A worthy addition to the author’s Porter Beck series, Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos is a thrilling novel!
Drug smugglers responsible for the 4.5+ ⭐️
A worthy addition to the author’s Porter Beck series, Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos is a thrilling novel!
Drug smugglers responsible for the supply of lethal fentanyl-laced drugs; a computer hacker who takes control of a military drone to wreak havoc on an affluent (and shady) rancher’s operations; a mysterious operative searching for Mercy Vaughn, a brilliant teenager with a criminal background who is being held in a juvenile detention facility, government agents with their own agendas and much more - Lincoln Country, Nevada Sheriff Porter Beck and his twelve member department have a lot on their plate. Though Porter is struggling with eyesight, he is determined not to let his limited night vision deter him from fulfilling his duties. He is joined in his efforts to protect Mercy by Detective Charlie Blue Horse from the Department of Public Safety. The narrative follows Porter, his team and Charlie as they try to unravel a complex web of crime, deception and secrets.
The plot is complex, but the author deftly weaves all the threads of the story together into a well-paced, suspenseful narrative that kept me hooked until the very last page. I enjoyed getting to know more about Porter and his family and loved that Brinley had a larger role to play in this installment. I hope future stories see the brother-sister duo teaming up again. Mercy Vaughn was a fascinating character and I’d love to see her pop up in future installments and of course, how can you not love Beck’s new partner, a fox-red English Lab named Frank Columbo, “Bo”? The intricate plot with plenty of twists and turns and a healthy dose of humor added to the mix, the vividly described setting and well-developed characters make for an absorbing read.
Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted crime thriller and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Though this is the second book in the series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on July 16, 2024.
Set in 412 BC, in Syracuse, Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon follows the exploits of two unemployed potters 4.5⭐️
Set in 412 BC, in Syracuse, Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon follows the exploits of two unemployed potters Lampo and Gelon in the aftermath of the Athenian invasion of Syracuse. As the vanquished Athenians lay imprisoned in one of the old quarries in the city, starved and kept in horrific living conditions and easy targets for those seeking revenge against the invaders, Gelon and Lampo devise a plan to direct a production of Euripides’s Medea with those captives who remember the lines from the plays. Gelon is motivated by his love for Greek plays and his fear that the defeat of the Athenians would ultimately result in their famous literary works being lost to time. Lampo, the loyal friend that he is, goes along with his friend’s plans, though he does not share his friend’s fascination for Greek tragedies. The Athenians who know the lines of the play are offered extra rations as an incentive to participate. The narrative follows the friends as try to organize the resources (casting, funding, venue, costumes and of course, an audience who would need to be convinced to attend a play featuring the Athenians who the Sicilians hate with a vengeance) they would require for staging Medea and Euripides’ new play The Trojan Women which Gelon only recently heard about and the events that follow.
I was intrigued by the unique and original premise of this novel and was not disappointed. The narrative is presented from the perspective of Lampo in the first person. While Gelon is brooding and intense with a literary bent of mind, and having experienced much personal loss in his lifetime, in contrast, Lampo is more easygoing, impulsive, compassionate and loyal to a fault as is evidenced through his friendship with Gelon, his interactions with the captives in the quarry and his feelings for Lyra. There are quite a few sub-plots woven into the primary narrative that flow well, without ever becoming overwhelming despite the large cast of supporting characters and the multiple threads of the story. The supporting characters are equally well thought out and each has a distinct role to play in the story. The writing is elegant with contemporary dialect interspersed throughout the narrative, which works surprisingly well. The author strikes a perfect balance between the dry humor and light-hearted humorous elements in the first half of the story and the heartbreaking shocking events later in the narrative that alter the direction of the story altogether culminating in an emotionally satisfying yet bittersweet ending. The story touches upon themes of friendship, loyalty, the horrors of war, love and loss, grief and how an appreciation of art and literature can be a unifying force for people all across the world, despite their differences otherwise. Well-written, with a vividly described setting and well-thought-out characters, this novel is an engaging, entertaining read.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“With my pencil I wrote myself into being. I wrote myself to here.”
When James (“Jim”), an enslaved man, hears th*Longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize*
“With my pencil I wrote myself into being. I wrote myself to here.”
When James (“Jim”), an enslaved man, hears that he is to be separated from his family and sold to a man from New Orleans, he runs away, intending to find a way to secure freedom for himself and his family. He is joined by young Huckleberry Finn, who is running from his abusive father. James is aware of Huck’s plight and is protective of him. The narrative is shared from James’s first-person PoV as he embarks on a life-altering journey.
James by Percival Everett has essentially been described as a reimagining of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In my humble opinion, Percival Everett’s masterpiece is much more than that. The first segment of this novel explores familiar territory from within the framework of the classic that inspired this novel, but presenting the story from James’s PoV adds much depth and perspective to the story many of us have enjoyed over the years. James’s perspective adds a dimension of maturity and a more somber tone to what many of us consider a childhood classic.
“Waiting is a big part of a slave’s life, waiting and waiting to wait some more. Waiting for demands. Waiting for food. Waiting for the end of days. Waiting for the just and deserved Christian reward at the end of it all.”
