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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
SAH has commented on (16) products
Ballad of a Small Player A Novel
by
Lawrence Osborne
SAH
, May 17, 2014
The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne Hardcover, 272 pages Published April 3rd 2014 by Hogarth In Lawrence Osborne’s Ballad of a Small Player we meet “Lord Doyle” a British expat lawyer living in the shadowy sub culture of Macua’s gambling dens. A man of dubious character, he doesn’t dwell on his past or how he embezzled his money from a trusting elderly widow, rather he indulges his penchant for punto banco, a version of baccarat which relies solely on luck which Doyle has doesn’t seem to have much of. Doyle himself is a bit of a ghost of a man, a lonely hard drinker with nothing to lose, he meanders his way from casino to casino, ultimately not caring whether he ends up in the black or the red. Externally affected and pretentious, he plays the dissolute British Lord stereotype to the hilt; the nonchalance of a man without a care, who squanders money as though he has a river of it running behind his home who gambles it all with a shrug and elf aggrandizing statements like “Everyone knows you are not a real player,” he observes, “until you secretly prefer losing.” While he is internally tormented by demons of his own making Things change, however, the day he meets an ethereal young Chinese woman, Dao-Min and inexplicably begins to play hand after hand of perfect Nines- lucky Nines- so improbable the locals begin to whisper of superstition and ghosts and our story becomes layered with complexities as Doyle’s frenzied rise to even further riches conflicts with his internal battle and self-destructiveness. In the end we are left wondering what kind of story this is. Osborne’s gloriously succinct and elegant prose evoked a timeless atmosphere allowing me to envision the 40s of Bogey and Bacall alongside the Bond of Casino Royale days. Beautifully told, Osborne manages to weave a swirling story of multiple layers about love, addiction, truth vs façade with undercurrents of the supernatural. I read this book twice and on the second read was struck even more with the imagery Osborne’ words evoke and the smoky, dark noir atmosphere he creates. A truly a riveting and wonderful read.
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The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street
by
Gilman, Susan Jane
SAH
, April 18, 2014
The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street: A Novel by Susan Jane Gilman (Author) • Hardcover: 512 pages • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (June 10, 2014) • Language: English Like so many families around the turn of the century, Malka Treynovsky’s dreamed of a better life. Fleeing Russia, the family plans a new life in South Africa with a relative until Malka’s ne’er do well father entices the impressionable six year old to join him in tricking the family to America. Amidst the squalid tenements of New York’s lower east side Malka’s life is irrevocably changed. Run over by the Italian ice vendor’s horse, Malka is left with a crippled leg. Abandoned by her parents she is taken in by the ice vendor, Mr. Dinello, who feels responsible and put to work. It is here her destiny is shaped. Smart, sarcastic, fueled by grief and feelings of abandonment, the unattractive, crippled little Malka begins to redefine herself and her life. She adopts her host family’s Catholicism, changes her name to Lillian, excels at school and learns all she can about the family business. When she meets and marries the gorgeous, kind, illiterate Albert Dunkle, the two set off make their fortune. Savvy, shrewd, tenacious and driven, Lillian creates an empire. Taking Dunkle’s ice cream from dusty roads in a broken down truck to becoming a household name, brilliant and complicated Lillian Dunkle reinvents herself and becomes to the world the “Ice Cream Queen of America”; a fun loving mothering type with her own Saturday morning TV show. But beneath the persona, Lillian is still the crippled outcast Malka, ostracized, abandoned, bitter and driven. She does whatever she needs to do to survive and assure that her company remains on top. Playing the caring, motherly Ice Cream Queen in the public while scheming, lying and drinking too much in private can only last so long and these worlds collide, forcing Lillian to take a good hard look at her life or risk losing it all. Author Susan Jane Gilman has created in Lillian a moving, complex character the reader can understand. While we may not like her actions, we certainly appreciate where she is coming from, why she is the way she is, does the things she does, and can’t judge her too harshly. With the ever changing back drop of an evolving nation, the reader is taken through the perfectly paced, tightly woven events of the last century as Lillian and Albert struggle through poverty, world wars, McCarthyism, the youth movement of the sixties and Reagan’s trickle-down economics with creative tenacity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel Lillian embodies the ‘rags to riches’ American dream in a way that is realistic and sympathetic. My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.
