Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

What are the chances of two very different women changing in the same gym locker room at the same time, and accidentally switching bags? And even if it might happen, it sounds harmless enough, right? Well, perhaps it isn’t quite as harmless as it appears. It might just occur when their respective lives are each in crisis and this unfortunate exchange might occur at the most inopportune moment. Or perhaps, is this exactly the bit of upset that each women might need?

If you’re looking for an entertaining story with strong female characters, this is your next read! While we meet both Sam and Nisha when they are each at their lowest, with Sam at her least confident and Nisha at her most snobbish, we definitely grow to like each of them as they each grow to like themselves. We see that each, in her own way, is resourceful, resilient, even kind. Both are battling patriarchal structure and oppressors in their lives and not feeling the love from their female counterparts. As the plot progresses, it is the female bonds that form and strengthen and from which they derive their own strength – and this is what gives them both hope.

I believe my favorite character in this novel is Jasmine. She has so little and is willing to give so very much. She opens her home, her very heart to Nisha, to whom she owes nothing, and she does this asking for nothing in return. She is a great example to her daughter, a great example to us all.

This is definitely an uplifting, empowering novel – fun to read and probably fun to discuss among friends!

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

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Sarah has hit rock bottom. After her first success with Small Potatoes, she has hit a wall and has not found the next big idea for a similar blockbuster book. And the pressure is on, as she has her mother’s care to consider. What will she do?

Meanwhile, dialing back to 1915, we meet both Caroline and Tess. Caroline, graceful and talented, is married to a self-made man whom she loves but is finding to be unwilling to let her into his private and distracting business life. While they host a pre-departure soiree in their mansion in midtown Manhattan for all those leaving the next day on the luxurious Lusitania, she reunites with an old crush and wonders what will happen when they are all together on this journey. And Tess, from a different background altogether, cannot seem to stay in the shadows where she is seeking to acquire what she needs to deliver on her final undertaking for her sister and their “business.”. She just needs to do this one last job before she also boards the Lusitania and starts off in her new identity, her new life. The tensions are high for all of them as rumors of German U-boats abound… but surely the British naval ships will protect them, won’t they?

As you can easily see from my repeated Beatriz Williams book reviews, I love her writing. Full stop. She creates powerful female characters with depth, strong will, and acerbic wit – and this collaboration is no exception. All three main characters are like magnets, drawing us near, holding us to their stories, and keeping us wanting more.

The plot is written by these three characters’ stories as well. Each presents a different perspective which carries the story to the next level, taking it through its twists and turns, helping to build the suspense. And even though we all know the Lusitania is attacked by a German U-boat and sunk, the suspense is not jeopardized but rather enhanced by this; that is, we do not know exactly when or how it will happen, who will survive it, and how it will impact our characters in the end.

This is yet another wonderful historical fiction novel by one of my very favorite authors and her colleagues – I absolutely recommend it!

Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons

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Kate was not rich, but from a young age, she was groomed by her father to appear so, in order to fit in with those who are. Because of this, she had an aura of grace which those around her in her Southern college sorority – particularly the hapless Fig – sought to emulate. Although she treasured the bonds that grew between her closest friends – Cecie, Ginger, even Fig – something came between them that shocked even Kate. Now, after 30 years, she is being drawn back in – to see them all once again, to reminisce, to delve back in to those memories. Can she do it? Can she go back there, in spite of the pain? Only with a plan…

Anne Rivers Siddons had a gift for creating characters so authentic that they seem to jump out of the page and speak to our hearts. The four friends and their adolescent relationships were depicted as naturally as any that exist in any dorm room across the country, with their typical jealousies, the drunken banter, and the timeless dreams and anxieties that have blessed and cursed women in colleges since women have attended colleges. Likewise, the character of the older Kate, with her knowing cynicism and untrusting fears, is similarly relatable and sympathetic.

This is a beautifully written story, a timeless tale of young women who create a complicated past for themselves, and who ultimately come together to remember and to forget. But it is a story that the reader will remember long after the last page has been turned.

 

The Guernsey Saga by Diana Bachmann

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This trilogy begins with the joining together of the Ozanne and Gaudion families, traditional families living on the small island of Guernsey off the coast of England beginning in the early 1930’s. They are joined by the marriage of Sarah to Greg, with Sarah reluctantly giving up living with her boisterous family to join Greg’s elderly parents in his more staid household. Fortunately, her older sister, Ethel, often comes round to cheer her. Sarah and Ethel had shared a room as well as a close bond and a sense of humor, which often got them into uncontrolled giggles during their family meals. The trilogy follows the family through three generations: during the Nazi occupation of the island, during cultural upheaval of the 1960’s, and during the financial fluctuations of the 1970’s.

This is a warm and beautiful family saga, with moments of solemn strife alternating with times of tearful tenderness. While the circumstances of the family are unique, the underlying issues are timeless. Adolescent rebellion, inter-generational miscommunication, internal loyalty battles, spousal mistreatment, dishonesty – all issues that we can all relate to no matter the era, no matter the culture. The characters are relatable as well: the self-doubting, tongue-biting mother; the critical and self-righteous husband; the quiet and studious son – there are so many likable (and unlikable) and colorful characters who we come to know over the three books so well and over their years that we are sad to leave them when the third book ends.