Frankly, I thought the lighter moments described in this novel were less humorous (the satirical element and the irony evoke amusement) and more thought-provoking. The author never resorts to embellishments, even in the most intense moments. James’s approach to life as an enslaved man compelled to suppress his true self, sharing his wisdom on how to survive and navigate through a world that has mostly been cruel to him and his fellow men, is expressed eloquently but often in a reserved tone.
“White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them..”
As the narrative progresses, the author takes a detour from his source material and assumes ownership of James’s narrative, presenting our protagonist as a brave, perceptive and wise, self-taught learned person with compassion for his fellow beings. He holds no illusions about the consequences of his actions, fully aware that if caught his fate would differ from that of his fellow runaway Huck. His musings on slavery, racism, religion, the human condition and humanity in general are expressed through his imagined conversations with characters whose works he has been reading in secret.
“How strange a world, how strange an existence, that that one’s equal must argue for one’s equality, that one’s equal must hold a station that allows airing of an argument, that one cannot make that argument for oneself, that premises of said argument must be vetted by those equals who do not agree.”
James’s journey is not an easy one and the author does not try to paint it as such. Each of James’s experiences, the consequences of the choices he makes along the and the people he meets (slavers, tricksters, liars and fellow enslaved men and women who have experienced unimaginable cruelty at the hands of their masters) contribute to his understanding of the world around him and the perils he will inevitably face on the road he has chosen to travel. His companion Huck is often unable to comprehend the dangers James could potentially face , often puzzled by what he assumes is James’ uncharacteristic behavior, leading to many meaningful, heartfelt conversations between the two. Needless to say, some scenes are difficult to read, which is to be expected given the subject matter. Set in the years leading up to the Civil War, James is aware of the growing tensions over the issue of slavery but what does this mean for James and his quest for freedom? Will he be able to protect his family from a fate decided for them by those whose intentions and actions are driven by self-interest and utter disregard for human life? Everett tells a story that will stay with you long after you have finished this novel with a surprise revelation toward the end that will change the way you think about the characters and the books that inspired this one.
Heart-wrenching, brutally honest, yet brilliantly crafted and immersive with superb characterization and emotional depth, James by Percival Everett is a memorable read. This novel is surely going on my list of favorite reads of 2024. I read an ARC of this novel and promptly ordered a finished copy for my personal collection.
After the novel was published, I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Dominic Hoffman who has done a remarkable job of breathing life into the characters and this story. All the stars for the audio narration!
This is my third time reading Percival Everett, after The Trees and Dr. No , and I’m glad to say that with James, he does not disappoint!
Many thanks to Doubleday Books for the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. James was published on March 19, 2024.
Note: I would suggest reading/revisiting the events described in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn before picking up this novel to better appreciate Percival Everett’s creativity and brilliance in crafting James.
“I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat to black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.“I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat to black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.”
Set in early 1900s Manchuria in the final years of the Qing dynasty, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo his novel revolves around Snow/ Ah San as she embarks on a journey to find the man responsible for the death of her daughter. Her grief and quest for revenge take her across Manchuria to Japan and back. In the course of her journey, she enchants many and also encounters others like herself - with whom she shares history and as the narrative progresses, it becomes evident that her quest is not hers alone. Her journey intersects with that of Bao, an aging detective investigating the mysterious death of a young courtesan found frozen to death in the doorway of a restaurant. Bao is a loner who has a special ability to discern when someone is lying - a gift that renders him a successful investigator. Bao is intrigued when his investigation leads him to stories about the same young woman who seems to be searching for a photographer – the same man connected to his case. Bao also comes to know about the sightings of a fox near his crime scene – an omen he believes to be significant on account of the ancient beliefs about foxes and fox spirits that have been instilled in him since his childhood. As the story progresses and we get to know more about Bao and Snow, the events and people that have shaped their lives, it is only a matter of time before Snow and Bao inevitably cross paths.
Beautifully written with elegant prose The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a slow-paced character-driven novel with an element of mystery woven into a narrative steeped in Chinese folklore, emotion, wit, and magical realism. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Snow (in the first person) and Bao. The strength of this novel lies in its characterizations and the vivid, immersive setting that transports you to Snow’s world of shapeshifters, myth, and secrets. Snow is a captivating character. She is emotional yet clever, driven, and headstrong, and her endeavors often land her in a predicament. In contrast, Bao is a quiet dignified man with meticulous attention to detail, intuitive and analytical but whose beliefs and firsthand experiences allow him to see the bigger picture in terms of the people and cases her investigates. Each of the supporting characters is well thought out, and though it was a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters, at no point did I lose interest or find the narrative difficult to follow. I will say that the mystery element often takes a backseat to the other aspects of the novel and the final resolution to the mystery was a tad underwhelming but there is a lot to like about this story and the characters. Overall, I found this novel to be a fascinating read.
I enjoyed reading the Author’s note, where she briefly discusses the beliefs revolving around Fox Spirits, the historical setting of this novel and much more.
I paired my reading with the beautiful audio narration by the author for a memorable immersion reading experience. Given the slower pace of the novel, the audio narration certainly enhanced my overall reading experience. I would suggest pairing the audio with the book or keeping the book handy as relying solely on audio might render following the large cast of characters a bit difficult.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC and NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on February 13, 2024.
