Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe
by Carl Safina
An appealing conversation about the interconnection of man and nature (10/3/2023)
Carl Safina blends ecology and natural science with philosophy to show the inextricable connections between nature and human existence. Over the course of their homebound Covid-19 year, the author and his wife rescue a fledgling owl who had been left for dead. Through interactions with and observations of Alfie the owl and her eventual mate and three owlets, Safina muses about humanity's belief systems (philosophy, theology, technology) through history and how we've arrived at the separation of man and nature and our planet's crisis conditions.
"If one has not been raised to inquire about relationships, one might see a living thing as nothing but a product model. One would miss that living is a correspondence with the surroundings, a matter of taking in and putting forth ... Each species is in continual conversation with other individuals, various species, and the land- and waterscapes of their time and place."
Safina weaves owl behavior with philosophy, using transitions that are often fluid but occasionally jarring. Overall a reflective and gorgeously lyrical book with an appeal that makes so much sense.
North Woods: A Novel
by Daniel Mason
novel as palimpsest about connection, to history, to one another, to our environs (9/21/2023)
To call these linked stories would do this sweeping novel injustice. The stories are rooted to the ground, overgrowing one another to create a marvelous forest -- a wondrous palimpsest. The novel's fertile ground is a single house in the woods of Western Massachusetts, inhabited by first one soul then another and another. All iterations feature richly drawn characters -- Puritan lovers gone wild, an English soldier utterly infatuated with apples, his spinster twin daughters torn by passion and envy. Further inhabitants -- humans, as well as a mountain lion on the prowl and a ravenous beetle -- claim proceeding chapters. This novel looks at history and the cycles of nature, asking where do we fit in, what are our roles -- during and after our lives? What are our passions, what do we do with them, and how do these actions affect this place we inhabit? I was totally enthralled, beginning to end. Highly recommend.
The September House
by Carissa Orlando
Brilliant haunted house novel with excellently twisted humor (6/6/2023)
It's "a house with heavy bones," a place where Margaret can sink her roots into the ground. The gorgeous Victorian with cobalt paint, neat white trim, and a wrap-around porch is going for a price so low, she and Hal triple-check it. So what if, once they move in, they realize the walls bleed and prankster ghosts wreak havoc on the place every September? After the fourth September, Hal has had enough, and off he goes, disappearing. No matter, Margaret is home, and she's not one to run from horror. She remembers The Exorcist as being enjoyable and fairly entertaining. She has learned, after raising a daughter, and especially over the course of her marriage to Hal, that "every situation, no matter how unusual, has rules. They might be strange rules, and they might be difficult to figure out, but once they are learned, they can be followed. And everything works out."
And what a ride it is to watch how things work out in this supernatural psychological horror novel that takes its cues from classic haunted house literature and movies. There's bits and bobs from Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, The Exorcist, Get Out. It's no wonder that debut novelist Carissa Orlando has a doctorate in clinical-community psychology. Like all great horror writers, she uses this novel to address themes of trauma -- in this case, due to violence and things we don't talk about in families. Great horror novels set up a safe space for us to explore emotions of pain, to help us face our fears, and to find meaning in even our darkest experiences. This is a great horror novel. If you like haunted house stories with generous helpings of dark, twisted humor and emotional resonance, run like you're being chased to The September House.
The Gifts: A Novel
by Liz Hyder
A feminist story wherein hard-pressed Victorian women must find their wings (4/12/2023)
This novel melds historical fiction with magical realism to tell the stories of four women straining against the limitations imposed on them in Victorian England. The patriarchy very much pins them down, like specimens. In fact, when two of the women, Etta and Natalya, inexplicably grow wings, a young surgeon with a god complex holds them captive in his seeping London basement in order to mount an exhibit of "his angels." They are no more than scientific specimens in Edward's eyes, and he treats them as such. The other two women are Edward's wife, Annie, from whom he has kept his captives secret, and a talented writer and budding journalist named Mary. Short, alternating chapters are told from the perspectives of each of the four, plus the increasingly ambition-crazed Edward. Chapters are introduced by a charming illustration that signals the chapter's POV character -- Etta the botanist is represented by an oak leaf, Mary the journalist by an inkpot and quill, Natalya the Orkney Islands dweller by a seashell, Annie the artist and beleaguered wife by a painter's palette, and Edward by a key. This book is for those who like a well-paced plot, descriptive prose, and strong female characters who overcome grief and hopeless situations to finally find their wings.
Bad Cree: A Novel
by Jessica Johns
A supernatural horror thriller that explores generational trauma (2/13/2023)
In this debut supernatural thriller, a young Cree woman's dreams lead her back home, where a wheetigo (windigo) preys on the family's grief for her grandmother and her sister. Mackenzie has tried to run away from her family and their losses, but her nightmares have started to bleed into reality and she returns home to relearn the strength of family, community, and connection to the land. "That's the best and worst thing about being connected to everything: you are a part of it all, but you can't choose what gets sent out into the world. Or what can find you." This is a supernatural horror thriller that explores generational trauma, touching on themes of grief and family and the devastation wrought on native lands by industrial greed and negligence. An impressive debut by Jessica Johns, a member of Sucker Creek First Nation in Treaty 8 territory in Northern Alberta, Canada.