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Winter Horses
by
Philip Kerr
SAH
, March 07, 2014
The Winter Horses By Phillip Kerr Age Range: 12 and up Grade Level: 7 and up Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (March 25, 2014) 15 year old Jewish Kalinka, whose entire family was slaughtered in a German pogrom, has been running and starving for a very long time. It’s freezing and lonely but when she finds a nature preserve on the Ukrainian steppe she finds some refuge in the form of Max, the old keeper of the preserve, two rare Przewalski's horses and a Russian Wolf Hound. But the Germans have come and Kalinka must flee. With Taras the dog and the horses, Borte and Temujiian, Kalinka must once again brave the freezing weather, the lack of food, the hostile villagers and the relentless pursuit of a cruel SS officer to try to survive the war and save the last of the horses immortalized in ancient cave paintings. The Winter Horses is a captivating story of survival, kindness and faith in the midst of atrocity. Our protagonist, Kalinka, has learned to trust her instincts and her instincts tell her to trust the horses. The relationship between this quartet; the girl, the horses and the dog will captivate young readers in the way such magical bonds have inspired children since the beginning of time. Well researched and tightly crafted, The Winter Horses is a taut, suspenseful story for the young reader. This book has been designated for twelve and up, however, I feel as though it will be of more interest to younger readers of the YA group who, while they may need help processing some of the more violent passages, will more readily identify with Kalinka who comes across as younger than her stated age. A younger reader may also be more willing to accept the horses’ truly uncanny abilities. Written in the third person, I was reminded of the stories my Greek grandfather used to tell me in that the dialogue between the humans was somewhat abrupt and I heard it in my minds ear with a heavy accent as though it was being translated into English- which for me was great, but perhaps not as compelling for the older YA group. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher and had I read this as a child, I’ve no doubt it would have been one of my favorites and one that I would have subsequently read with my own children- as I was I thoroughly enjoyed it and will recommend it to children of all ages.
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Snicker of Magic
by
Natalie Lloyd
SAH
, February 24, 2014
Spindiddly! Felicity Juniper Pickle, Frannie Jo, Biscuit and Mama are moving again! They’ve been moving since her Dad left five years ago and Felicity is tired �" her Mama whose “story voice is like nothing I’ve ever heard, like something between a summer breeze and a lullaby” is tired too, although she doesn’t see it. This time they’re going to stay at her Aunt Cleo’s in Mama's home town of Midnight Gulch, TN. A town that used to have magic, a town where people used to “sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers.” until Midnight Gulch lost it magic when the curse of the Threadbare Brothers fell on the town. But Felicity has magic of her own; she collects words. Words that have shapes and colors and tastes and when she enters Midnight Gulch her heart pounds “yes, yes, yes” and she sees her first word of the day: “Believe…the letters were made of melted sunshine. They dripped down the window glass, warm and tingly against our faces. Believe is a powerful word to see and to say.” “I live in a town that used to be full of magic. I think there’s still magic here. It’s just been playing hide-and-seek for a very long time. This town is also full of sad stories and sweet people. I like it here. I want to stay forever.” With her friend Jonah, the town’s secret do-gooder, Felicity determines that Midnight Gulch is “Home” and sets out to find the “snicker of magic“ left in Midnight Gulch, break the curse and cure her Mama’s “wandering heart.” A wonderful, wonderful story about faith, love, forgiveness and “sweet amends”. In a town filled with small town folks carrying baggage of their own, through Felicity we see the power of words and deeds and the ability of an open heart to see magical connections in everyone:”By our shadows and sunlight. By pounding hearts and a starry maybe. By the nearly silent flutter of our broken wings” Natalie Lloyd has brought us a town full of warm, eccentric people and a heroine who shines as she learns: “Maybe sometimes the words I say are as powerful as the words I see.” “Factofabulous: some dream really do come true” The term “heartwarming” was coined for stories such as this. I loved it.I received an ARC from the publisher and am happy I did so that I can tell others what a 'splendiferous' story this is.
