I really wanted to like Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch. People I know and like read it and, frankly, raved about it. It won the Pulitzer Prize for goodness sake! And I couldn't even bring myself to finish it...
The Goldfinch opens with the grown-up Theo Decker on the run in Amsterdam. The reader knows he's in some trouble - too nervous even to venture to the lobby other than in the dead of night. How did this happen? Theo begins his story where all good tales begin: at the beginning. And in the beginning, Theo Decker is 13 years old and the victim of a bomb attack that kills his mother and leaves him, essentially, orphaned. From here the story becomes, frankly, evermore unlikely and, frankly, bizarre.
The biggest issue for me is that I simply could not connect with Theo - or any of the other characters - on any level. I became annoyed with the ceaseless pages of descriptive minutiae that did little to move the story along. I mean, it's not like I didn't try: I read over 400 pages of this book. And I'd waited for months to get a copy from the library. But with nearly 400 more pages to go, I simply couldn't do it.
Browsing through the reviews on GoodBooks, I found some sage advice I wished I'd stumbled on 300 pages earlier: "To
anyone wondering if they should still read this book, since reviewers
are so divided (e.g. you either LOVE it or HATE it): by all means, YES.
Read it! But: if you find you are hating it within 100 pages, just put
it down and walk away. Because it won't ever get better for you (Really.
do as I say and not as I do: Put. It. Down.)." If only I'd known...
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Paris at the End of the World: The City of Light During the Great War, 1914-1918
Somewhere along the line, John Baxter's Paris at the End of the World: The City of Light During the Great War, 1914-1918 stops being so much about Paris and starts being much more about Baxter's own search for the records, and more importantly experiences, of his paternal grandfather, Archie.
Here's the deal: I love Paris. And I'm very interested in World War I. I have a much harder time investing myself in why an author's grandfather might have enlisted 100 years ago (to escape an uncomfortable domestic situation, Baxter ultimately surmises), retracing said soldier's steps from eastern Australia to western Europe, uncovering his medical history (oh the banality of varicose veins!), and then hypothesizing on how he got to Paris and who he might have met.
Unfortunately, I was not much more impressed with the Paris parts of the book. The section on Gallieni's use of Paris's taxicabs to transport French troops to the front was likely the most interesting, although that particular story is pretty well known. I take that back - the very most interesting bit concerns the drug kit containing "cocaine, morphine, syringes, and needles" sold by Harrod's and marketed as a "welcome present for friends at the front." Indeed. In any case, Harrod's stopped selling the kit, along with vials of heroin gel, after the British government restricted sale because those same friends at the front were too stoned to go "over the top."
Ultimately, the best of Paris at the End of the World are the myriad images, from old photographs to wartime to postcards and magazine illustrations, that are sprinkled liberally throughout the book. These, along with the various long-forgotten quotes and ditties (such as the riff on La Marseillaise, "Aux gares, citoyens / Montez dans les wagons") are the strength of Paris at the End of the World. Even so, more complete and in-depth books on World War I Paris are available; this one is probably best left to those seeking every perspective on wartime Paris, including that of a long-dead Australian soldier.
Here's the deal: I love Paris. And I'm very interested in World War I. I have a much harder time investing myself in why an author's grandfather might have enlisted 100 years ago (to escape an uncomfortable domestic situation, Baxter ultimately surmises), retracing said soldier's steps from eastern Australia to western Europe, uncovering his medical history (oh the banality of varicose veins!), and then hypothesizing on how he got to Paris and who he might have met.
Unfortunately, I was not much more impressed with the Paris parts of the book. The section on Gallieni's use of Paris's taxicabs to transport French troops to the front was likely the most interesting, although that particular story is pretty well known. I take that back - the very most interesting bit concerns the drug kit containing "cocaine, morphine, syringes, and needles" sold by Harrod's and marketed as a "welcome present for friends at the front." Indeed. In any case, Harrod's stopped selling the kit, along with vials of heroin gel, after the British government restricted sale because those same friends at the front were too stoned to go "over the top."
Ultimately, the best of Paris at the End of the World are the myriad images, from old photographs to wartime to postcards and magazine illustrations, that are sprinkled liberally throughout the book. These, along with the various long-forgotten quotes and ditties (such as the riff on La Marseillaise, "Aux gares, citoyens / Montez dans les wagons") are the strength of Paris at the End of the World. Even so, more complete and in-depth books on World War I Paris are available; this one is probably best left to those seeking every perspective on wartime Paris, including that of a long-dead Australian soldier.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Salt, Sugar, Fat
Michael Moss's look at "magical formulations of salt, sugar, and fat," as he so nicely phrases it, is not for the faint of heart. Salt, Sugar, Fat is no less than an expose on how Big Food has altered the diets of Americans (and increasingly those all over the world) since the heady days after World War II.
Although neither a quick nor light read, this is a book that makes the reader think seriously about the "food" we all consume. Moss provides an inside look at everything from marketing campaigns targeted at "heavy users" of cream cheese to the creation of Lunchables. Moss demystifies such innocuous seeming ingredients as fruit juice concentrate and potassium chloride.