The gruesome murder of a local teen sends shockwaves across the close-knit community of Granite Harbor, a coastal town in Maine. The body of the teenaThe gruesome murder of a local teen sends shockwaves across the close-knit community of Granite Harbor, a coastal town in Maine. The body of the teenager was discovered strung up for display in a local historic tourist attraction known as The Settlement. Former novelist turned Detective Alex Branwen is tasked to lead the investigation. The nature of the crime has also attracted the attention of the FBI who suspect that a serial killer is at large. Alex, whose teenage daughter was friends with the victim, must leave no stone unturned in trying to find out whether a criminal in is their midst even if it means ruffling more than a few feathers. A second murder , also a teenager, changes the direction of the investigation and Alex must race to find the killer before anyone else ends up dead.
Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols is a dark, gritty, immersive read. The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Alex and Isabel Dorr, a resident of Granite Harbor and single mother of a teenage son who was friends with the two murder victims, with chapters detailing the killer’s past (not revealing the identity) interspersed throughout the present-day narrative. The pace is slower in the beginning but picks up as the story progresses. The characters are well thought out (even the unlikeable ones) and the author skillfully captures the dynamics of a small town and the interpersonal connections of both the adults and the teenagers and how the brutality of the crimes and suspicions threaten to fracture those connections. While the identity of the killer was not entirely unpredictable, I thoroughly enjoyed the suspenseful build-up, the surprise along the way, and the dark, atmospheric vibe and finished the book in a day. There are a few aspects that I wish had been explored in more detail , but this did not detract from my overall reading experience. This was my first time reading Peter Nichols, but it surely won’t be my last.
Many thanks to Celadon Books for the gifted copy of Granite Harbor. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The expected publication date for this novel is April 30, 2024.
Please note that certain content (animal cruelty, gruesome descriptions of the crimes) might prove disturbing for some readers.
Off the Books by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier is a compelling read and an impressive debut.
Twenty-four-year-old Mĕi L. Brown dropped out of Dartmouth afterOff the Books by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier is a compelling read and an impressive debut.
Twenty-four-year-old Mĕi L. Brown dropped out of Dartmouth after a family tragedy and has been working as a private chauffeur offering her services “going karura” or “off the books” on the advice of her eighty-six-year-old Lǎoyé (grandfather) - an American history buff- who helps her find clients and who is her biggest ally, as she has distanced herself from her friends and is currently not speaking to her mother.
Mei’s most recent client is the mysterious Henry Lee who is paying her handsomely for a trip from San Francisco to Syracuse. Henry’s insistence on timed stops and the enormous suitcase he guards diligently never letting it out of his sight strikes Mĕi as suspicious behavior and she turns to Lǎoyé for advice on how to proceed. His reassurance is enough for her to continue on her assignment and as the narrative progresses, she gradually befriends Henry and the mystery behind the suitcase is ultimately revealed. What she discovers and their journey thereon compels Mĕi to reflect on her own life and choices and her family history, as the daughter of a white American father and Chinese American immigrant mother.
The author has deftly woven insightful historical, political and social commentary into a story revolving around a cross-country road trip that evolves into transformative journey will irrevocably change the way our protagonist views her privileged upbringing and her future and alter her worldview.
I enjoyed the road trip segments and liked that the novel is structured in chapters covering each leg of the road trip. The characters are well written and the author depicts complex human emotions with insight and maturity. I found Mĕi to be an interesting protagonist and appreciated how her personal journey is depicted throughout the course of the novel. I loved the bond between Mĕi and her grandfather, who was my favorite character. His wit, insight and wisdom certainly enriched the narrative. His interactions with Mĕi offer an interesting perspective on the issues and events described in the novel while also providing some much-needed lighter moments to balance the heavier themes.
“‘Listen,’ he says, ‘all my life I teach you history. So you can be on the right side of it. But a good life about more than knowing. A good life about doing, too.’”
The novel addresses sensitive themes such as navigating grief and loss and complicated family dynamics realistically and with empathy and compassion. Please note that there are mentions of racism, sexual abuse and suicide.
The author incorporates timely and relevant themes, touching upon contemporary (and historical) world events, into the narrative, with emphasis on the Chinese American immigrant experience, and the plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China and the injustices committed against them. These segments are disturbing, with mentions of genocide, persecution and other atrocities.
The narrative does include segments wherein full sentences are spoken in Mandarin. Though the text that follows gives us a good idea of what is being expressed, perhaps a glossary/footnote/true translation would have made for a smoother read for those of us who do not understand the language. However, this does not detract from my overall experience. There were certain aspects of the story that I felt could have been explored further, but I did like how the author chose to end the story. The romantic track is executed with maturity and is shown to evolve gradually and does not distract from the primary narrative.
Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted, thought-provoking read and I look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future.
Many thanks to Henry Holt & Company for the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on July 30, 2023.
