Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Eilis is frustrated. She is smart, ambitious, and hard-working, just like her older sister, but she cannot find a suitable job here in her small, Irish town. Although she can ignore the remarks from even her closest friends about her part-time job bagging groceries for an ornery, miserly, even patronizing local shopkeeper, her sister cannot. And before she knows it, Eilis is being sent overseas to America to start a new life for herself in New York. What she encounters there – the challenges, the excitement, the novelties, and the growth – will change the course of her life forever. And it will also forever change the way she sees the small Irish town she has called home.

This is one of those books that was built up for me ahead of time, so my expectations were high and unfortunately not entirely met. This book was compelling and fairly well-written, but I found myself not overwhelmingly fond of the main character, Eilis. While I felt compassion for her, her disorientation and frustration with being thrust into this new world, I also felt she was frequently passive, dishonest, and condescending toward those around her. She was not someone I’d actually want to hang out with… So it was with a bit of detachment that I read her otherwise interesting journey through the streets of Brooklyn.

I am not giving up on her, though! My next read is Long Island, as you might have noticed, which is the next in this series by Colm Toibin. I am hoping it gets better and that I come to like her more. Let’s see what happens…

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

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It was almost winter break, just before classes were to be let out, and without her even understanding why, Ada did something she could not explain. And it was utterly mortifying. And she would never forget it, especially with social media magnifying it for the world to see. Could it have something to do with her mother’s recent death? With the fact that her father, so dear to her but feeling somewhat cut off because of their separate paths of grief? Or could it be that she has felt cut off from her family’s history, as her parents have rarely spoken of their past lives in the war-torn island of Cyprus? Perhaps the surprise visit by her mother’s sister will reveal the answer she is looking for.

This book had all the potential for an excellent read. It was creative in that it was told from the perspective of both the characters involved as well as a fig tree, an objective observer of both humans and the natural world they inhabit. It provided insight into an island/country about which I knew little and was sad to learn had a violent past; that is, that multiple empires had ruled over the island and most recently the violence was between the islanders themselves: the Turks and the Greeks who had lived there for generations. It also had a personal conflict: that between Ada’s current situation and her past, of which she knew so little but had much curiosity. Her colorful aunt served as the connection between the two.

Sadly, something was sorely missing here. In part, much of the story was predictable. There were few to no surprises. The characters were also not fully developed. I felt that I was left at the door to their hearts but not allowed fully inside. I was told what they had experienced but not what they’d felt. It felt superficial. And yet, at the same time, I also felt that much of the writing was too detailed. I am a fan of science and love learning factoids about nature, but the Fig Tree’s parts were utterly rambling. I often found myself skimming just to get through them.

Another great idea that was not ideally executed. I did learn, however — about Cyprus and its history and culture. That is the up-side! 

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear

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Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and private detective, is tapped once again, and this time it’s for help with a case of chemical terrorism. It appears an individual has written a letter to British officials, spewing dissatisfaction on how certain factions of society have been treated and threatening harm to them and many others if action is not taken. Because Maisie herself has been named in this letter, she is brought onto the case, and it is quickly apparent that the author of this letter is suffering, has experienced tragedy, but is also extremely dangerous.

I love this series. I have erred by reading it in completely the wrong order, but because they are so well-written, they are also excellent as stand-alone novels. They serve both as detective/murder-mysteries and historical fiction narratives, and as a series provide vivid details of life in spanning from before the first World War to after the second. This particular one takes place in December, 1931, and one can feel not only the desperation of the Depression that has impacted so many, but also the residual psychological impact of the “Great War.”

Before we had the term “PTSD,” soldiers were diagnosed with “shell shock,” and it was really the first form of trauma that had been even remotely acknowledged. This story describes well how so many, mostly men, were affected by being in the trenches: hearing bombs go off just next to them, feeling explosions blow off body parts, seeing friends killed before their eyes. And so many of them were not allowed to process this trauma, but were forced, because they happened to be physically “ok,” to jump back in to the fighting because the armed forces just needed bodies. And the repeated trauma made for extremely vulnerable men returning to their homes after the war. Their vulnerabilities could manifest in extreme disconnection from their prior personalities, from their families, from their very souls, as is described in this story.

