wife, Angela, who had been brutally raped. With stolen art and jewels, the scene looks like a horrific burglary. Suspicion is placed on the young Mrs. Jakes, who survives the incident and whom Mr. Jakes left his entire fortune. Surprisingly, Angela leaves her entire windfall to a local charity, and disappears from LA. With his number one suspect/witness gone, Danny Mcguire is left to ponder the case with no leads.

Ten years later, Danny Mcguire, newly married, living in France, and working for Interpol, has all but moved on from the Jakes case. He is still haunted by the look in the young wife's eyes, but has accepted that he will never know the truth behind the killing. Then one day he is contacted by Matt Daley. Daley is a struggling script writer who happens to be the estranged son of Andrew Jakes. In an attempt to discover a compelling story, he looks into his father's case and finds that other murders fitting the exact profile of his father's have occurred in various cities around the world. When his relays this information to Danny, the two embark on a fast paced, world wide investigation to uncover the truth behind these murders.

Although the bestselling author, Sidney Sheldon, passed away in 2007, author Tilly Bagshawe continues his tradition of fast paced, intriguing mysteries in a expert manner. This story had as many plot twists as we've grown accustomed to in stories like this, and the ending is sure to leave readers reeling. The beginning of this novel has several time, location and character changes over a short number of pages. While this is vital to the telling of the story, I felt that the jumps could be a bit confusing. Fortunately, I stayed with it, and the last two-thirds of the novel were clearly written and very entertaining. This novel is a solid addition to the mystery genre and a nice continuation of the Sidney Sheldon legacy.

For more information visit the authors' websites  http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/sidneysheldon/index.html
http://www.tillybagshawe.com/, my Amazon review http://www.amazon.com/review/RLJETJLH9EUWX/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0062073419&nodeID=283155&tag=&linkCode=
and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12337186-sidney-sheldon-s-angel-of-the-dark.

(week 15, book 16)

Facing the unimaginable grief that comes with the loss of a newborn child, married couple Jack and Mabel have moved to the rugged wilderness of 1920's Alaska. Upon their arrival, they realize that despite their best efforts to escape, grief has followed them to their new home, bringing even more troubles bare. Not the strong young man he once was, Jack struggles to keep up with the heavy labor of maintaining a farm. Left to the solitude of the cabin and a husband who can barely look her in the eye, Mabel has nothing to do but wallow in her loneliness.

But there is hope. Jack, who has to take several trips into town, befriends a local man who invites him and Mabel to have dinner with his wife and sons. Although Mabel would rather stay in the quiet of their cabin, she agrees to go to the dinner. After that evening, the couple leaves the neighbors place with their spirits slightly lifted. Upon their arrival home, a frivolous snowball fight ensues, culminating with the construction of a small snow child.

In the night, Jack awakes, startled to see that the snow child is gone. He sees small footprints leaving the site where the child stood, and as he looks out into the woods, he glimpses a young, fair-haired girl running through the trees. The next day, Jack attempts to keep what he saw to himself, but soon, Mabel notices the tracks as well. When she too sees the girl running amongst the trees, the couple is truly puzzled. Is this child the answer to their prayers, or simply the "cabin fever" effect of their grief?

This debut novel by author Eowyn Ivey is a modern day fairy tale filled with a powerful emotional presence. Ivey's simple portrayal of this grief stricken couple leaps off of the pages and stays with you for a long time. I really enjoyed the way that the setting/tone seemed to reflect the main character's emotions. The opening, when the couple is overcome with the grief of their lost child, is written in a way that I could almost feel the coolness of the landscape. This tale of love, loss, and moving forward combines the fantastic with the harsh realities of the world, providing an extremely satisfying read.

For more information, visit the authors website,
http://www.eowynivey.com/,  the book's preview,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSS0lK6Fy24&feature=player_embedded  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250053-the-snow-child and
http://www.amazon.com/review/RQL4M6NPE2Z7W/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0316175676&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=