Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Elsie believes she has found the perfect, quiet street to live on, during her aging years. Yes, there is the annoying neighbor Ishaan with his yappy dog, and there is the distinctly unfriendly Joan across the street, and so on; but for the most part, she finds she is left alone. Thank goodness for her best (and only) friend, Daphne, who does come often to keep her company and entertain her. When Elsie finds Ishaan dead in his home (at the age of 93), her life and the life story she’s been carefully guarding suddenly become public, and she finds her world turned upside down.

This is a brilliantly written novel. While there is much in Elsie’s story that is tragic – the moniker she is given by her father of Mad Mabel being the least of it – the story is nevertheless told with a biting wit and tremendous warmth. We cannot help loving Elsie herself, despite her being the epitome of snarky and ornery. And while she claims to detest children, she develops a relationship with the little girl down her street, Persephone, which is utterly tender and beautiful.

Elsie’s story is not unique, sadly. Her history of neglect and abuse at the hand of her father is devastating and yet we know it occurs rampantly, with no regard for class, color, or creed. While she has an aunt who cares deeply for her and is her only advocate among a sea of adults who desert her, she is mostly alone, isolated, and vulnerable. She becomes the victim of circumstance again and again, but it is not by coincidence – it is by design. And it is so important for us as readers to be exposed to these circumstances, again and again.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel, with its humor, its depth, and the multiple twists at the end. I think it just might be a MUST READ!

Days You Were Mine by Clare Leslie Hall

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Now: Luke has struggled his whole life, feeling as though he’s never quite fitted in. Having been adopted has had him wondering who his biological mother is and why she’d given him up. Now, he can finally meet her and just maybe learn the answers to his many questions.

Then: Alice, a first year student at her prestigious art school, feels she has been chosen to be here by error. She can’t possibly compete with the likes of her best friend, Rick, whose self-portrait has already been chosen to be hung in a gallery of note. But when she is introduced to Jacob, a singer in a rock band who shows great promise, and when he chooses her to paint the cover of their next album, her entire world is turned on its head.

This novel has all the makings of a superior narrative: a dual time line, lovely characters, a passionate love story. Unfortunately, there are so many foreshadowings that it becomes just too predictable. What is the “great reveal” has already been hinted at so many times that it is anti-climactic and disappointing by the time it happens.

At the same time, this story is not without merit. I have not encountered many other novels about mental health issues around adoption, which this one accomplishes. While many adopted children do fine, they are, in fact, at higher risk for attachment issues, PTSD, and other mental health challenges. One might think that meeting one’s biological mother or father would appease some of these issues; that being able to ask questions, knowing the circumstances of why the parent gave up the child, etc, could possibly help the child regain a sense of understanding that might lead to improved self-image, overall mental health. What we learn from this novel is that it is quite complex and not so easily rectified.

I found this book to be worthy of reading, just, as I’ve said, a bit too predictable for my taste. I’m curious to hear what others think?

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

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Frances and Bobbi, formerly lovers and now best friends, perform spoken word poetry together, mostly of the poems written by Frances. Frances can’t help but admire Bobbi for her extroverted and confident manner, especially as she feels detached and self-conscious most of the time. At one such performance, they meet Melissa, a journalist seeking to write a magazine profile of the two of them. When Melissa invites them to her home and introduces them to her husband, this sparks a journey of romantic entanglements that are both confusing and overwhelming for all of them.

Honestly, I didn’t see the point of this book. Throughout, I kept expecting something more interesting to happen than the banal dialogue, the gratuitous sex, and the empty relationships that were depicted here. Not one of the characters is in the least likable – Frances herself acknowledges that she isn’t a nice person. There is no explanation for the attraction that develops between Frances and Melissa’s husband, Nick, besides a physical one, as they rarely spoke about anything more than skin deep. It is only Frances and Bobbi who seem to ever discuss something of substance, but even that is overly intellectualized and dull, never truly revelatory or personal.

It is also remarkable that the few threads of interest were never developed. Frances has a complicated relationship with her father, who is an alcoholic and struggles with depression and anxiety. There was a potential for this aspect of the story to reach a climax of sorts, but even that goes nowhere. We are, in a sense, left hanging as to his fate and the underlying reasons for his failures as a father.

If I hadn’t been listening to it via audiobook (and trapped in the car for long periods of time), I probably would have given up on it earlier. Alas, I was stuck – and endured the entirety of the novel. Most shocking is that this was apparently made into a television series. I cannot imagine why. Perhaps the series developed the characters more than the book did?

Bottom line: not worth your time, in my opinion…

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

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Current day: Recently widowed Lucy has just returned to Winthrop Island from Paris with her daughter, Elise (Punkin), after learning about the disappearance of her father. She has had a strained relationship with her father because of his persistent belief that there is buried treasure on his property and has given up most of his life – even sacrificing his family relationships – in pursuit of this theory. But as she begins to explore what has become of him, she also learns that her first love, Ben Ressler was the last person to see him alive.