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Dark Eden A Novel
by
Chris Beckett
SAH
, February 23, 2014
Three astronauts disobey orders and prepare to jump through a worm hole. When the two space cops chasing them get sucked down the hole with them, they find themselves in a valley on a sunless planet whose core provides heat and light in the form of geothermal trees and bioluminescent plants, forming a sort of psychedelic oasis surrounded by dark, snowy mountains of “cold, cold, cold.” Three decide to try to make it back to earth in their damaged craft while two, Tommy and Angela, remain, naming the planet Eden. Some 165 years later the 532 descendants of Tommy and Angela’s inbreeding; “One Family, all together: all cousins, all from one single womb” classified by traits; “slow wit”, “smart, smart, smart” and deformity; “batface” “clawfoot”, and ruled by the “True Story”; “Family” lives in the small area surrounding the crash site. Their sole purpose in life is to survive in an area of dwindling resources until they can be rescued and ‘return’ to Earth- the fabled land of horses, cars, Telly Vision, Rayed Yo and lecky-trickity. “Oldest” constantly reminding them, “we must stay here and be a good Family and wait patiently [...] so that they will be pleased with us and will want to take us all back home to Earth.” (p.77) Clinging to the teachings of “First Angela, Mother to them all”, the eight groups of “Family” stay close to the “Circle “, in a forested valley surrounded by the unexplored “Snowy Dark” mountains where the “Landing Veekle” touched down for fear that if they venture too far , Earth will not find them - even as they slowly starve to death. Regressed to a Stone Age existence, Family adheres to the set of rules put forth by their Mother; ritualizing their history in the retelling of half remembered, convoluted truths and stories in an idiosyncratic, devolving language every “AnyVirsry”. Enter John Redlantern, an attractive boy of “twenty wombs”, or fifteen years, old who wrestles with the interpretation of Family’s teachings that is so readily accepted by others. Struggling with his inability to reconcile opposing views: Mother Angela instructed Family to stay close and await rescue/ Angela was an explorer of space - Earth is populated by people who invented and explored/ Family won’t venture further than the valley and rely on ancient ways - causes John to become “restless, restless, restless.” “Never mind drowning or starving from lack of food, though. I was going to starve inside my head long before that, or drown in boredom, if I couldn’t make something happen in the world, something different, and something more than just this.” (pg. 33) “…in the back of my mind a little thought came to me that there were other worlds we could reach that weren’t hidden away in Starry Swirl, or through Hole-in-Sky, but here on ground, in Eden. They were the places where the woollybucks went, the places they came from.”(pg.11) In his frustration with the Family’s inability to do anything new to stave off imminent starvation, John becomes the Serpent in Eden- nurturing seeds of discontent in his sometime girlfriend, the strong, desirous Tina and his friend, the thoughtful, innovative “clawfoot” Jeff. Moving unilaterally, John commits a divisive and emotionally violent act; changing and complicating life for everyone around him. Banished from the circle of Family, he leads a small group of discontent “newhairs” Moses- like out of their world in the forest valley. When a Cain and Abel like event sets the stage for violence never seen on Eden before, he and companions cross the “Snowy Dark” to find a home free of persecution and stagnation. Our protagonist’s motives are clearly dualistic; he sees the need to change in order to survive, but also needs to prove himself a visionary leader- becoming what First Angela warned her daughters of when she instructed them to relay the message : “ ‘Some men want the story to be all about them’ to subsequent female generations. As a female companion observes: “It was so true of John…as soon as things got quiet, and everyone was getting on with things, he got uneasy because life stopped being a story about anyone in particular, and not certainly about him.”(pg360) In his quest, he lies, brings murder and war to Eden yet leads his followers on a hopeful quest for fulfillment. A well-constructed study of human nature, Dark Eden is an allegory told through the narrative voices of several characters, each with his own perception of the situation -and almost more importantly of John- in a series of smoothly flowing chapters. With interwoven themes of theology, patriarchal ascendance and political machination, author Chris Beckett creates a multi-leveled, complex parallel story of Earths construction of history: “There are lots of different stories branching away all the time from every single thing that happens. As soon as a moment has gone, different versions of it start to be remembered and told about.” (p.370) and the rise of modern civilization. Despite its obvious parallels to many other stories; the Bible, Clan of the Cave Bear, Earth Abides etc. , Dark Eden does not come across as a contrived re-telling of age old parables but instead Is a journey into a ‘strange new world’ whose future remains as wide open as the “Wordlpool” John discovers. I received an Advance Reader’ Edition of the book from the publisher and have to say that I found Dark Eden to be really, really cool story. Thought provoking and entertaining, I’m looking forward to the next in the series to see what our little band of intrepid explorers show us next.