Ultimately, Moss's conclusions mirror those of the authors of The Food of a Younger Land: if only we would eat only what would have been recognizable as food by our great-grandparents, we might all be a bit healthier - and slimmer. In any event, I challenge anyone who reads Salt, Sugar, Fat to not take a hard look at their current diet and find room for improvement. I've definitely banished a few "foods" from my shopping card.
Although neither a quick nor light read, this is a book that makes the reader think seriously about the "food" we all consume. Moss provides an inside look at everything from marketing campaigns targeted at "heavy users" of cream cheese to the creation of Lunchables. Moss demystifies such innocuous seeming ingredients as fruit juice concentrate and potassium chloride.
Ultimately, Moss's conclusions mirror those of the authors of The Food of a Younger Land: if only we would eat only what would have been recognizable as food by our great-grandparents, we might all be a bit healthier - and slimmer. In any event, I challenge anyone who reads Salt, Sugar, Fat to not take a hard look at their current diet and find room for improvement. I've definitely banished a few "foods" from my shopping card.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Villa Triste
Lucretia Grindle's Villa Triste has been on my reading list for years - and it is fantastic.
In many ways, all of them good, the book's structure reminded me of Elizabeth Is Missing. Villa Triste essentially consists of two narratives. One of them is the slowly unfolding tale of Caterina Cammaccio, a nurse by day and a reluctant partisan (or Italian resistance fighter) by night. The setting is World War II Florence, simultaneously occupied by Nazis and overrun with fascists. The other narrative is actually a mystery. Giovanni Trantemento, an elderly and decorated former partisan, has been brutally murdered in his own home. As Florence's top cop, it's up to Alessandro Palliotti to solve the crime, but when another former partisan is similarly murdered elsewhere in Italy, it's clear to him that Trantemento's murder wasn't a mere crime of opportunity.
As in Elizabeth is Missing, the two narratives that form the heart of Villa Triste are closely intertwined and the story unfolds magnificently. (I should add that the way in which the events during the war directly impact the current mystery also recalls Once We Were Brothers.) Grindle has pulled off both the mystery and historical fiction elements of her novel beautifully, while creating an array of remarkable characters.
I have read no small number of books (fiction and non-fiction) with World War II as the backdrop. Villa Triste is the first book I've read about the war in Italy, though, which also lent it an additional interest factor as I was reading.This is an easy book to recommend to lovers of historical fiction or mysteries or both. Happy reading!
In many ways, all of them good, the book's structure reminded me of Elizabeth Is Missing. Villa Triste essentially consists of two narratives. One of them is the slowly unfolding tale of Caterina Cammaccio, a nurse by day and a reluctant partisan (or Italian resistance fighter) by night. The setting is World War II Florence, simultaneously occupied by Nazis and overrun with fascists. The other narrative is actually a mystery. Giovanni Trantemento, an elderly and decorated former partisan, has been brutally murdered in his own home. As Florence's top cop, it's up to Alessandro Palliotti to solve the crime, but when another former partisan is similarly murdered elsewhere in Italy, it's clear to him that Trantemento's murder wasn't a mere crime of opportunity.
As in Elizabeth is Missing, the two narratives that form the heart of Villa Triste are closely intertwined and the story unfolds magnificently. (I should add that the way in which the events during the war directly impact the current mystery also recalls Once We Were Brothers.) Grindle has pulled off both the mystery and historical fiction elements of her novel beautifully, while creating an array of remarkable characters.
I have read no small number of books (fiction and non-fiction) with World War II as the backdrop. Villa Triste is the first book I've read about the war in Italy, though, which also lent it an additional interest factor as I was reading.This is an easy book to recommend to lovers of historical fiction or mysteries or both. Happy reading!
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Elizabeth Is Missing
Maud, 82 and suffering from dementia, is overwrought that her friend, Elizabeth, is missing. Or maybe not, she can't really remember. She has notes in her pockets and in her purse; some tell her Elizabeth is missing and others say definitely not. If only she could remember. And try she does, but as she tries to make sense of Elizabeth's disappearance, memories flood back of another disappearance, this of her older sister Sukey who simply vanished in 1946. As Maud's dementia worsens and she spins further and further from reality, she begins to puzzle back together the details of her sister's disappearance, making startling discoveries from a distance of 70 years.
I have to say: Wow, I loved this book! Emma Healey's Elizabeth Is Missing is one of the most fascinating, amazing, well-constructed novels I have read this year. Often, parallel narratives can fall apart, but this one simply gets better as the book progresses. What's more, this is a stunning, poignant look at aging and dementia. The reader can feel the losses and confusion mount around Maud and her daughter Helen, whom Maud is often unable to recognize. Healey creates a genuine portrait of a woman falling away from the world and, frankly, Elizabeth Is Missing is all the more terrifying for being so. (I couldn't help but think - repeatedly - how very much I did not want to end up like Maud, missing sister and friend aside.)
The bottom line: I read this entire book in less than 48 hours. It is simply wonderful. I cannot recommend it enough.