In 1993, Cincinnati, we meet Clara Vogel, acquiring several porcelain figurines in an auction, among which is a piece called The Viking, which was insIn 1993, Cincinnati, we meet Clara Vogel, acquiring several porcelain figurines in an auction, among which is a piece called The Viking, which was inspired by one of her late artist mother’s most famous works. Clara’s search for the figure is motivated by her quest to find her father – a man she never met and whose identity is a mystery to her. All she knows is that he was “the porcelain maker of Dachau” – as revealed to her by her ailing mother, Bettina, before she passed away. The porcelain figure has a historically significant maker’s mark, which could be instrumental in tracing its origin and shed light on Clara’s family history. Her quest takes her into a deep dive into her mother's past, Bettina’s life in Nazi-occupied Europe and the man she loved. Told through dual timelines, Bettina’s story begins in 1929 and the Bauhaus movement and how she, a German painter, falls in love with Max Ehrlich , an Austrian Jew studying to be an architect. As they struggle to stay together and make plans to eventually leave Germany, fate might not be on their side.
The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is a compelling work of historical fiction that revolves around love, loss, courage and artistic expression with an element of mystery at its core. The characters are well thought out and the author captures the time and place in history quite well. Both timelines are well developed and the narrative flows well, though I would have enjoyed this novel a tad more delved deeper into Clara’s life. Art plays a pivotal role in this novel, and I appreciated how the author utilized the theme of artistic expression and interpretation of the time to carry the story forward also shedding light on how censorship impacted artistic endeavors in Nazi Germany in the era leading into WWII. Labeled “Degenerate Art” Bettina’s early works like those of her modernist peers were deemed “unsuitable”, forcing many to abandon their passion and others to succumb to the pressures of creating works of art in keeping with the norms established by the regime.
“They had decided that almost all modern art was an act of aesthetic violence: a plot by the Jews and communists against the German people. Any number of artists, galleries and exhibitions had been attacked by brown-shirted thugs intent on causing trouble.”
This was the first time I came across any reference to Allach porcelain (originally the factory near Munich and the second location outside the Dachau concentration camp) and the patronage of SS head Heinrich Himmler and how the works were meant to symbolize the ideals of the Third Reich. I read a lot of WWII fiction and I appreciate it when a story incorporates an aspect that was previously unknown to me.
I wish an Author's Note on the people and places that inspired this story had been included at the end. I feel that adding such segments enriches the overall reading experience , especially with historical fiction. (I read the ARC and do not know whether the finished copy includes such a note.)
Novels set in this era are seldom happy reads and this novel is no exception. However, this is a beautifully written , emotional story that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction set in the WWII era.
“In the aftermath so many survivors of the Shoah wanted to live the rest of the life they had and to forget. Who can blame them? But it means that we, their children and grandchildren, must do the difficult work of finding out their histories, of keeping that alive. It is essential, I would argue. If we fail to understand and share this learning, then we’re dooming future generations to repeat the same mistakes.”
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the physical ARC and the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Porcelain Maker was published in the USA on November 7, 2023.
“I am on a peninsula, or to be more precise, the southern half of a peninsula broken in two. But in my mind, I am the land itself. I watch the w4.25⭐️
“I am on a peninsula, or to be more precise, the southern half of a peninsula broken in two. But in my mind, I am the land itself. I watch the waves, and when the tides come near, I will them to retreat, retract into their uncontained bodies.”
Daegu, South Korea, 2011: Forty-six-year-old Eunju is visited by Narae, a Korean American woman in her thirties, who has come to return an item of hers that was in the possession of her recently deceased father Sangchul. Narae also expresses her desire to know more about her father’s life in South Korea and how he came to be in possession of something that belonged to Eunju. The narrative follows Eunju as she shares her story with Narae detailing a traumatic history she shares with Sangchul from three decades ago when they were both teenagers and inmates at The Stone Home, a state-sanctioned reformatory center.
Inspired by true events, The Stone Home by Crystal Hana Kim is an intense and incredibly moving coming-of-age story that sheds light on a dark period in the history of South Korea. Written in lyrical yet powerful prose, the story alternates between past and present timelines – the present timeline focusing on Enju’s interactions with Narae and past events presented from the perspectives of Eunju and Sangchul in alternating chapters. The author presents an unflinching look into the horrifying conditions and human rights violations in reformatory centers that housed women and children rounded up off the streets, labeled as “vagrants” in need of rehabilitation. Detainees were subject to forced labor, barbaric punishments and unimaginable abuse in the hands of those responsible for running the institution and fellow inmates who were charged with supervising others. Eunju’s trauma has followed her into her adulthood - evident in how she struggles to frame her thoughts while recollecting the truth of her experiences in The Stone Home, where she, then only fifteen, and her mother were forcibly detained. Sangchul’s story is one of personal loss, disillusionment, and transformation - trapped in an environment that promotes violence and cruelty Sanchul struggles to preserve his humanity in the face of devastating loss and pressure to conform to what the governing authorities expect of him. The author is brutally honest in her depiction of the dynamics within the center– the friction and rivalries, the power play, the moments of empathy and solidarity between the detainees and the difficult choices Eunju and Sangchul and others have to make in order to survive in a system designed to break them down.
I always appreciate fiction that sheds light on stories and historical facts that were previously unknown to me and this novel is no exception. The story features a large cast of characters, each of whom has a distinct role to play in the story. My only niggle is that I wish we had gotten a bit more information on the events that transpired during the gap years, between past and present timelines including the fate of some of the supporting characters.