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Shadow Pack
by
Marc Daniel
SAH
, February 21, 2014
When Yellowstone Ranger Michael Biorn gets a call from old army buddy turned Houston cop, Steve Harrington, asking him to fly to Texas to help with an unusual cop killing, Biorn doesn’t hesitate. When he realizes werewolves are involved, he becomes intrigued �" but when those werewolves kill Steve and his wife, he becomes determined to see justice is done. Walking the line between the human and preternatural worlds, Biorn finds himself dealing with the Russian Mob, the Houston Wolf Pack and the power struggle between them. Uncovering an intricate conspiracy involving either, both, or some unseen enemy, Biorn must solve the case and avenge his friend’s murder even as he, the last of his kind, is being is being hunted by his hereditary enemies. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review and almost regretted it. Rather tired of the recent deluge of sub-par werewolf, vampire and fantasy books on the market of late, I was afraid this would be yet another �" I was wrong. I was so engrossed in the story that until my phone rang, I didn’t realize I’d been reading for three hours: Daniel’s ability to weave multiple characters into a complex story line held my attention. Shadow Pack seems less of a paranormal story to me than it does a good old fashioned mystery complete with an unexpected twist at the end- it just so happens there are praeternatural and supernatural beings in the mix. A mystery of this type requires organizational structure, clean writing, plausible scenarios and fast moving action- all of which this book has. I enjoyed Daniel’s writing and liked our protagonist- a good hearted demon with demons of his own. I look forward to reading the next in this series.
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Riverman 01
by
Aaron Starmer
SAH
, February 19, 2014
The Riverman Aaron Starmer Series: Riverman (Book 1) Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (March 18, 2014) What is real? What is imagined? What is literal? What is metaphorical? and how can a 12 year old boy hope to differentiate between the two when a childhood playmate weaves a fantastic tale? This is the dilemma faced by Alistair Cleary , the boy “who can keep a secret”, when Fiona Loomis the girl around the corner- a girl he’s not played with in years- asks him to write and bear witness to her story. A story that will allow him to find the ‘story behind the story ‘ and change his life forever. We begin with the recounting of a missing boy and a four year old Alistair’s memories of the event. The years pass and Alistair, now 12, if a bit lackadaisical, is by all account a good kid. Somewhat a loner, he has a great imagination and hangs out with his best friend, video game obsessed Charlie, almost by default because they’ve grown up in the same neighborhood together. When Fiona knocks on his door out of the blue Alistair is surprised but flattered. Fiona tells Alistair that she is able to journey into an alternate universe named Aquavainia- a world of your own design created by imagination. There is, however, a problem in Aquavania; a dark force known as The Riverman has been stealing the souls of its inhabitants- Fiona fear she is next and is intent on destroying him. A Fiona’s story progresses, Alistair begins to question whether her stories of this land are true or if they are a thinly veiled attempt to convey an abusive home; either way Alistair’s concern �" and care for Fiona grows as he is faced with the choices of what to believe and how to respond. With the Riverman, author Aaron Starmer brings us on a dark, atmospheric fantasy adventure that deals with friendship, belief, love and all of the challenges these bring to a 12 year old boy. Not your typical coming of age story, the Riverman is infused with a sense of foreboding and more questions than answers as Starmer’s exceedingly well crafted characters lead us on Alistair’s well meaning, insightful journey into what could be either a menacing alternate reality or the mind of girl trying to make sense of fear and abuse. The Riverman left me feeling disconcerted; I shared Alistairs’ confusion and concern as my own concern for him began to grow: “Milk dribbled down my chin as I looked up. I hated seeing her like this. It wasn’t a mother’s face. It was the face of a person who was frightened and had no answers. “I’m late,” I told her. “I’m for late for school.” “It’s two in the morning” My shirt was soaked. I hadn’t toweled off after my shower. I didn’t even have jeans on. I was sitting there in my underpants and sneakers. . Is this sleepwalking? ... I obviously needed something my mind couldn’t give me” I needed to process what I’d read and found myself rereading certain passages solely for the response they evoked- I liked Alistair. I liked Fiona; the author described her as “1980’s version of Alice” ( as in Wonderland) and in many way she is, but neither is a caricature of what an adult thinks a preteen should be; they are interesting, contradictory, evolving people with strengths and weaknesses that piqued my curiosity. Labeled as a book for young adults aged 10 -16, I can honestly say this book is not for the young reader. It’s not so much that there are adult topics scattered throughout, it’s more that it operates on different levels of understanding that would probably be beyond the average 10 year old. I was rather left with the feeling it was beyond me in some ways. It has an intangible quality that leaves you feeling a bit unsettled and wanting more. I also got a kick out of the fact I pictured Charlie’s older brother, Kyle, as looking and acting like a much nicer version of Kiefer Sutherland’s ‘Ace Merrill’ in the movie ‘Stand By Me’- which is totally in keeping with the books setting in 1980s. I’d recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 and am really looking for the next book in what I’ve learned is to be a trilogy. | oh yes- I got this as an advance reader from the publisher.