The writing here is also poignant and effective. We really come to know the characters so intimately that we feel their pain, their stress. When they are starving because of the limited food on the island during the Nazi occupation, we feel their hunger. When we learn about Sue’s loneliness during the war, when she’s been sent with her school to Wales for safety, we yearn as she does for the love of family. And when Stephanie rages against her mother, we feel the deep cut of hurt that Sue feels.

Living in a small town where everyone knows everything about you and your family – your history, accomplishments and failures – might be challenging. But I can’t help wondering what a trip to seaside Guernsey would be like -it sounds magical!

 

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J Ryan Stradal

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Helen and Edith are about as different as two sisters might be. Although both are hard-working, Edith is content to marry her best friend and take life as it comes, while Helen sees everyone around her as a vehicle to achieving her ambition: to create the best and most successful brewery around. Sadly, it is Helen’s ambition and selfish thinking that drives a wedge between the two sisters, forcing them to lead very separate lives. As we accompany the two sisters on their life journeys, we see how their lives are both ultimately dominated by the pursuit of creating that fine brew.

I believe this is another example of a cute idea only moderately well-executed. The characters are likable but a bit dull, actually, with the exception of Edith’s granddaughter, Diana. Diana we meet after she loses both parents in a tragic accident, and she is struggling to help financially support her grandmother with radical means. She is the most interesting, the deepest, the most colorful. We see her grow, mature and blossom.

I think the issue is the writing in general. There is a story here, but it is relayed with such a flat and almost monotone delivery that it lacks the hills and valleys that fine storytelling will have. Even when there is a major development, it feels glossed over so quickly it is barely noted. While I don’t like drama for the sake of drama itself, there is a reason a story is told. In addition, the author got a bit bogged down in the detail of the brewing of the beer such that it distracted from the storyline itself. While some of it was interesting, too much of it was overly detailed and esoteric – more than what the average reader (ie. me) needed to know or could relate to.

So, maybe rather than being like Diana’s creative craft IPA’s, this book was more like Helen’s tired lite beers?

 

 

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

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Even at a young age, Beryl is willful and daring, which is probably the thing that keeps her steady, even as her mother deserts both her and her father, taking only her fine clothing and Beryl’s younger brother back to England. But Beryl was built for Kenya, for the open sky and the wild fauna, and her heart seems to heal as she is cared for by the local tribespeople and her father, such as he can. As she grows and becomes a natural horse trainer, she holds on to her innate independence, which casts her as both unique and odd, admired and scorned, loved and hated, invited to the party and gossiped about afterwards. Nevertheless, in her own way, she succeeded in making a name for herself, breaking barriers and changing norms.

In fact, this is a novel based on the true life of Beryl Markham, a woman who was a pioneer both in horse training and in aviation during the 1920’s and 1930’s, mostly in Kenya. She fought against sexism on many fronts, merely yearning for independence, to make her own way. At the same time, she succumbed to love for a man who had the same yearning for freedom, one who could not be tied to anyone. While she understood this at her core, it also brought her as much heartache as it did joy.

What is also unique about the novel is the gorgeous depictions of Kenya. There are only sparse references to the colonization of the country and its impact on the tribes – it might have benefitted the story to have more. But there are rich descriptions of the wildlife, the terrain, and the flora. I have never been but I would love to, particularly after reading about it here.

It’s a beautiful story and an impactful one. Once again, we see how a woman is rendered nearly powerless but manages to overcome the obstacles thrown her way. It is inspiring and hopeful in so many ways.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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Tova has been content in her position as the evening cleaner in her seaside town’s aquarium. She takes pride in her work, using her own formula of lemon and vinegar rather than the irritating industrial products provided by the aquarium, cotton instead of polyester to ensure no streaks on the sides of the glass tanks. And it keeps her busy and distracted from her grief, from the losses she’s endured in her life. For while she does have her friends – the Knit Wits as they call themselves – who’ve seen her through her many years, she still has her lonely moments. As she sees her friends moving on and planning for their futures as they age, she starts to try to envision what her future might look like, given she does not have a family who might look after her. She thinks she has a solid plan – that is, until she befriends the giant Pacific octopus who is looking out for her in ways she cannot even imagine.

This is also the story of Cameron, whose life narrative has been about failure in spite of his natural grace and intelligence. He is unable to overcome his low self-esteem because of his family situation and feels he is destined to continue on the path he’s been on his whole life. While he can quote Shakespeare and remember minutia about everything, he cannot remember to get to work on time or to complete paperwork when it matters, and sabotages his own ambitions. How many of us fall into that cycle, in both larger and smaller ways? How many of us get stuck, as it were, in patterns of self-destruction? Are we open to others’ suggestions? Are we open to change? This is an important theme here; one that we can all take a lesson from.