Please read the Author’s Note where she briefly discusses the historical context of this story and the people places and events that inspired this novel, In reality, these homes were part of a state-sanctioned strategy in a time of major political changes in the years leading up to the 1988 Olympics intended to clear the streets of those deemed unwanted including political protesters, the homeless and the disabled among others.
Given the subject matter, this is not an easy read but it is definitely an important story that needs to be told and shared and talked about.
Many thanks to the author and William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley and the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“To be haunted by a memory and to be haunted by the feeling that you have lost all memory are nearly the same thing; it is all lost. You are never4.5⭐
“To be haunted by a memory and to be haunted by the feeling that you have lost all memory are nearly the same thing; it is all lost. You are never getting the real thing back.”
Six months after losing his younger brother Kai to drowning, Damien, consumed with grief at losing the only family he had left, leaves his job as a cook in a restaurant on a journey with no destination in sight. His journey takes him across a grueling trek through the desert where he meets a Goatherd who directs him to a village, “a land for the grieving”, where he believes Damien will find what he is looking for. Damien lands up in the village, which is home to a struggling fishing community on the day of the funeral of one of its residents. Damien finds himself amid the deceased Carla’s family, her mother Ana-Maria, and Carla’s younger sisters Paola and Marta. Rumored to be “Bruja” whose fate is intertwined with that of the village and therefore influential, Ana Maria is an imposing presence. She is kind to Damien and employs him in her family’s shop, but rumor has it that she is the one responsible for Carla’s death and her youngest daughter Marta believes this to be true. Between Ana Maria and Marta’s manipulations, Damien finds himself unable to figure out the truth behind their intentions. Paola has a deep connection with nature and tries to maintain peace within the family. She also expresses concern for Damien’s well-being and her mother’s influence on him. On the personal front, Damien is also grappling with a mystical physical transformation that is symbolic of his relationship with the very waters that took his brother from him. We follow Damein as he navigates his grief and his dynamic with the family who has befriended him, as the village gears up for an impending storm that could possibly lead to the destruction of the entire village.
“Humans over the years have lost their ability to commune with the ocean and desert and mountains everything below and beneath, all the sacred directions stop from the overfished waters to the now empty mines, the polluted rivers now conduits for oil, the slashed and burned forests choking out what lungs we have left. It is only a matter of time before we are all evicted. Might be too late to stop the storm, but not too late to hide.”
Steeped in magical realism, metaphors and symbolism, Swim Home to the Vanished by Brendan Shay Basham is reminiscent of works by authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Juan Rulfo. The author taps into the history of the Diné, incorporating the story of the Navajo Long Walk into the narrative and Damien’s family history. Revolving around themes of loss and grief, revenge and jealousy, and climate change, this is an immersive but heavy read. The author’s writing is descriptive, and his use of vivid imagery transports you to Damien’s world. The narrative is a tad disjointed, but overall, I found this novel to be a compelling read.
“We long for nostalgia, crave its pain, for in that remembrance is a kind of cure, a beautiful handful of a gift, like a handful of dirt, joy running through our fingertips, and what better gift than a handful of dirt?”
Many thanks to Harper Books for the gifted copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Revolving around themes of Native American history, heritage, identity, trauma and healing A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power tells the story4.5⭐️
Revolving around themes of Native American history, heritage, identity, trauma and healing A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power tells the story of three generations of Native American women spanning the nineteenth century to the present day.
The narrative is presented to us from the first-person perspectives of Sissy (Jesse), Lillian and Cora. Also sharing their perspectives are the three dolls that bear witness to the sorrows, loss and trauma these three women during their childhood years – their friends, companions, confidantes and source of strength in difficult times- Sissy’s doll Ethel, Lillian’s doll is a Shirley Temple doll she calls Mae and Cora’s is a buckskin doll named Winona.
“We've had forces working to get rid of our culture and beliefs, our way of living, for many generations now.”
Sissy’s mother Lillian is a strong woman, an activist with a volatile temperament whose childhood experiences, both in her family and in school, have cast a long shadow on her present family life. Growing up in 1960s Chicago, Sissy was too young to comprehend that her Lakhota/Dakhota parents belong to a generation of indigenous people (and those who came before them) who were forced to attend schools meant to strip them of their language, their identity and their roots.
Lillian’s mother, Cora is a loving presence in Sissy’s life but has had a difficult life, growing in the Standing Rock Indian Reservation amid tremendous upheaval in the wake of the killing of Hunkpapa Lakhota leader Sitting Bull, and her experiences in an Indian residential school and troubled marriage to Jack, Lillian’s alcoholic father.
“We're used to white folks telling us how lucky we are that they are in our lives, telling us we didn't know how to live until they came along. We're used to being made feel dirty, backward, feeble-minded, lax in our conduct, nasty in our manners-just one tiny hair from being a beast in the zoo.”
The narrative begins with a glimpse into Sissy’s childhood and a tragic loss, the impact of which follows her into adulthood. The following sections follow Lillian’s and Cora’s stories and are set in the 1920s and late 1800s, respectively. In the final segment of the story, we meet Sissy who is now in her fifties and has changed her name to Jesse, as she collates the stories of her mother and grandmother to understand how their experiences are tied together and their experiences have impacted their family through generations – an endeavor that proves to be a cathartic experience that paves the way for personal healing.
