A Book A Week

Sometimes things are just too good to be true. As an avid reader, I love to browse my local library's digital catalog. I usually listen to audiobooks on my daily commute, so I've grown to love the options my library has available. My only complaint with this free resource is that sometimes the wait to read or listen to newer releases can be unbearable. Even 5 or 6 people waiting for a book ahead of you can equate to months of waiting to read. Because of this, I was excited to see that Alice Feeney's latest novel I Know Who You Are was available to listen to. I've had her popular Sometimes I Lie on hold for months now, so I eagerly downloaded her latest. I thought it was my lucky day, but after finishing the novel I realize there may have been a reason no one else had downloaded it.

The novel alternates between two time periods. In the present day sections, we meet Aimee Sinclair, a budding actress who is on the brink of becoming a huge star. She comes home to discover that her husband is missing. His phone is still there and it doesn't look like he packed any clothes, but he is nowhere to be found. The couple's relationship had been on the rocks for a while, but he would never leave without saying something. As the investigation into his disappearance starts to mount, Aimee finds herself turning from worried wife to suspect number one. After years of pretending to be other people, Aimee isn't sure who she really is. Could she be responsible for her husband vanishing?

The flashback sections of the novel see Aimee as a six-year-old. She has an abusive father, so she often turns to her brother for refuge. One day as she is out wandering the streets, she encounters an older woman. The woman convinces her that Aimee is lost, so she should come with the woman to contact her parents. Aimee complies, leaving with the woman and never seeing her family again.

I Know Who You Are sees Alice Feeney play out two storylines into a thriller that tries too hard to shock. I was initially intrigued by the premise of the novel, a kind of Room meets Gone Girl setup, but Feeney seemed unsure of where her story was going. She kept throwing in new narrative darts seemingly hoping that any of them would stick. The end result is a story that moves at a rapid pace but with no clear direction. There's an obligatory twist at the end that really shocked me with pure disgust at the revelation. I'm all for the dark or taboo subject matter, but this one wasn't earned. Because I wasn't truly invested in the character or the narrative, the twist came off as simply distasteful. Clearly, I didn't love this novel. I'll hold out hope that Sometimes I Lie is as good as everyone says it is, but I Know Who You Are did not live up to my expectations.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 23)

"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Following her duties as one of Florence Nightingale's proteges during the Crimean War, Lib Wright finds herself stuck in the monotonous duties of being a civilian nurse. With the excitement and urgency of the war behind her, Lib longs to find some kind of purpose in her work. When an opportunity in Ireland presents itself, Lib jumps at the chance to do something different. Little does she know that the job will bring about the most personally and professionally challenging situations in her life.

Lib finds herself in the home of the O'Donnell family, a simple dwelling that hosts the mother, father, and daughter whose devotion to each other is only surpassed by their faithful adherence to their religion. Even after the untimely death of their only son, the family remains resolute in their adoration. This devotion reached a miraculous peak when their eleven-year-old daughter Anna started to abstain from all food. For months, young Anna has captured the imagination and curiosity of the faithful and scientific communities by surviving solely on "manna from heaven."

A committee of local medical professionals, businessmen, and clergymen have hired Lib and a subdued nun to keep watch of the girl. They will monitor Anna and her family to verify or disprove her stunning claims. A strong believer in science and reason, Lib is determined to expose the O'Donnells as frauds. But how can Anna, a child who seems unwavering in her convictions, be the mastermind of such a complex deceit?

Fans of Emma Donoghue's Room may be a bit surprised by the restraint that permeates The Wonder. When I discussed this novel with my book club, most members found the pacing to be unbearably slow. The Wonder is not a fast read. Most of the novel centers around Lib keeping watch over Anna in the confines of the child's bedroom. Unlike Room, the novel is driven not by action but by the developments and revelations of the characters. For her part, Donoghue allows the mystery of the situation to bubble beneath the surface of the entire book. Each character interaction inches closer to an ending that is both satisfying and astonishing in its revelation. In The Wonder Donoghue weaves a quietly provocative tale of morality and spirituality that is as clever as it is revealing.

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

(2016, 37)

I was completely enamored with author Emma Donoghue's 2010 novel Room. It was a wildly original story that managed to thrill while still providing an intimate character study. The film adaptation of that novel, from a screenplay written by Donoghue, has already garnered critical acclaim and even been nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. With such high expectations, I knew that I was in for a treat.

Five-year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) has never known of a world beyond the small room he shares with his mother (Brie Larson). The small garden shed that they call home is equipped with the bare necessities: a single bed, toilet, sink, table, wardrobe. A skylight is the family's only view to the outside world. Their only connection to that world is a man they call Old Nick, the man who captured Ma when she was a teenager and fathered Jack.

Ma has done her best to shield Jack from the horrors of their life. She plays games with the boy and never lets Old Nick come into contact with him. But Ma knows that she can't shelter her son forever. This life they share is simply not sustainable. Jack is already asking questions about their situation and she cannot keep him in the dark much longer. There is only one thing left for them to do. After seven years of captivity, they must find a way to escape.

Room is the kind of film that rarely gets made anymore. It is a small, character driven narrative that subtly implants itself into your consciousness. Director Lenny Abrahamson, who directed the under appreciated Frank a couple years ago, deftly gives his actors the space to explore the innermost layers of their characters. Both Larson and the young Tremblay rise to the occasion. Larson in particular gives a nuanced and powerful performance that makes her a safe bet for this years Best Actress Academy Award. This heart-wrenching story about the lengths a parent will go to for the love and safety of their child is a brilliant adaptation of an extraordinary novel and an absolute must see film.