1717: Hephzibah has been living on Winthrop Island since she and her sister lost their parents and her sister was married off to her much older husband. Just prior to an historic snowstorm, their house is invaded by a wounded pirate and his doctor friend, and Hephzibah does her best to help all of them survive.

If you’ve read any of my prior reviews of Beatriz Williams’ books, you’ll know how much I love her writing. She is an incredibly talented author with a sharp wit and creative imagination. We see this to some extent in this novel as well, but while there are beautiful and complex characters who engage the reader in their exploits (particularly in the character of Punkin, whom I as the reader came to adore), there is none of the usual snarky banter in the dialogue here, none of her sardonic wit (which I most admire).

On the other hand, I do love how Williams weaves into her novels characters from her prior novels. We have been on Winthrop Island in a number of her novels, and have met the Peabody family in those as well. It’s fun to see how she expands and develops these characters, creating, for example, an entirely new story from minor characters in the novel before. It’s not exactly a series, and no one novel is dependent on reading the other (except for her one trilogy), but it is fun to identify characters from the older stories.

So even while this may not be my favorite of hers, it is still an excellent read, still holds your attention, and the suspense builds late in the story to the point where it is hard to put down. Always a great sign, right?

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

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Nina, having broken up with her long-term boyfriend, finally feels ready to explore a dating app in order to begin to see who else might be out there for her. She feels as if everyone around her is married and having children, and while she is a successful food writer, she is ready for companionship and well, possibly marriage as well. She also feels this might be a good distraction from what is truly on her mind – her dear father who is becoming more and more forgetful, confused. When Nina has success on her first date through the app, it is a bit unexpected, especially given her friend, Lola’s poor luck. Max seems to be everything she is looking for – but is it for real?

This is an entertaining read – light, but substantive enough to keep the reader engaged. Nina’s struggle with her father’s increasing dementia is clearly her primary concern – and it is something I believe many readers can relate to, given how common this is. But this heavier theme is cleverly tucked inside the lighter issue of her dating frustrations (also common and relatable).

What I am also becoming increasingly aware of is this issue of ghosting. In our current age of social media and texting, fewer and fewer folks are able to confront problems head on. Rather that speaking a truth to someone you have a relationship with, it is more convenient to just avoid, go silent. I feel strongly that this is also utterly cowardly and immature. We as a culture need to improve our social skills, become more – not less – comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. If we are to forge true connections to others, we need to be able to say things that are hard to say and learn how to do so in a gentle and kind manner.

I believe this is a solid read. Curious to hear what others think!

It Girl by Allison Pataki

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Evelyn knows what it means to be hungry. Having experienced the death of her beloved father and her family’s subsequent plummet into poverty despite her mother’s best efforts, much has fallen onto Evelyn’s shoulders at a very young age. Even scrounging in the back of a local restaurant for scraps of food for her and her younger brother is nothing she is not familiar with. At the age of 13, she is brought into Wanamaker’s Department Store to work alongside her mother in order to make ends meet, in spite of her ardent wish to continue in school like her peers. It is here she is discovered by an artist, who sees in Evelyn something she could never have imagined for herself.

This novel is based loosely on the life of Evelyn Nesbit, thought of as the first supermodel, Broadway actress and Hollywood starlet who is known to have come from very humble beginnings. And while much of the story of this fictional Evelyn’s aligns with that of the real one, there is also an inner strength that is developed in the fictional character that we can only guess at with the real one. This Evelyn, our heroine, is used and misused by artists, by various older men, and even by her own mother. She is so young and innocent that she is taken advantage of by so many it is painful to witness. But at some point, she becomes so justifiably outraged, that she develops a plan of escape that is quite brilliant. We are rooting for her all the way.

We also see how so many of the female characters whom one would have hoped would have been supportive of her truly abandon her. Because of her beauty, many are jealous, and many perceive her as being either entitled or spoiled or even evil because of what she’s had to do to survive. Even those she’d thought of as her good friends quickly turn on her when she can no longer advance their status. Even her own mother abandons her when she feels she has made mistakes that might cost them the financial gains they’ve made, turning a blind eye to what her own daughter actually needs. It is disappointingly realistic. Fortunately, however, she does have a few true friends, ones who deeply care for her and worry about her welfare. These are the true heroes.

This is an engaging story, mirroring the life of a female legend. Certainly a worthwhile read!