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Conquest The Chronicles of the Invaders Book 1
by
John Connolly, Jennifer Ridyard
SAH
, February 10, 2014
I acquired this book through a giveaway and was pleasantly surprised. While the story of heroic teens fighting alien invasion isn’t new, authors John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard presented a well-crafted tale with the right balance of exposition, action and mystery that kept my interest. The story was fast paced and believable and clues for future revelations s as well as the behind the scenes machinations we’ve yet to discover were unobtrusively slipped in giving the reader just enough of a hint as to what was to come without any overt spoilers. Unlike many YA science fiction stories of late, Conquest Is less an unrealistic ‘paranormal romance’ than it is an action packed science fiction adventure. All of the key elements of a good read are present; fast paced realistic action; likeable major characters whose development is congruent with the plot and minor characters who add dimension to as they propel the story line. This was an easy, interesting and entertaining read. I’ll look for the sequel.
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Orphans of Race Point
by
Patry Francis
SAH
, February 09, 2014
The Orphans of Race Point Author: Patry Francis Paperback: 544 pages Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 6, 2014) Language: English ISBN-10: 0062281305 ISBN-13: 978-0062281302 From the Publisher: "The Orphans of Race Point traces the relationship between Hallie Costa and Gus Silva, who meet as children in the wake of a terrible crime that leaves Gus parentless. Their friendship evolves into an enduring and passionate love that will ask more of them than they ever imagined. On the night of their high school prom, a terrible tragedy devastates their relationship and profoundly alters the course of their lives. And when, a decade later, Gus�"now a priest�"becomes entangled with a distraught woman named Ava and her daughter Mila, troubled souls who bring back vivid memories of his own damaged past, the unthinkable happens: he is charged with murder. Can Hallie save the man she’s never stopped loving, by not only freeing him from prison but also�"finally�"the curse of his past? Told in alternating voices, The Orphans of Race Point illuminates the transformative power of love and the myriad ways we find meaning in our lives." When you want to build a fire on the windy beaches of the Outer Cape, it’s best to start slowly; to protect a small pyre of driftwood twigs with your cupped hands and let the salt air funnel though them to ignite the spark. You shield it from the gale while funneling the buffeted channels of sea air as they swirl and the twigs catch fire; then slowly feed it until the flames are free to dance higher against the wind before settling into a crackling bed of hot red coals that warm the shore. This is what reading The Orphans of Race Point felt like to me. With this story Patry Francis has carefully constructed a story with arcs and lulls leading to a satisfying conclusion. As a thirty year ‘wash-a- shore’ my initial interest in this book was purely geographical �" the publisher’s synopsis didn’t really pique my interest all that much. I requested an Advance Reader Copy to see if the author captured the essence of the area and was curious to see how much of a part, if any, Cape Cod had in this novel. What I found was that the Cape is a character in this book; its influence shaped who the other characters are- just the way it does the life of anyone who lives here - and I cannot imagine this story taking place anywhere else or how these characters could have developed in any other cultural setting. This is not to say that they are constricted by their location, but rather their personalities are authentically deepened by the richness of the community Francis portrays. From the first section of what I thought was going to be a romance novel, the author has created a landscape of memorable, multidimensional characters who tell a “who done it” mystery laden with love, pain, fear, betrayal, and hope as their own, and you don’t doubt them for a moment. Because they have been so richly nuanced, the reader’s insight into each of the three speaker’s motivations allow them to propel their intricately woven story lines forward with realism and recognition. The Orphans of Race Point spans decades in the lives of its two main characters, Hallie Costa and Gus Silva ( both familiar surnames in PTown) and the events that lead to the introduction of the third, Mila,many years into the story. Through a series of horrific events fueled by violence, alcohol, jealousy and deceit, our three protagonists manage to find faith, friendship, love and ultimately peace in what turns into a quest for truth and justice. Given my luke-warm response to the synopsis, and the fact that I’ve not read Francis’ first book, I had no expectations of The Orphans of Race Point. What I discovered was not just a mystery, not just a love story, not just an exploration of how a person’s perception of events shapes his life, not just how inner strength and love can help overcome obstacles, not just how acceptance is as big a part of love as passion, but all of the above. My thanks to Harper Perennial for forwarding this ARC. I’ll be gifting this one when it’s published.