I have to say: Wow, I loved this book! Emma Healey's Elizabeth Is Missing is one of the most fascinating, amazing, well-constructed novels I have read this year. Often, parallel narratives can fall apart, but this one simply gets better as the book progresses. What's more, this is a stunning, poignant look at aging and dementia. The reader can feel the losses and confusion mount around Maud and her daughter Helen, whom Maud is often unable to recognize. Healey creates a genuine portrait of a woman falling away from the world and, frankly, Elizabeth Is Missing is all the more terrifying for being so. (I couldn't help but think - repeatedly - how very much I did not want to end up like Maud, missing sister and friend aside.)
The bottom line: I read this entire book in less than 48 hours. It is simply wonderful. I cannot recommend it enough.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
A friend recommended Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple as a quick, fun summer read, which it is. I actually finished it several days ago, but I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to say about it until now.
A little background: Bernadette Fox is one unhappy lady. Living in Seattle, married to a Microsoft exec, with a well-loved daughter, you might think she'd be a bit happier. Instead, she is, essentially, a recluse, who hates (in no particular order) the rain, the drivers, Idaho, Canada, other parents at her daughters school, and leaving the house. She hires a virtual personal assistant from India to do things like make Thanksgiving dinner reservations. So things really fall apart when her daughter insists on a family trip to Antarctica one Christmas. Fall apart as in Bernadette disappears, hence the title of the book. She just might be a little crazy.
I liked a lot about this book, most especially the style. It's written as a collection of emails, memos, letters from school, and other assorted documents, with the occasional narrative paragraph through in for good measure. The style allows for multiple perspectives simultaneously and also moves the story along at a rapid clip. The plot itself is pretty kooky, but just this side of believable from a reader perspective. (Fishing vests, the Russian mafia, and mudslides are all involved somewhere along the line, no easy feat for a writer!)
I had a harder time connecting with the characters themselves. Bernadette is, as previously stated, coming undone. I had a hard time pinning how Semple wanted the reader to feel about Bernadette's fellow private school mothers and even husband and father Elgin. All too often,15-year-old Bee feels like the most grown-up person in the room...er, book.
Semple does manage what would seem to be impossible by keeping a book about a mother's disappearance fun and upbeat. It reads quickly and at no point did I contemplate abandoning Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Still, I hesitate to give it a full endorsement because at the end of the day it felt just a little bit hollow.
A little background: Bernadette Fox is one unhappy lady. Living in Seattle, married to a Microsoft exec, with a well-loved daughter, you might think she'd be a bit happier. Instead, she is, essentially, a recluse, who hates (in no particular order) the rain, the drivers, Idaho, Canada, other parents at her daughters school, and leaving the house. She hires a virtual personal assistant from India to do things like make Thanksgiving dinner reservations. So things really fall apart when her daughter insists on a family trip to Antarctica one Christmas. Fall apart as in Bernadette disappears, hence the title of the book. She just might be a little crazy.
I liked a lot about this book, most especially the style. It's written as a collection of emails, memos, letters from school, and other assorted documents, with the occasional narrative paragraph through in for good measure. The style allows for multiple perspectives simultaneously and also moves the story along at a rapid clip. The plot itself is pretty kooky, but just this side of believable from a reader perspective. (Fishing vests, the Russian mafia, and mudslides are all involved somewhere along the line, no easy feat for a writer!)
I had a harder time connecting with the characters themselves. Bernadette is, as previously stated, coming undone. I had a hard time pinning how Semple wanted the reader to feel about Bernadette's fellow private school mothers and even husband and father Elgin. All too often,15-year-old Bee feels like the most grown-up person in the room...er, book.
Semple does manage what would seem to be impossible by keeping a book about a mother's disappearance fun and upbeat. It reads quickly and at no point did I contemplate abandoning Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Still, I hesitate to give it a full endorsement because at the end of the day it felt just a little bit hollow.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Death of a Gossip
Lady Jane Winters' fellow vacationers can't stand her, but which one of them had sufficient reason for wanting her dead?
It was almost exactly a year ago that I first discovered M.C. Beaton. I don't have a particularly good excuse for why it's taken me a full year to read another Beaton book, this one Death of a Gossip. I've mentioned before (many times; thank you for indulging me) my love of Agatha Christie, and Beaton's books feel similar to me. There are lots of characters - in this case, the vacationers at and owners of a Scottish salmon fishing school - a consistent detective - Hamish Macbeth - and plenty of motives to go around. Death of a Gossip (and I'm getting the impression this holds true for pretty much all Beaton books) is a fun and quick read. Hopefully it won't take me a year before I rediscover this!
It was almost exactly a year ago that I first discovered M.C. Beaton. I don't have a particularly good excuse for why it's taken me a full year to read another Beaton book, this one Death of a Gossip. I've mentioned before (many times; thank you for indulging me) my love of Agatha Christie, and Beaton's books feel similar to me. There are lots of characters - in this case, the vacationers at and owners of a Scottish salmon fishing school - a consistent detective - Hamish Macbeth - and plenty of motives to go around. Death of a Gossip (and I'm getting the impression this holds true for pretty much all Beaton books) is a fun and quick read. Hopefully it won't take me a year before I rediscover this!
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