While I think one can skip around a bit, I would recommend beginning the series with the first one, which is called Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear, as it gives an important foundation to the series. And if you can, it is probably best to go in order, but there are a great many books in the series –  it may take you awhile! But the writing is solid, the plots are clever, and Maisie is a strong, ethical and wise character to stick with.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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It is 1789 and in Hallowell, ME, it is cold. After the night of the dance, a few young men have been caught in the Kennebec River during a quick freeze of its waters, but not before they discover a body just beneath its surface, which they bring to the town tavern (the heart of the town) to be examined. As the midwife and medical professional of the small town, Martha Ballard is called to determine the cause of death, which she pronounces to be murder. The victim is not exactly a popular man in town, as he has recently been accused, along with the judge of the town, to have raped the wife of their minister. And so begin the proceedings, which are clearly biased and contrived. Will justice be rendered at all? And by whom?

This fictional novel is based on the true life of Martha Ballard, a midwife who really did live in this town in the district of Maine (before it was a state), and who delivered hundreds of babies without a single maternal death. Like the Martha of our novel, she too kept a journal – extremely rare for women to do in her time – and this helped to keep her story alive. It was not surprising, therefore, that her progeny also were likeminded caregivers: her great-niece was Clara Barton, the founder of the Red Cross, and her great, great granddaughter, one of the first female physicians in the US, Dr. Mary Hobart.

The narrative itself is embellished with fictional details, however, and it is as captivating as its characters. There are twists and surprises, multiple simultaneous threads, backstories and love stories. Likewise, we come to love not only Martha, but her whole family, and particularly her devoted husband, who supports her in all of her personal and professional pursuits. He supports her, too, in her frustrations and her anguish, as she is unable to prevent the Puritan attitudes (and laws) toward women from playing out in so many unjust ways.

It is a beautiful novel on many levels – historical and literary, legal and ethical. It would make an excellent book for a book club, as there are so many topics/messages/questions to raise for discussion. And it is also just a wonderful read, great for right now, sitting in a warm home, perhaps by a fire, on a weekend afternoon. A book to get lost in.

Another MUST READ for the collection!

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

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Though Woody is now 100 years old, all he wants to do is document the most important time in his life, back in 1938, beginning when he’d made it all the way from the Dust Bowl of the Texas panhandle to New York City. At that point, it had felt like a miracle to Woody, who’d survived more in his 17 years than most had in their whole lives. But after being knocked out by the blast of a hurricane, he awakened to a sight he could not believe possible: 2 true-to-life giraffes in a crate that just survived the harrowing storm. He was so entranced, he felt compelled to follow them, and as he did, so ensued the adventure that remained with him long after all his other life adventures had faded away.

Based on a true story of 2 giraffes shipped in from Africa to New York harbor and then transported across the US in a rig all the way to the San Diego Zoo, this story is simultaneously outrageous and heartwarming. Although I was a bit skeptical that it might be something I’d actually be interested in reading, I was captured immediately and captivated throughout, often not being able to put it down, in certain parts. The adventure is replete with colorful characters encountered by Woody and the giraffes’ caretaker, fondly referred to as “the Old Man,” and their narrow escapes from danger are described in such humorous and precise detail that your heart is literally in your mouth during many of them. And that very heart has to be made of stone if you do not fall in love with the giraffes themselves by the end of the story.

Given the historical context, the personal stories of the characters, and the wild tale itself, this novel is a hit, no matter how you slice it. You cannot help but love it – and the giraffes!

The House of Lincoln by Nancy Horan

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1851 in Springfield, IL could be a terrifying time, depending on the color of your skin, your heritage, and your politics. While Illinois was a northern state, there was the constant threat of slave hunters prowling around, searching for the bounty they would earn for themselves if they tracked down runaways. In fact, having arrived into this country as a Portuguese refugee herself, Ana finds herself with her friend Cal, witnessing a frightening scene that she must keep to herself in order to protect those she has come to love and respect. This comes to help form her views as she moves forward through her life, becomes a nanny and cleaner for the Lincoln family and follows the rise and tragic fall of the most impactful presidents our nation has ever seen.

Told through the eyes of this young woman, we glimpse into the home of the Lincolns, seeing their experience of both personal and national tragedies. We view the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, who experienced loss after loss, and, understandably, struggled with her mental health because of it. Yet she still fought so hard to encourage her absent-minded but brilliant and kind husband to fight for what he felt was the best for the Black slave – emancipation. Through Ana, we see how he agonized, how he sought the argument, the magical words that would not only convince his enemies to join him, but how to bring the fractured country back together. Through Ana, we also view the backlash, so quick to happen, so easily sprung back. Even in the hometown of Abraham Lincoln, where he was beloved, or so one would think, there was an evil backlash of hatred.