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Kept
by
James Scott
SAH
, February 04, 2014
“In the winter of 1897, a trio of killers descends upon an isolated farm in upstate New York. Midwife Elspeth Howell returns home to the carnage: her husband, and four of her children, murdered. Before she can discover her remaining son Caleb, alive and hiding in the kitchen pantry, another shot rings out over the snow-covered valley. Twelve-year-old Caleb must tend to his mother until she recovers enough for them to take to the frozen wilderness in search of the men responsible.” Im going to try to give you a feel of the book without relaying any of the plot, because you really want to let it unravel slowly. Winter. Winter in upstate New York in the late 19th century. Cold, grey, dismal and harsh. This is the atmosphere in which we first meet Elspeth Howell and this is the atmosphere from where neither she, nor the reader, ever escapes. The Kept is not a pleasant book. It is grim and merciless. From the flashbacks of Elspeth and her bible spouting husband to the images of her 12 year old son sweeping floors in a whore house the Kept maintained its sparse and gritty feel from beginning to end. Scott’s imagery is vivid in its desolation, his prose at times lyrical as he draws the reader into a desperate time and place where no one is really good or bad; sympathetic or reviled. We know that these were difficult and dangerous times fraught with bigotry, violence and a struggle to survive yet, Scott creates a multidimensional landscape in which our characters display the complexities of regret, determination, hope and resolve. The characters are shaped by and ultimately shape the environment they live in with their thoughts and actions. The pace and story line of the book was steady and realistic and reflected the journey ( both physical and emotional) experienced by the main characters until the middle when I felt it veered off track and introduced some characters and situations that disrupted its credibility. The ending came fairly quickly in a somewhat unsatisfying denouement. I think I really liked this book- not in the sense that it was likeable, but that I had to ruminate on it for while. I certainly appreciated the author’s style and use of language but it left me feeling unsettled- Im thinking Ethan Fromme meets Road to Perdition. If youre looking for a light read- this isn’t it- if youre looking for a difficult read with stark imagery and interesting characters, give it a shot- it definitely worth the time.
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Other Woman
by
Hank Phillippi Ryan
SAH
, February 03, 2014
For what it is, I liked this book. I will say that I wish it had a little more substance. Formulaic and a bit predictable , I guess I would categorize it as summer beach read kind of book. The main character, Jane Ryland is a bit one dimensional, but perhaps that's only because this is the first in that I assume is going to be a series of books. She also doesn't seem to be as bright as the writer would like her to be. She does not display the objectivity a reporter of her presented caliber should possess, makes several rookie mistakes and is bit romantically stunted. The author is reporter and writes like one: short sentences and a heavy reliance on dialogue to propel the story. I guess I expected more from her, but Ill go ahead and read her second one to see if she adds a bit more dimension. That being said, all in all its a quick and enjoyable read for a lazy summer day or cold snowy night.
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Hild
by
Griffith, Nicola
SAH
, February 03, 2014
From the moment I began reading Hild I was transported to 7th century Great Britain, a time of Anglo-Saxon under kings and power struggles. The story revolves around St Hild of Whitby who was instrumental in the conversion of Britain to Christianity- but this is no dry historical recounting. Griffith's writing is laden with the words, phrases and nuances of Old English spun in such a way as to detail daily life to the point where the reader's five senses are engaged. She recounts the times through the eyes of Hild, from age three on, in way that strengthens and enriches her characters into complex and often contradictory people we feel we know and understand. While this is a fictionalized history,it transcends the genre and I found it to be a mixture of history, fantasy and adventure. I really hope people give this book chance- the language can be a bit tricky in the beginning, but it gets easier as you go along and really- its wonderful.