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

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Natalie has created a perfect life – or at least this is what is projected on her viral Instagram presence. She is living off the fruit of the land, on a farm in Idaho with her beautiful husband and their many beautiful children, the two of them just living the simple all-American, Christian life. What is off-camera, is her large staff, those who are actually raising her children, homeschooling them, working the farm, and doing the work she is only pictured doing. One shocking day, Natalie wakes up and finds herself on a homestead that appears to be her home. It looks like her farm, but it is without any of the comforts she’s grown accustomed to – more like the farm that would have been present in the 19th century. Even the children are different. Where did her life go? As we hear from the Natalie in current times vs the one who finds herself back in time, we slowly learn how she came to be the person she is. And it’s not pretty…

This is an incredibly creative, sardonic commentary on social media – its influencers and bots and the falsehoods we come to believe. I am inclined to say that this is an extreme example, but I’m not even sure that is true. Natalie embodies the ultimate influencer: she has researched what folks become addicted to and finds her way to employ and monetize it. But she does this at the expense of losing her real life: she misses important moments with her children (except for those that are filmed), she misses moments for herself, and she misses finding a partner in life she actually loves and respects. Her whole life is a show, a photo op, a performance – but none of it is real. And the ones who suffer for it are everyone around her, but particularly her children.

I love the irony created when her husband, Caleb, becomes entrenched in absurd conspiracy theories on his social media sites. Natalie believes he is an idiot for believing any of it even while she is creating content that is similarly misleading. And all of it, Natalie’s and Caleb’s, is in the name of celebrating White, Christian values and preparing for the “big civil war” that is inevitable – even while this hate and this venom eats away at both of them from the inside.

I think this novel is thought-provoking, clever, and innovative – and has a powerful, cautionary message. I can see why it has become so popular and is on so many recommended lists.

Whistler by Ann Patchett

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Daphne and her husband, Jonathan, are visiting the Met Museum in Manhattan, when Jonathan comments that an older man has his eye on Daphne. This is apparently not unusual, as Daphne tends to attract older men – her husband being one such man – but it feels different somehow, as this man is actually following them. When Jonathan confronts him, Daphne suddenly realizes that this is her estranged ex-step-father, Eddie, whom she adored but hasn’t seen since she was nine years old. They join for a spontaneous lunch in the Met restaurant, and a reunion of sorts begins. As Daphne gets reacquainted with her ex-step-father, she reexamines her past with him, learns why her mother divorced him, and begins to make up for these many years of lost time together.

Perhaps I’ve been reading too much suspense lately, but I felt that this story was something of a let-down. While it is a very sweet narrative with characters we come to care about, the plot never builds to any major crescendo, nor are there any unexpected twists. And while Eddie’s character, for example, is admirable and clever, he is almost too admirable, too clever. The characters are almost one-dimensional. There is a backstory that comes out slowly during the course of the book, but it never reaches a level of intrigue and it is almost predictable.

Still, the story did hold my attention and I cannot say I regret reading it. It just did not live up to what I’ve come to expect from Ann Patchett, to be honest.

Maybe her next book?

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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Alicia Berenson has been found with her murdered husband, Gabriel, a gun with her fingerprints, and her wrists slashed and bloodied. Since that moment, she has not uttered a single word: not in protestation when she was carried off to be interrogated, not in her own defense during her trial, and not since she’s been committed to a psychiatric facility six years ago. Although Theo Faber, a forensic psychologist, has been employed by another institution, he is so captivated by Alicia’s well-publicized story that he feels compelled to transfer to hers and attempt to help her himself. While Theo seems to make unusual progress with Alicia, he also finds his personal life begins to encroach upon this professional pursuit.

I listened to this audio book and I have to say it was engrossing, suspenseful, and at times, shocking. Just when I thought I might guess where the plot was heading, I found how wrong I could be. And just when I thought I had come to know the characters, I found I knew nothing at all. It was so well plotted, so well-depicted that it kept the suspense until the very last chapter.

I love that we come to know the “silent” character, Alicia, through her writing, in a diary she keeps hidden in order to tell her story. We learn of her unique artistic talents, those who have sought to take advantage of her, and those she fears without others believing her. She’s left unsupported by everyone who has claimed to love her.

This is a clever, twisty novel that compels you to keep reading (or listening) long past your bedtime! Great for summer, but great, really for any time of year…

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Jules is shocked. Called back to her hometown because of her sister, Nel’s death by drowning, she immediately becomes enveloped in her own haunted memories. Even seeing her niece, Lena, now a teenager who is resentful of Jules’ estrangement from Nel, isn’t fully bringing her back to herself. But when she discovers a haunting pattern of women falling (being pushed?) over the cliff into what has been named the “Drowning Pool,” and sees that Lena may be a potential target, she is shaken into action. But who can she trust to help?

This is a totally suspenseful novel that will keep you biting your nails and turning pages late into the night. Full of twists and turns, the plot becomes thicker and thicker with each chapter, and even as we read the story from the varied perspectives of the many characters here, we still are kept guessing until the very final paragraph. As the story unfolds, we also learn, bit by bit, where the sisters fell out, what misunderstanding from a tragic act of violence has separated them over all these years. It is horrible and heartbreaking.

There are a few characters here who delve into the mystical, which is usually not my thing. I did love this one particular character, Nickie, however. She is older, thought of as a fraud, and constantly being ignored. But of course, she is the one who holds the town’s secrets and is truly the one not to miss. We know that older women are often dismissed, and here is an example of why that could not only be foolish, but dangerous.

This is a fantastic beach read – just in time for summer!