I enjoyed this literary espionage novel set in Bahrain. My favorite aspect of the book was it’s sense of place - the detailed imagery of neighborhoodsI enjoyed this literary espionage novel set in Bahrain. My favorite aspect of the book was it’s sense of place - the detailed imagery of neighborhoods, streets, daily rhythms, and ambiance made for a strong literary travel experience. The subterfuge was imaginary and deviates from real history so I spent a fare amount of time delving into Bahraini history to sort it out. This was part of my Around the World reading journey and it definitely put Bahrain on the map for me. ...more
I thought this was a brilliant exploration of modern womanhood in the Middle East. Although it is set in a fictitious country, readers can picture wheI thought this was a brilliant exploration of modern womanhood in the Middle East. Although it is set in a fictitious country, readers can picture where it is. The author is a Palestinian-Jordani woman, and I'm assigning the novel to Jordan in my around-the-world reading journey.
It is a challenging read. The topic and situations are pretty dark, and the writing style requires a lot of focus as points of view change without always making it obvious to the reader. I found this frustrating, but I also think it is consistent with the literary styles of this region. I read it in one afternoon. I am glad I had a print copy as I did have to reread passages to sort out who was talking to or about whom.
The transition through five chapters and five "seasons" of the protagonist worked well. I loved seeing Nadia's growth....more
I find satire often doesn't translate across diverse cultures, but still, I decided to read this farcical set of stories for my Oceanic reading journeI find satire often doesn't translate across diverse cultures, but still, I decided to read this farcical set of stories for my Oceanic reading journey. I enjoyed them - I can't say I laughed and I'm sure some of the inuendoes went right past my head, but I felt I grasped the underlying (and scathing) message. But I struggle with where to assign this book. The author was born in Tonga, but now lives in Fiji. I decided to assign the book to Tonga....more
I read this book for a book club and with great reluctance as I wasn’t sure I could manage a raw novel about the Palestine/Israeli conflict given the I read this book for a book club and with great reluctance as I wasn’t sure I could manage a raw novel about the Palestine/Israeli conflict given the ongoing war. But I ended up appreciating the author’s perspective. The writing is excellent and I was fully absorbed in the story. The sense of place takes you right to the heart of the region. Characterization is strong, family ties and culture are portrayed with strong brushes. I felt like I came away from the book with a stronger understanding of the people’s displaced by the creation of the Israeli state. But I also feel like this book omits details and historic details that would be unfavorable to Palestinians, and that felt somewhat manipulative. In any event, I’ll be ready for my book club discussion today....more
My literary travels to Côte d’Ivoire are completed. Nine Hills is a memoir written by a Peace Corp volunteer who was stationed in a small northern vilMy literary travels to Côte d’Ivoire are completed. Nine Hills is a memoir written by a Peace Corp volunteer who was stationed in a small northern village for two years just prior to the recent civil war. The book took me deep into daily life of the local people and I appreciated vicariously experiencing the community. There is no riveting plot, but if you are curious about how others live or if you are also journeying around the world in books, this is a good pick for Côte d’Ivoire.
A few words on how I pick books for each country: my first preference for books as I tour the world, is a novel written by a regional author. This isn’t always possible as some smaller countries don’t have many or any options available in English (the only language I’m comfortable reading books in) or available from my library. When that is the case, I can sometimes find used or new books to buy, but I’m also left with picking books from non-native authors. Usually it’s then someone with strong cultural or family roots to a region, but I also occasionally pick books written by visitors to a country, or expats who’ve had extended residencies. Some books are historical nonfiction written by journalists or academics. So sometimes I’m getting an insider’s view of the country, and sometime an outsider’s view. I’ve found this mix to help me understand this world all the better. I’m now down to less than 50 books to complete my journey - every single country I’ve now ‘toured’ is now a real place, with real people and the world is getting smaller and smaller.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was my Malawi pick for my around the world journey - and it was a good one. Only a small part of the autobiography focuThe Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was my Malawi pick for my around the world journey - and it was a good one. Only a small part of the autobiography focusses on the building of the wind turbine. The rest gives the reader a view into the life of a village boy in rural Malawi. One minor aspect of the book I loved - it is an ode to libraries. Provide books and resources to people for free, and let their ingenuity be revealed....more
This book took me to the heart of a devastating forest fire. It was so real. I live in Southern California and my family has been evacuated twice for This book took me to the heart of a devastating forest fire. It was so real. I live in Southern California and my family has been evacuated twice for nearby fires. People I know have lost their homes. This is the first book I’ve read that captures the experience of living in an area where fire risk is growing and fires are becoming more devastating. The writing style moves between a story the mother is telling her daughter, describing the fire contemporaneously, and the aftermath of the fire. The lead character is not always lovable, but always relatable. The only thing missing from the account was the eerie orange hew the air takes on for days/weeks following a fire. IYKYK.