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Bottoms
by
Joe R Lansdale
SAH
, February 03, 2014
"Its 1933 in East Texas and the Depression lingers in the air like a slow moving storm. When a young Harry Collins and his little sister stumble across the body of a black woman who has been savagely mutilated and left to die in the bottoms of the Sabine River, their small town is instantly charged with tension. When a second body turns up, this time of a white woman, there is little Harry can do from stopping his Klan neighbors from lynching an innocent black man. Together with his younger sister, Harry sets out to discover who the real killer is, and to do so they will search for a truth that resides far deeper than any river or skin color." With The Bottoms Joe R Landsale transports the reader to a small town in Depression era East Texas. Narrated in flashbacks by Harry Crane, who now resides in a nursing home, The Bottoms utilizes an eleven year old Harrys involvement in a series of murders to illustrate how the people around him struggle with poverty, prejudice, kindness, cruelty, ignorance and complexity of character a he passes through the childhood realm of innocence and acceptance into the realities of adulthood. Combination murder mystery/coming of age story the Bottoms is a quick and somewhat intense read whose characters will linger long after the book is over. I can see myself taking this book off the shelf in the future if only to revisit the wonderfully realistic family Lansdale has created.
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The Name of the Wind
by
Patrick Rothfuss
SAH
, February 03, 2014
I have three regrets with this book: 1. I didn't find it earlier. 2. I couldn't put it down and flew through the pages and 3. Ive already read it so I cant read it for the first time again. With the Tolkien books made into movies and the popularity of The Game of Thrones there seems to be a abundance of new fantasy titles out there. Despite the volume, few possess the richness of content or caliber of writing needed to really create an alternate world that isn't a rehashing of one that has come before, nor create characters with enough complexity to be plausible - this book does. Patrick Rothfuss introduces us to a world rich with its own folklore and traditions as seen through the eyes and actions of a character, who( albeit can be a bit too good at everything sometimes lol) possesses enough humanity to be believable. The second book in the series, the Wise Man's Fear, was a touch long but so good I am awaiting the third in this series rather impatiently. If you like the genre yet haven't time but to read a few books, I suggest you make time for these.
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(4 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
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Divorce Papers
by
Susan Rieger
SAH
, February 03, 2014
“Twenty-nine-year-old Sophie Diehl is happy toiling away as a criminal law associate at an old line New England firm where she very much appreciates that most of her clients are behind bars. Everyone at Traynor, Hand knows she abhors face-to-face contact, but one weekend, with all the big partners away, Sophie must handle the intake interview for the daughter of the firm’s most important client. After eighteen years of marriage, Mayflower descendant Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim has just been served divorce papers in a humiliating scene at the popular local restaurant, Golightly’s. She is locked and loaded to fight her eminent and ambitious husband, Dr. Daniel Durkheim, Chief of the Department of Pediatric Oncology, for custody of their ten-year-old daughter Jane�"and she also burns to take him down a peg. Sophie warns Mia that she’s never handled a divorce case before, but Mia can’t be put off. As she so disarmingly puts it: It’s her first divorce, too.” I received The Divorce Papers from Crown Publishing as an Advance Read and overall, I enjoyed it. While the epistolary novel is not a new idea, author Susan Rieger brought it up to date with emails and topical references in an easy to read manner that propelled the story line fluidly. Utilizing this medium, Rieger introduces us to Sophie, the aforementioned attorney; her life, loves, fears, and workplace drama through this correspondence while employing the backdrop of an increasingly acrimonious divorce case to illustrate and personify her characters. Several story lines are interwoven as threads throughout the divorce case; through Sophie’s correspondence with its principal players we see the effect the case has on Sophie both personally and professionally. Sophie’s relationship with her parents and the effect their divorce had on her is paralleled nicely as she works on the divorce and her love life is adequately portrayed through her communication with her dearest friend. The novel is riddled with legal documentation; while its inclusion acknowledges the readers ability to read it, it doesn’t take into consideration that many people didn’t choose to go into law for a reason- they don’t find it interesting. Where a synopsis of quoted case law would do, the reader was faced with pages and pages of ancillary, unnecessary info- we get it- it’s a lawsuit and the author studied law. I skimmed over the majority of the settlement paperwork as tedious and frankly unnecessary- I don’t read novels to look at balance sheets. I understand that they are an integral part of a divorce case but feel that somehow they could have been trimmed down or presented differently. I woudn’t really describe the book as humorous per se, but there were some amusing passages and I liked the characters I was supposed to like. I felt that both Sophie and the defendant in the divorce case, Mia, were dynamically round characters who rather reminded me of people I knew in real life. While The Divorce Papers was engaging, and entertaining it had the potential to be a truly funny, gutsy novel if it just had a little more, I don’t know, oomph? Having said that, overall I liked the book for what it was- a relatively quick, amusing and pleasant read ( despite i'ts size) and I have a feeling that despite any short comings I felt it had it’s going to get a lot of hype.