Not only is this an important part of our history, providing details that one might not know, but it is frighteningly relevant to what is happening today. While we might have made some progress toward freedoms, there is much in the way of backsliding and backlash happening now as well. Not only from people in the streets, but it is being supported and legitimized by our Conservative legislators and the courts. The civil rights of marginalized people are being chipped away and the highest court in our land is jubilantly cementing this in. I fear it will take years to undo the damage they are doing now.

We are growing less and less the “land of the free and the home of the brave” our founders sought for us. Shame on those who are perpetrating this backlash (and the current conservative members of the Supreme Court). This is why it is so important to know what has happened in our past. So that we can do our best to prevent the extreme backsliding to this segregation, this hatred, this fear of the “other” for our future.

 

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

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Melina has just been trying to find her voice, mainly through telling stories, composing plays. She has viewed Professor Buford only as a supportive mentor, encouraging her and recommending her to submit her plays to contests, even at the cost of snide looks and remarks from most of her peers. That is, until now, when she suddenly and heartbreakingly sees through his gestures, his attention. But why is it that she must rely on these men around her – mentors, critics, producers – to herald her into the world of theater? When she learns from her father about an ancestor, many generations prior, who was the first female poet to publish in England, she becomes a bit obsessed to research more about her, and finds, to her shock, that she was more than just a minor poet. She finds evidence that her predecessor, Emilia Bassano, may have struggled, just as she is, to be given a platform. It may be that she actually did succeed, however – and it may be that she did so through the name of the most famous poet/playwright of her time.

This is a thoroughly researched, courageous argument that suggests that William Shakespeare had ghostwriters – and that it is quite likely that at least one of them, if not the primary one, was Emilia Bassano. As the plot unfolds through both Emilia’s and Melina’s stories, we hear cogent explanations of how Emilia had more insight, exposure, and concrete, detailed knowledge of the history, characters, and locations of the plays that Shakespeare himself would not have had privy to. (And there was, of course, no internet then for him to access this information…) I will not go into these details, as this is part of the joy of reading this novel, but suffice it to say, I was convinced of the need to question everything I’ve ever understood to be the “works of William Shakespeare.”

Even if you’re not convinced to at least question the origin of the works – and I would find it hard to believe you could not – there is still a beautiful, tragic, and thoughtful story embedded here in this novel. Both Emilia’a and Melina’s characters are passionate and strong and yet vulnerable. We love them, cheer for them, even cry for them. Each story is powerful in its own right; but the idea to cast them as parallels is, in my opinion, pure genius. It highlights the problematic issue that, my god, even when we think things have changed so much after all these decades – centuries! – things have really not changed all that much after all.

I think that, for many reasons, this is a MUST READ. I think as a stand-alone novel, it is outstanding. But for its historical and literary significance, its brave questioning of what we know to be the suppression of women’s voices throughout the ages, it is enlightening and essential.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

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It is 1960 and Evelyn is terrified. She has no choice but to accommodate her parents’ wishes and move to the home for unwed mothers where she’ll work and live until she gives birth to the child that she is now carrying. It would have been completely different had her boyfriend not died of a heart attack just before she found out she was carrying his baby. But now, she is trapped. Literally.

Fast forward to 2017 and Angela, working in her aunt’s antique store, stumbles upon a letter received years prior, meant for the tenant in the upstairs apartment. She opens the letter, just to see how she might be helpful to the sender, and she sees a heartbreaking plea. How can she be helpful in this situation? Should she try to help in this situation?

Meanwhile, in the 1970’s, we meet Nancy, who is struggling to assert her independence from her overbearing mother. They frequently clash, given her mother’s overpowering personality and ability to ignore most of what Nancy actually says. So Nancy learns to hide her self in a way that is detrimental. She learns to keep secrets. When a cousin asks Nancy her for help in a crisis, she keeps that secret as well, in spite of the trauma that it leaves her with. But she also learns a tidbit of information at that time that will have an impact on her future in a way that she cannot possibly imagine.

This is a particularly relevant read for this moment. In a time during which access to safe, legal abortions is threatened in too many areas of our country, this book should be read by everyone. This book touches upon the issue of women forced to carry pregnancies against their will (and then forced to give up the babies when they do deliver), women compelled to undergo dangerous procedures that endanger their lives, and women and medical providers who are threatened with arrest for having life-saving procedures such as D&C’s for natural miscarriages. And ironically, as it is pointed out in this story repeatedly, it is generally men making these decisions about women’s bodies!! What an absurd world we live in! [Of note, this story takes place in Canada, but the situations can and do happen here all the time in the US as well. Fortunately for Canadians, their country has not reneged on their commitment to women’s health the way we have here.]