If you are curious to virtually experience a raging fire and its aftermath in a community, this is the book to read. It also may be too much for someone who’s experienced such a fire first hand. Trigger warning....more
What a debut! I have no doubts that this novel will land in my top reads for 2024. I had to just sit and reflect after finishing the closing pages. ItWhat a debut! I have no doubts that this novel will land in my top reads for 2024. I had to just sit and reflect after finishing the closing pages. It’s a heartbreaker.
But this is not an easy book to read. It’s a people “who done it.” By that, I mean the author intentionally writes from multiple points of view and places in time. The reader is left wondering who is who and how the large cast of characters relate to each other. This can be a massive fail, with reader frustration winning out over curiosity, but I think Manawatu nailed this writing style perfectly. It unsettled me, kept me anxious and tense trying to decipher the interconnections. But that was also some of the character’s experiences so it worked to communicate the messages at a visceral level.
Auē reminded me of Jesmyn Ward’s writing - it has strong literary value, tells a difficult/traumatic story, and leaves a mark on your soul.
There is a lot of Maori language in the novel and the glossary helped but didn’t contain everything. It was cumbersome on an ereader to keep moving to the bookmarked glossary to look up words so a print version might work better for some readers. As an audiobook, I think it would be hard to follow all the content unless you were familiar with Maori and New Zealand slang. I enjoyed the language and dialogue despite the challenges. It gave me a more immersive experience. I could figure out most content by the context. I read this book as my New Zealand pick for my around the world reading journey so this type of reading experience is one that I sought out.
Prospective readers need to be aware that there is a lot of graphic violence in this book- on the level of Django Unchained (the movie is referred to a lot within the story so familiarity with it helps). There is also an episode of animal abuse so if that’s a no-go for you don’t pick this book up.
This book will appeal to readers who:
- are intrigued by book structures that leave a reader wondering how the pieces (people in this case) come together. - enjoy multiple points of view, including young children. The author does a brilliant job making each character’s voice unique and age-appropriate. - appreciate dark, difficult, and violent stories. - seek an immersive experience into a culture they otherwise will never get to know. - use their reading experience to process and better understand commonalities to the human condition as they manifest across cultures, as well as the characteristics that make a culture unique....more
This is one of my favorite Around the World reads from former Soviet republics. Hard By a Great Forest is set in Georgia, following their recent war aThis is one of my favorite Around the World reads from former Soviet republics. Hard By a Great Forest is set in Georgia, following their recent war and focusing on the return of a fractured family - refugees returning from England to search for lost family members. It was brilliant. The characters are fully fleshed out, complicated, and I was fully invested in their journey. This is an epic journey tale, loosely based on Hansel & Gretel following “bread crumbs” through the forest. I got exactly what I wanted from this book - a riveting story and emersion into recent Georgian history, culture, and geography.
I listened to the audible version and the narration and voices were wonderfully done....more
The Great Divide is a refreshing and original contribution to historical fiction. This story is NOT about the I've got my first 5-star novel of 2024!
The Great Divide is a refreshing and original contribution to historical fiction. This story is NOT about the engineering and construction accomplishments of building the Panama Canal. Instead, it focuses on the people and communities surrounding the canal site. Reading the book made me think about the ordinary people - locals and immigrants - whose lives were forever altered by this massive construction project. Like all good books, I'm still thinking about the messages conveyed.
The novel's characters are likable and have well-developed storylines and complicated family relationships. Each character's story eventually converges with the others and resolves with satisfying conclusions. There is a relatively large cast of characters, though, and I frequently searched names with my Kindle to remind myself who was who. Your choice of format may depend on how well you keep track of names. The sense of place is also well-written, and I felt transported to the Panamanian jungle.
If you enjoy historical fiction and are looking for stories that take you to new eras and places, you've found a match. I predict this book will likely be short-listed for historical fiction awards this year.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.
This was my pick for Bangladesh in my around the world tour. I found the story excellent. The plot was well crafted and kept me engaged. The focus on This was my pick for Bangladesh in my around the world tour. I found the story excellent. The plot was well crafted and kept me engaged. The focus on one woman and her personal journey through the war was also very strong. As a representation of Bengali culture I felt I learned much. Some reviews by (apparently) Bengalis are pretty critical though, but the issues they pick seem to be around minor details more than the big picture. I’d recommend it to readers interested in learning more about this region and time in history. ...more
I read this book for my Around the World reading challenge, for Mozambique. The Tuner of Silences is full of poetic phrases, allegories, dream states,I read this book for my Around the World reading challenge, for Mozambique. The Tuner of Silences is full of poetic phrases, allegories, dream states, metaphors and more literary art - way more- than I typically read. Still, I found the book compelling and I felt like I’d had a bit of a peek at this country in southeastern Africa. The novel has troubling views of women and relationships, but based on what I’ve experienced in other African countries and what I’ve read about Mozambique’s demographics and culture, it seems appropriate. There is a lot of sadness and madness in this book, revealed in poetic language. I found myself pausing to reflect on many sentences.
If this style of literature - romanticized, lyrical, contemplative - appeals to you then pick this book. If you are looking for a grounded, pragmatic, easily accessible story line find something else. ...more
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