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Ophelia & the Marvelous Boy
by
Karen Foxlee
SAH
, February 03, 2014
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka Knopf Books for Young Readers 2014 240 pages Children’s Fiction: Fantasy; Adventure “Unlikely heroine Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard doesn't believe in anything that can't be proven by science. She and her sister Alice are still grieving for their dead mother when their father takes a job in a strange museum in a city where it always snows. On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room. He is a prisoner of Her Majesty the Snow Queen. And he has been waiting for Ophelia's help. As Ophelia embarks on an incredible journey to rescue the boy everything that she believes will be tested. Along the way she learns more and more about the boy's own remarkable journey to reach her and save the world. A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale is about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.” A lover of children’ stories, I was excited to receive an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, and on reading Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy I discovered my excitement was warranted. Described as a tweaked and updated re telling of Anderson’s The Snow Queen, Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy incorporates all of the elements of a good children’ story and utilizes both action and metaphor to convey it’s message of hope, friendship, strength and love. Written for the Middle school reader, author Karen Foxlee has created a rich, tightly woven fantasy that captures the imagination, is easy to read and operates on several levels. As an adult reader of the book I recognized the “unlikely’ heroine as exactly the type of child called for and often utilized to illustrate that real heroes are ordinary people- just like the reader- who behave heroically in extra ordinary circumstances. As required in a story of this genre the plot centers on a quest. In this case the quest is twofold; Ophelia must find the sword of the Marvelous Boy before his time runs out and the villainous Snow Queen plunges the world into a permanent winter of misery while saving her father and sister who, after the death of her mother, have retreated into their grief and run the risk of permanent isolation and despair. Ophelia’s father, who has dealt with the loss of his wife by burying himself in his work as “the leading international expert on swords”, takes his daughters Alice and Ophelia with him to a museum in an unnamed city of perpetual snow where he has been charged by its curator, Miss Kaminski, (who is quite obviously, evil the Snow Queen- no spoiler here) to create a grand exhibition of rare antique swords. Ophelia finds herself in a huge labyrinth of a building where, given her inquisitive and scientific nature, she explores areas of the museum off limits to the public. It is in one of these restricted hallways, tucked away in a secret room, that she finds the Marvelous Boy. The Marvelous Boy, who has been a prisoner of the Snow Queen for three hundred years tells Ophelia of the dangers ahead though a series of flashbacks in which he relates his original quest to deliver a magical sword to the one person who can defeat the Snow Queen. The Marvelous Boy, whose name was taken from him by “wizards of east, west and middle” to keep him safe because “you might think a name is just a name, nothing but a word, but that is not the case. Your name is tacked to you … and it wasn't just the memory of my name, but me myself. A tiny part of me that they took and stored away.” serves as both the impetus of Ophelia’s Quest and proof that giving of one’s self can often help us find qualities we did not know we possess to help us help others. Complete with hidden rooms, secret doorways, treasures, trials and monsters, Ophelia must navigate through several challenges to stop the Snow Queen/Miss Kaminski’s plot to destroy the world and Ophelia’s family along with it. Filled with self-doubt, fear and grief Ophelia relies on her innate curiosity, natural pluckiness and the love of her mother filling her heart and strengthening her resolve, Ophelia shows us that true heroism lies in a person’s heart and that we all of the potential to perform heroic deeds every day. Through its likeable and identifiable characters this story demonstrates that if we hold true to the message of the book; that kindness, faith, love, loyalty and friendship are the qualities that will see us through the most trying of times, we can all do our part to ‘save the world’. While the overall plot of the story is not anything new, the pacing is even and propels the action at a fluid pace. With the exception of the Snow Queen, who serves as the arch typical villain and the Marvelous Boy who, while likeable and endearing, serves to illustrate how many of us set off blindly in search of some goal in life; neither of whom need further embellishment, the characters are realistic, well fleshed out, identifiable, sympathetic and engaging. Foxlee’s writing is tight and laden with imagery, giving us a multi- level adventure rich in symbolism and subtle moral messages of honesty kindness and faith. Yoko Tanaka’ illustrations are simply beautiful and serve to enhance imagery evoked by the writer’s words.
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