This is an intricately constructed story and the way in which these very realistic, very human characters are portrayed and come together will captivate and engage and surprise you until the very final page. I could not put this book down. I loved it not only for its relevance but for how personally connected I felt to these beautiful characters. They are each products of their times, their circumstances, and yet connected by the fact that they are women who love.

Enjoy this book! I know I did!

James by Percival Everett

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In this retelling of the story of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, Jim, or James, as he prefers to call himself, is a literate, enslaved man who has been sneaking into the library of his owner to educate himself and to find material to use to educate other enslaved folks around him. Upon learning he will likely be sold and separated from his family, he decides to run away, and Huck, fearing his own demons, follows him. Their journey takes them through crazy and dangerous escapades. Nevertheless, through it all, James believes there is nothing that can frighten him or debase him more than what he’s already experienced: being owned by another human being.

This is an odyssey, a whirlwind of an adventure – absurd and terrifying in equal parts. We learn about both James’ and Huck’s pasts as the story unfolds, and how their pasts have intertwined. More importantly, we learn so much about James’s character, which is deeply complex. He has an abiding love for his family, even as he develops a growing awareness of his fury toward his oppressors. We both love him and fear him, as his compassion for others in need can be compelling even while his rage can be blinding.

It is also a uniquely powerful story from the perspective of this educated, enslaved man. It is striking how everyone in the story, whether Black or White, reacts to James when he speaks in his normal manner vs his affected, “slave” manner. Everyone, including his peers, expects him to use incorrect wording, grammar, etc. Even when a White man is being threatened by James, with a gun pointed directly at him, all he can focus on is how James is speaking – it is such a shock to him. It is symbolic of how a command of words can signify education, influence, even power.

It’s a wild, frightening, and enlightening journey that we take with James. I daresay, a bit different from the “Jim” Twain had in mind…

 

 

 

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

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Already reeling from the death of the man she’s known to be her father,  Joy has also just learned some shocking news about her mother, Pearl. These two events challenge Joy’s identity to her core. At the same time, as the 1950’s American government is targeting those suspected of being Communists, some, particularly those on college campuses, feel that Socialism can be the ideal of equality and fairness. Following this ideal,  Joy makes the impulsive decision to leave the comforts of what she’s known as home to embark on a journey to find her true birth father, to seek her Chinese roots, to relinquish her capitalist excesses, and to enter Mao’s People’s Republic of China. What she finds there shocks her even more.

With her usual skillful style, Lisa See has managed to compose yet another beautiful family saga, depicting family relationships at both their worst and their best, while incorporating a significant historical moment that is not frequently highlighted. Her mother, Pearl, on learning that Joy has left for China, follows her daughter there, even if it may put her own safety in jeopardy. She knows that Joy is young, that does not understand the consequences of her actions to the fullest, that she has never experienced the heavy hand of Communist rule. And if she is being honest, finding Joy’s father is of interest to her to, as they have a complicated history as well. The relationships depicted here are tender, beautiful, and authentic.

History plays a large role in this saga as well. China’s “Great Leap Forward” is anything but — but this is the era in which Joy finds herself. Initially, she tries to find the grace in it: the idealism of the communal life, the simplicity of the farm, the romance in the hard work. She also finds meaning in the art she’s able to produce there through which she can express herself, at least within the confines of the dictated rules. As time progresses, however, she sees the rampant deception. She begins to see that even when the rules are failing the people miserably, they are forced to abide the whims of their dictator, even at the cost of their very lives. When Joy becomes responsible for the life of another, this is where she can no longer abide this lie.

There is much darkness depicted here, but it is a frighteningly timely and realistic story. We are now in a moment when so many are following another wannabe fascist – a worshipper of Putin, of Kim Jong Un, of Hitler – and these followers are ignoring the harm he has done and has the potential to continue to do. He has already threatened to imprison his enemies – a classic fascist move. People make excuses for him – but we’ve seen him do this already in his first presidency. It’s an authentic threat. We need to learn both from other countries’ pasts such as that depicted here and our own past. This can happen again and this can happen here. We have the power to stop it with our votes. But this may not be the case for long if he is elected…

I hope you will read this novel. It is a beautiful family saga as well as a harsh warning for the world and for our country in particular.  A MUST READ for this moment!