Thanks @DoubledayBooks and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.
The Light Pirate
by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Hope is light in the darkness (12/14/2022)
Resilience, survival, adaptability. These are all themes of this novel told in four parts -- power, water, light, time. Wanda Lowe is named for the catastrophic storm that opens this memorable novel. She is born in a not-too-distant future Florida, with its power grid and social fabric unraveling. As Wanda's personal losses mount, we see what she gains in the spaces that remain. I keep returning to imagery and themes in this powerful book, with its hopeful tone despite its civilization's devastation. The blip of magical element in the book had me scratching my head at first. Was it really necessary? As I reflect upon its impact on the narrative, my answer leans yes. Because, again: Hope is light in the darkness. The author has done her homework in creating a post-climate-disaster Florida and surviving/survivalist characters making do with what and how the world changes. I'll forgive her for using the words 'row' and 'oar' so many times when referring to paddling a canoe.
The God of Endings: A Novel
by Jacqueline Holland
A marvel of a debut novel (11/27/2022)
"Everyone must decide for themselves whether this world and life in it is a kindness or an unkindness, a blessing or a curse." This novel is a marvel, difficult to classify, easy to admire. Told in alternating chapters, switching from the past to the novel's present time of 1984, The God of Endings is the saga of a lonely, immortal woman. It is at once a vampire novel, a psychological thriller, and an exploration of the human condition in general, motherhood in particular. It is also a coming-of-age novel, wherein the point-of-view character Anna/Anya/Colette takes 460 pages and more than 200 years to move forward, facing her greatest fear. If, like me, you love a saga with sides of fantasy, mythology, history, thriller vibes, and gorgeous prose, this debut novel is a must-read.
Natural History: Stories
by Andrea Barrett
Interlinked stories invoking generational memory, scientific wonder, ties that bind (8/11/2022)
These six linked short stories, including the novelette-length (50 pages) title story, call upon characters from Andrea Barrett's past collections, with the ground zero story being "The Marburg Sisters" from the author's National Book Award-winning Ship Fever. Set in the fictional town of Crooked Lake, NY, the stories move forward in time for the most part, with some well-placed backstories at just the right moments. The overarching narrative fleshes out women's roles in society and their interconnected lives, drawing upon themes of memory and science. This book is for those curious about the natural world as well as the wonders of the human heart.
One's Company: A Novel
by Ashley Hutson
Beyond the comfort of fantasy lies the unknowable fourth wall (6/13/2022)
Bonnie Lincoln has survived horrific trauma. Barely survived. When she wins the mother of all lotteries, Bonnie decides that she can indeed escape her pain, her trauma, and her past. All she needs is to trade her story for that of her favorite TV show characters. "My reality cracked open, and the television spooned another one on top." Bonnie buys a remote property, builds an identical re-creation of Three's Company. All alone, she not only binge-watches the eight seasons of episodes that ran from 1977 to 1984. She binge-lives the show, inhabiting each of the characters, year by year. But eventually she will have to face the unknowable fourth wall. I absolutely binge-read this novel, laughing with Bonnie one minute, aching for her the next minute -- aching for her through the bittersweet ending.
Two Nights in Lisbon: A Novel
by Chris Pavone
As twisty as the cobbled streets of Lisbon (5/25/2022)
Lisbon provides the perfect backdrop for this international thriller. From the moment Ariel Pryce wakes alone in her hotel room, her husband gone without warning, the action throttles without cease. Author Chris Pavone uses well the winding streets of this hilly Portuguese city, with its yellow trams, its chugging tuktuk scooters, its elevators, and its hidden staircases to climb and descend. Ariel navigates this intriguing setting as she navigates the crisis that is her husband's kidnapping. And as with Lisbon, there are secrets around every turn in Ariel's path. This is a gripping thriller in which twists abound. January Lavoy, as always, succeeds beautifully in performing the audio version of this unputdownable book.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy in exchange for my opinion.
Fencing with the King: A Novel
by Diana Abu-Jaber
As if we've been transported to Jordan (1/14/2022)
This deliberately paced, sensuously written novel is the story of a lost woman regaining her self. It's the story of a poet finding her voice. And it's the story of a "true Jordanian" family, in the sense that this family represents many facets of Jordan, those on display as well as those buried in the past. The book starts slowly, unfolding to reveal a twist worth the wait. Jordan, circa 1995, is depicted with such love. We feel that love through Abu-Jabar's ability to immerse us in its culture and landscapes. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes their historical fiction infused with poetry, family dynamics, political machinations, romance, and the grace, intrigue, and sport of fencing.