I finished this book a few days ago and have been thinking about it ever since. Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Combining fact and fiction, the author has poured heart and soul into a narrative that is powerful in its simplicity, matter of fact yet intimate, insightful and thought-provoking. The use of magical realism and related symbolism to trace the impact of generational trauma in a Native American family through the eyes of the dolls who were their companions is unique and interesting. Initially, the three narratives set years apart, felt a tad disjointed but eventually the three threads are woven into a cohesive and profoundly impactful narrative that highlights Native American history, beliefs and ‘lore and the impact of colonization, the atrocities inflicted upon generations of indigenous people including war and massacres, indoctrination and the horrific treatment meted out to children in residential schools for Native American children and and the hardships generations of indigenous people have endured to preserve their history, culture and heritage.
In her Note, the author talks about her extensive research, her family history and the real people and events that inspired this novel. Overall, I found this to be a heart-wrenching, informative and impactful read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven fiction rooted in history.
Many thanks to Mariner Books for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
“We've learned that healing the present doesn't only clear waters flowing into the future, recovery also flows backward and alleviates the suffering of ancestors. So they can settle down their tears in dark memories, their guilt and shame, their vengeance. And because Time is our relative, a flexible being that moves through every thought and memory, branching into a million rivers of possibility, healing even one of its streams will eventually heal the world.”
“Segregation in civilian life was still very much the law of the land, but the wartime needs in all areas of the military forced the government t 4.5⭐️
“Segregation in civilian life was still very much the law of the land, but the wartime needs in all areas of the military forced the government to admit that they would need to make some exceptions in order to win the war.”
In 1944, as WWII rages on, Judy Washington and her mother are struggling to make ends meet. Judy’s husband Herbert is off fighting the War, enlisting after the bombing of Pearl Harbor resulted in African American men being drafted into the Armed Services. However, correspondence and money from Herbert had been irregular, forcing Judy and her mother to join the Bronx Slave Market where Black women wait on street corners hoping to be employed for domestic services by White women in exchange for a pittance. With the men fighting the war, there was an opportunity for women to join the Woman’s Army Corps (WAC) and after the massive loss of lives in the D-Day Invasion, Allied soldiers from different branches including those handling the post were also called onto the front leading to short staffing and a lag in postal services thereby creating an opening for women, including Black women to join the war effort. Judy decides to enlist eventually becoming a part of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion or the Six Triple Eight Battalion as it was commonly referred to, led by Captain Charity Adams (one of the most high-ranking Black officers in the WAC). The Battalion included approximately 850 Black women who were tasked with sorting and redirecting a massive backlog of correspondence between soldiers and their loved ones back home.
“No mail, no morale. It will be our mantra.”
We also meet others from Judy’s Battalion including Stacy McFadden who hails from a farming family in Missouri, Bernadette Moore from Chicago and Mary Alyce Dixon from Vermont whose journey is made more difficult after a personal revelation leaves her shaken. The narrative follows these women over the next year and a half as they complete their training, cross the Atlantic and are eventually stationed in Birmingham, England till the end of the war. We bear witness to their personal struggles and aspirations, their camaraderie and how they become an integral part of one another’s support systems in difficult moments. The story is shared from the perspectives of Judy, Charity and Mary Alyce for the most part and not only details the working of the Six Triple Eight Battalion but also paints a picture of the bigotry, segregation, sexism and discrimination not only in WWII era United States by also within Army ranks and also how their experiences outside their country allows them an opportunity to view life as Black women from a different perspective, which impacts the decisions they make in the aftermath of the war.
“Everything in America, in life, made it clear that remembering one’s place meant remembering your inferiority to anyone white. The signs, the looks, the treatment—what waited for her back home was now the inferior version of a run-down waiting room, a crowded hospital, a diner’s back entrance or a broken water fountain.”
The brilliant Author’s Note sheds light on the real events and people who inspired this novel while also detailing the facts and fictionalized elements that have been woven into the narrative. Overall, I found Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders to be an impeccably researched, informative, insightful and engrossing read that highlights the contribution of African American women to the WWII effort. This is the first work of fiction where I have come across this aspect of the war effort and I commend the author for the beautiful way she has told this story. With its excellent writing, superb characterizations and a rare glimpse into a part of history that is rarely talked about, this is an exceptionally written novel that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy WWII fiction inspired by true events/people.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row Books for the digital review copy and a special thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own....more
“There were seven of us in all, trapped on the island. One of us was a murderer.”
When former Hollywood movie star Lana Farrar invites her friend4.5⭐️
“There were seven of us in all, trapped on the island. One of us was a murderer.”
When former Hollywood movie star Lana Farrar invites her friends to join her on Aura, the idyllic small Greek island gifted to her by her late first husband, for an Easter weekend getaway with her family, little does she know that one of the seven would not leave the island alive.