While there is a bit of an element of predictability here, this is a very sweet story that makes for a wonderful summer read. Tova, our protagonist is kind, quiet, and a bit of a perfectionist – but also a good listener and a good friend to those around her. She develops a beautiful bond with the octopus in her care, which evidently can actually happen. (These creatures are apparently able to recognize individual humans and distinguish between those they like and those they do not like and treat them accordingly. While they may not be as remarkably bright as the author has depicted the one here, they are brighter than I had ever imagined. ) When Cameron, comes to town to fill in for her when she’s been injured, she forms a very unlikely but also very endearing bond with him also. Their interactions will inevitably make you smile.

This is a lovely read -enjoyable to the end. Highly recommend it!

 

The House Party by Rita Cameron

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Aah, the year is finally winding down for the students at New Falls High School and they are ready to party.  Will and his older brother Trip are definitely on board, but when they arrive with the beer, they are a bit surprised to find that this one is taking place at the fancy new house being built on the river. Well, Will deserves to party just like the rest of them, doesn’t he? He’s worked so hard to get to where he is – a senior, with a well-deserved acceptance to Princeton and a scholarship from the town’s board. Little does he know how out of control this particular party would get – and how it would impact the course of his life, his family’s, and the lives of the couple building this new home.

This novel, set in a small suburb of Philadelphia just prior to the economic crash of 2008, is a well-crafted indictment of the “lawnmower parent,” the parent who smooths the way for their child at all cost. (Usually wealthy and/or privileged, these parents don’t allow their children to suffer any consequences of their actions; hence these children do not learn that they are to be held accountable for what they do.) We hear the story from the perspective of the teenagers – who are mostly of age (18 or older) – but we also hear it from the perspective of the homeowners who are building their dream house – which, of course, gets demolished. We feel for the children who, yes, have made a mistake and their futures are at risk. But we also understand that they need to be held accountable and restitution made for the damage they’ve created.

We also feel for those who are more vulnerable, those with less means. Even in a town that prides itself on the peaceful blending of the working class and the “newer money” families at the high school, there is a clear division between who the DA’s office deems disposable and who is protected, who can be targeted and whose reputation must be preserved. Meanwhile, we see how quickly this status can change, with the onset of the troubles of the couple who are building the home. No one is immune to this possibility.

This is such an engaging read with a social commentary so important, I believe, that I would consider this a MUST READ. I’d be curious to hear what others think!

 

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

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Much to Smita’s dismay, she has been brought back prematurely from her vacation in the Maldives to India, where she’s sworn to herself not to return. And worse, she has been brought back not to tend to her friend, as she’d believed, but rather to take over her friend’s news story that is quite controversial. The story is that of Meena, a Hindu woman who dared to marry a Muslim man. Seeing this as a slight against their honor, Meena’s brothers sought vengeance and torched her husband to death and left Meena maimed by the fire. She is now awaiting the verdict of their revived murder trial and Smita must cover the story. But at what emotional cost to herself?

This is an extraordinarily trying narrative to take in – not only as a woman, but as a human. The repugnant misogyny and collusion chronicled here is not unique to India, but exists around the globe, and is promoted, even exalted throughout. So often, whether in the name of God, religious extremism,  or just “family honor”, women are treated as if they are either property of men or as if they do not exist at all. Even here in our first world country it exists, where women’s rights are being chipped away daily, leaving us with less pay, less agency over our bodies, our choices, our rights to be our truest selves in this world.

The writing here is crisp, the imagery vivid, and the characters capture our hearts immediately. We are curious about Smita’s struggle with her homeland and her story is also extremely powerful, also rooted in hateful extremism. It is clear why she is a journalist and why she seeks to document the world’s troubles. She has been borne of them and has lived them.

This novel is well-written and while it is a painful book to ingest, it carries a message that must be heard. I very highly recommend it – but definitely not a “beach read!”

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

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In this novel, we meet Changez, as he relates the story of his youth to an American stranger he meets in a public square in Pakistan. We hear about his journey to Princeton and then to New York, his successes and struggles as he moves forward academically, socially and romantically. We also learn about how his experience as a brown man following the attacks on the Twin Towers become pivotal to his relationship with America as a whole.

What is most unique about this book is the voice used to tell the tale. Changez is sitting with the American, whose name we never learn, and we hear his side of the conversation throughout the narrative. It is a wonderful way to convey the story, in that we can envision the two men, dining at a table in the market square, as the light dims with the passage of time.

While this conversation scene is fairly tranquil, the subject matter is not. Changez is subjected to constant “othering” during his stay in the US. Even prior to the World Trade attacks, he is never quite included in social circles, never quite one of the crowd. Even in his romantic relationship, which is more imaginary than real, he is never loved or appreciated for who he is, but rather tokenized and used. One can certainly understand the rage that gradually builds and builds until he finally, much to his own surprise, implodes.

This is an iconic work. It is a quick read, but has so much to teach us packed into its pages.