Beasts of a Little Land: A Novel
by Juhea Kim
Inyeon in the time of Korea's epic struggle for independence (12/7/2021)
In this excellent debut novel, we go from the wilds of mountainous North Korea to the grit and gloss of Seoul. This historical fiction novel takes us from 1917 through 1965, during Korea's fight to crawl out from under Japanese occupation. It's 416 pages of love in the time of epic struggle for independence. The main characters come of age in a country finding its way. There are little girls who become courtesans and movie stars, street kids who become resistance fighters, rickshaw drivers who become scions of business, military men who give a little and take a lot. There are love stories that run their courses. I repeat: an excellent debut, highly recommended.
Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my opinion.
Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard
Deconstructing as a means of building self (11/23/2021)
A bildungsroman with a twist, this "new adult" coming-of-age novel's premise is both fascinating and multifaceted. Young, rude, aimless, loner Del challenges herself to demolish her childhood home, and in the process of deconstructing the house and her family's stuff, she builds herself. This book will make for lively discussion among book groups.
A Million Things
by Emily Spurr
tugs at the heartstrings (6/9/2021)
I devoured this debut novel by Australian author Emily Spurr. Remarkable for its theme, its characters, and its humanity, the book is written from the second-person point of view, the 'you' directed at the narrator's mother. I won't soon forget narrator Rae, her neighbor Lettie, or her sweet beast of a dog Splinters. But the nameless mother is also an interesting character, more so because she develops in the literary equivalent of negative space.
The Prophets
by Robert Jones Jr.
An epic novel giving clear voice & vivid characters to a buried past (11/27/2020)
I'll start with the cover of this remarkable debut novel. Its design is on trend, for sure, but it's also perfect for The Prophets, a book that will transcend trend. Look at the silhouettes and the layers and the shades of color. The silhouetted faces indicate bodies down, prone and separated, yet the faces ascend, as if forming the foundations of mountains, and they look up. Robert Jones Jr. has written novel as testimony, with its central question: Did Black queer people exist in the past? Of course they did, but where are they in the historical record? Jones imagines their history, from ancestral Africa to the antebellum South. This is a book worthy of a deep-dive exploring its layers, inciting meditations and conversations about love and beauty and strength amid horrendous brutality. I'll end by emphasizing that at the heart of this book is Love.
Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke
Enter this strange but enthralling labyrinth (8/16/2020)
Imagine waking in the middle of a 3D labyrinth populated by only statues, neoclassical architecture, the sea and clouds. It would be confusing at first, certainly, just as the first chapters of Susanna Clarke's new speculative fiction novel are. But as you wander this surreal world with the character Piranesi, you'll become oriented to this strangeness. I use the word 'strange' on purpose. It is a word you might associate with Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell, but be warned, the two books are very different. Piranesi's requires patience, but as its mystery wrapped in fantasy reveals itself, you might, as I did, fall deeply into its thrall.
Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy
An enthralling debut novel set in a breathtaking future (5/5/2020)
This book, like the birds the protagonist is so determined to follow, soars. Reading it in the midst of an actual pandemic gives it that much more gravity. But it needed no help in that, with or without the hovering of coronavirus. The prose is achingly gorgeous: 'I wandered. Through cobbled streets or into paddocks, where long grass whispered hish as I passed between.' The slow emergence of our main character, Franny, how the author lifts veil after veil to reveal her character, made me physically ache for her, while the author's attention to language makes the narrative that much more poetic, that much more enthralling. The laser-focus on nature, in all senses of the word, gives the book both a timeless and timely theme. I loved everything, every aching sentence, of this debut novel.
The Big Finish
by Brooke Fossey
The Big Finish deserves big kudos (11/15/2019)
Brooke Fossey had me at 9am Sit and Be Fit. I swear I've seen those exact activities on the board at my aunt's assisted living facility. I love that the novel is broken into bulletin board calendar days as well as numbered chapters. Time and its rate and manner of passing is a key thread in this novel, as it should be. Though Duffy is 88, his mind and internal dialog zip the narrative along. Stakes are high in the Centennial assisted living home, after all. I recommend this to readers who like a funny and character-driven story that demonstrates how its never too late to be the person you mean to be.
Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson
How do you prep for the possibility of fire children? (6/15/2019)
As a fan of weird fiction, I devoured this book. Main character Lillian, like most of us, feels like whatever she does, it's the wrong thing. She's not prepared for the children she's tasked to care for. Who would be prepared for children who catch fire at will? What Kevin Wilson does, and has done brilliantly here, is create situations and characters just absurd enough that they make you feel less alone in the world. Lillian says at one point, "That's how it works ... . The big thing is so ridiculous that you absorb only the smaller miracles." I highly recommend this book to weird fiction fans and to anyone craving a warm, witty novel.
House of Stone
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
A layered novel in which history commands center stage (12/29/2018)
This sprawling novel set in Zimbabwe during Robert Mugabe's brutal government marks the impressive debut of Novuyo Rosa Tshuma. The book will appeal to readers seeking a layered, twist-filled #ownvoices story of oppressed and haunted people seeking to transcend the past.
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Power Reviewer