Who was murdered and why? One of Lana’s guests, Elliot, a dramatist by profession, takes us through the events that transpired over that fateful weekend and that led to the murder in question. Through Elliot we get to know more about Lana and the others on the island - Kate, theater actor and Lana’s and Elliot’s friend; Leo, Lana’s seventeen-year-old son who wishes to pursue an acting career despite his mother’s disapproval; Lana’s second husband Jason who doesn’t seem too fond of the other guests; Lana’s housekeeper and confidante Agathi and the caretaker of island Nikos, both of whom have been in Lana’s employ for a long time. Beneath the friendship and camaraderie, there seems to be much tension, unrequited feelings, lies and resentment, and it becomes evident that there was no lack of motive to turn on one another.
Elliot tries to be a “reliable” narrator of events, but as he so rightly observes, “We are all the unreliable narrators of our own lives.”
Named after the Greek goddess of the breeze and the morning air, the island is rumored to be haunted, and the locals believe that stepping foot on the island brings bad luck. The ferocity of the winds – “to meno” - “the Fury” in the region often makes it difficult to travel across the Aegean waters, trapping the visitors on the island with a murderer in their midst.
With an interesting cast of characters and a skillfully structured narrative, The Fury by Alex Michaelides is an atmospheric and suspenseful page-turner. I loved the setting and thoroughly enjoyed the intricately plotted Agatha Christie-ish (though Elliot insists it isn't so) murder mystery with more than a few twists! The author seamlessly weaves past and present events into a skillfully crafted narrative divided into five parts or “Acts". The narrative, presented from Elliot’s first-person PoV, kept me engaged and entertained until the very last page.
Though The Silent Patient remains my favorite of all three of Alex Michaelides’ novels, I found The Fury to be a very satisfying read!
I have a feeling that with the right narrator, this would be PHENOMENAL in audiobook format!
Many thanks to the Celadon Readers Program for inviting me to be an early reader. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Fury is scheduled to be released on January 16, 2024.
As the novel begins, we meet seventy-year-old Fletcher Dukes, a widower and resident of Putney, Georgia. It’s 2012 and Fletcher lives alone with his dAs the novel begins, we meet seventy-year-old Fletcher Dukes, a widower and resident of Putney, Georgia. It’s 2012 and Fletcher lives alone with his dog Rockhudson for company. One of his three daughters, Florida, who often checks up on him, his grandson Terrence aka “Bo D” and his older sister, Olga all live in close proximity. Olga, an accomplished academician and Civil Rights activist, is working on tracing their family roots, taking the help of modern methods using DNA for researching ancestry.
When Altovise Benson, with whom Fletcher shares a history, returns to Albany, this opens a floodgate of memories for Fletcher dating back to their school years and romantic relationship, their activism and participation in the Albany Civil Rights Movement and Altovise’s decision to leave Albany and Fletcher in search of a new life for herself taking with her secrets that have been buried for almost five decades.
The narrative follows Fletcher and his family as they grapple with Altovise’s return and the ripples it creates in Fletcher’s family life, long-buried secrets that lead to surprise revelations, Bo D’s struggles with addiction and much more.
At the center of this story is the family talisman- a hard-carved peach seed monkey that is presented to the sons in the family as a rite of passage when they turn thirteen. Fletcher, who was father to three daughters, did not bend the rue for them but passed one down to his grandson Terrence on his thirteenth birthday. Unbeknownst to everyone in his family, he had gifted a special peach seed monkey to Altovise decades ago – a gift that will lead to shocking revelations and connections that will alter the dynamic within the Dukes’ family. Flashbacks take us back to the history of the family talisman and story of a Senegalese man who was abducted from his homeland in 1796 and sold into slavery in the United States and the legacy he carried with him throughout his new life in a foreign land – a legacy of pain, resilience and survival that he passed down to his descendants. The past and present timelines felt a tad disjoint and I wish the historical storyline would have been explored further and we could get a glimpse into the stories of a few more generations of Fletcher’s ancestors and the significance of the peach seed talisman in their lives. I was especially hoping to know more about Akunna’s story.
With its elegant writing, well-drawn characters and engaging narrative, The Peach Seed by Anita Gail Jones is an immersive multi-generational family saga. The author’s masterful storytelling, superb characterizations, and the vividly described setting make for an engaging read. The author addresses several sensitive issues such as segregation and racism, the slave trade, addiction, loss and trauma with insight and compassion. The narrative does suffer from minor repetitiveness, which does not detract from the overall reading experience.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Company for the gifted copy.
I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by the author. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Peach Seed. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
After the Funeral and Other Stories by Tessa Hadley is a remarkable collection of short stories that examines everyday relationships both in their
4.5⭐
After the Funeral and Other Stories by Tessa Hadley is a remarkable collection of short stories that examines everyday relationships both in their simplicity and in their complexity. Revolving around themes of family, friendship, marriage and relationships, these stories examine human behavior and how one copes with shifting dynamics in close relationships impacting their priorities, self-perception and worldview.
The author writes with insight, compassion and great emotional depth. After the Funeral (4.5) follows nine-year-old Charlotte in the years following her father’s demise wherein she takes it upon herself to hold her family together. In Dido’s Lament (5), a chance meeting between former spouses triggers moments of fond memories, regrets and hidden resentments. After their mother is hospitalized after a fall, three sisters return to their childhood home triggering a cascade of memories in The Bunty Club.(4)
On the day of her mother’s wedding to a much younger man, a surprising series of events reveals a more complicated dynamic between the mother, her husband-to-be and her adult daughter in My Mother’s Wedding (4.5). Funny Little Snake(5) revolves around the complicated relationship between a recently married young woman and her stepdaughter. In Men(4), two estranged sisters, see each for the first time in fifteen years but find that some distances are too hard to traverse.
In Cecilia Awakened(5) a perceptive teenager learns a life lesson when she begins to see her family members and herself as distinct individuals with their own set of flaws and shortcomings vis a vis what they project to the outside world and each other, while on vacation.Old Friends (5) follows an affair between a married woman and her husband’s close friend and how it is impacted by a shocking tragedy. In Children at Chess(5), a middle-aged man is shaken when learns of his older sister’s ill health and impending demise.
A middle-aged woman meets a woman who had a scandalous connection to her late father, dredging up painful memories in The Other One (4). In Mia(4), a young woman meets an affluent, seemingly happy woman on a private catering gig but soon realizes that having everything might not necessarily ensure happiness. Set during the pandemic, a middle-aged woman caring for her elderly mother finds herself drawn to her elderly neighbor’s caregiver in Coda(4).
The stories vary in length, setting and tone. Though the writing is crisp with no excesses, the characters are exceptionally well-fleshed out and the author is diligent in her attention to detail while establishing the setting for each of the stories. Overall, I found this collection to be a through-provoking read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven short stories. This is my first time reading this author and I look forward to exploring more of Tessa Hadley’s work.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the digital review copy and the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own....more
“People who grow up in old houses come to understand that buildings have characters. That they have memories and secrets to tell. One must merely4.5⭐️
“People who grow up in old houses come to understand that buildings have characters. That they have memories and secrets to tell. One must merely learn to listen, and then to comprehend, as with any language.”
Jess Turner-Bridges, a forty-year-old journalist, is called back to Sydney, Australia, from her current home in London when her grandmother Nora is hospitalized after a fall. Nora’s accident occurred while she was searching for something in the attic of her home, Darling House. Nora had raised Jess after Polly, Nora's daughter and Jess’s mother, left for Brisbane when Jess was only ten years old. Jess and Polly have remained in touch, but they are not close. As her grandmother floats in and out of consciousness, she utters a few disjointed phrases that initially do not make much sense to Jess. Jess learns that her grandmother had been agitated over the last few days. As Jess tries to find out what caused her grandmother’s recent distress, a significant childhood memory resurfaces and she begins to piece together what her grandmother was trying to convey in her semi-conscious state.
Her research leads her to discover events in her family’s history on her mother and grandmother’s side dating back over sixty years --a tragedy that occurred in 1959 in the small town of Tambilla in South Australia – that sent shockwaves through the small town. Jess also learns of a true crime book, “As If They Were Asleep” written by Daniel Miller, an American journalist who was living in the vicinity during the time, that documents the details of the Turner family living in Tambilla and the tragedy, the ensuing police investigation and features true accounts shared by the townspeople of Tambilla who knew the Turners as well as Nora herself. As the narrative progresses, Jess discovers that there was much about her family and her grandmother that was deliberately kept secret from her – facts that will shake the very foundation of what she believes to be her reality.
Kate Morton is a masterful storyteller. The author seamlessly weaves dual timelines and multiple perspectives into a well-structured and fluid narrative. The vivid imagery, intriguing plot and superb characterizations render this novel a compelling read. The beautiful prose draws you in from the very first page. Both timelines are well depicted. While we follow Jess in the present day, past events are revealed through flashbacks from 1958-59 from multiple perspectives with segments from Daniel Miller’s true-crime book and his research notes interspersed throughout the novel. We also get a few chapters from Polly’s perspective, giving us a window into her complicated relationships with her mother and her daughter. The author excels in developing the nuanced and complex characters and the storylines of the different women in the story – Isabel, Nora, Jess and Polly – each of these characters stands out and we go through a spectrum of emotions as we follow the events that impact their lives – from sorrow and sympathy to shock, exasperation and outrage and much more.
The story touches upon themes of loss, motherhood, home and how we define family. The author also incorporates the issue of mental health in a very subtle manner. As far as the mystery element of this story is concerned, there are plenty of breadcrumbs strewn throughout the narrative and though I could guess, in part, the direction in which the story was headed, I was genuinely surprised by much of what is revealed as all the threads of the story are brought together toward the end. The pacing is a tad uneven but not so much that it detracts from the overall reading experience. The story does move faster in the second half. However, I should mention that this is a meticulously detailed, lengthy novel (540 + pages) and I thought that a few segments could have been shorter.
Overall, exquisitely written, atmospheric and immersive, Homecoming by Kate Morton is an intricately woven story that I would not hesitate to recommend to historical fiction fans and those who enjoy multigenerational family sagas with an element of suspense. Finally, I just have to mention that cover! It is stunning!
Many thanks to Mariner Books for the ARC of this beautifully written novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
"Home, she’d realised, wasn’t a place or a time or a person, though it could be any or all of those things: home was a feeling, a sense of being complete. The opposite of ‘home’ wasn’t ‘away’, it was ’lonely’. When someone said, ‘I want to go home’, what they really meant was that they didn’t want to feel lonely anymore.”
Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile (recovering from
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