Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Aviva Grossman is young, perhaps naive, and ambitious. She’s smart, but not smart enough to keep herself out of trouble. Her mother, Rachel, will attest to that, for sure. They have been very close, more like friends than mother and daughter, perhaps. But when Aviva comes to Rachel to confess that she is having an affair with a married man – a well-known married man, at least in their part of South Florida, because of his political ambitions – Rachel is every bit Aviva’s mother, you can bet on that. She pleads with her, begs her, implores her to break up with him, even going so far as to try to bribe her, threaten her even. She knows the toll it will take on her reputation. But even Rachel has no clue that Aviva has been keeping an anonymous blog about her experience – and this before most folks even knew what a blog was, when the internet was like a new toy, seemingly harmless. When the affair blows up, Aviva’s life blows up with it. How will she survive?

This book is very Jewish, very South Florida, and steeped in stereotypes. Nonetheless, it is a quick, light, and amusing read. Aviva’s character builds into a relatable, vulnerable woman who earns both our sympathy, our understanding, and our respect. There are often many ways to see a situation, and we are often quick to judge. This is an example of one such situation. And that is the point.

Not ever going to be a Pulitzer Prize winner, but it’s fun and entertaining and has an important message to share.

Same As it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Julia has found an equilibrium with her life as it is now. Yes, her daughter treats her with disdain, but isn’t that how every adolescent treats their mother? And while her son is always sweet to her, he has been somewhat distant lately. But at least, she and Mark, her husband, are still together, having survived their “rough patch” (definitely an understatement) so many years ago. And just as she thinks she’s in the clear, she runs into Helen – yes, Helen, the woman who symbolizes that most challenging period for Julia all those years ago.

This novel had a solid premise, excellent character development, and even good writing, but I believe was just too repetitive, too long. We understand that Julia had been traumatized by her childhood, with her mother having been harsh, cold, even emotionally abusive, leading to her having no self-esteem, no ability to trust anyone. When her husband, Mark, showed her kindness, she had trouble believing she deserved it. It was no surprise therefore, that when she met Helen, an older woman who showed her almost maternal warmth and friendship, Julia attached herself to her immediately. But I felt that the author might have spared some detail – that we did not need to hear about every encounter (which was repetitive). Moreover, there was not really a crescendo to the story. There was a crisis, yes, but it was not as dramatic as one might have hoped, considering all the detailed build-up.

I suppose this is another example of well-formulated characters in an interesting plot with decent potential but not ideal editing. Not a total loss, but you may find yourself counting the pages you have left, as I did periodically.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Beth has been coping, feeling stable enough in her marriage to Frank, since the loss of her son two years ago. While she hasn’t exactly fully processed it all, and Frank certainly does not discuss it openly, they have found peace in their home, a resolution of sorts. Even Jimmy, Frank’s volatile brother, even seems to have settled down quite a bit since the loss of the boy, to whom he had an unusually close connection. All this was the case that is, until the very dramatic, surprise appearance of Beth’s old flame, Gabriel, and his son, when their dog strays onto their family farm. Gabriel’s presence brings back a flood of memories for Beth, both tender and painful. How she acts on them and how their shared past haunts their present and plays into the murder trial that is ongoing behind this backstory. But who has been killed? How will this love triangle end?

This is an artfully crafted love-story-gone-wrong, full of unexpected twists, clever surprises, and heart-wrenching tragedies. We follow Beth as she sails the waves of her passions, crashes through choices, and falls hard time and again. We also feel for those around her, whether Frank or Jimmy, or even Gabriel, who have experienced rough times and have each lived with their own demons. And gradually the story builds into a suspenseful crescendo, leaving us breathless, until the very last page.

I am guessing you will not be able to put this one down – I couldn’t! Great to pack with you if you’re headed for a vacation in the next few weeks???

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

It’s 1984 and Joan finds herself in direct communication with the team of astronauts in the shuttle trying to remedy a defective part. She is guiding them as they approach this seemingly simple fix, but suddenly something goes irrevocably wrong.

Back in 1979, we learn how Joan works her way toward this impressive seat. Starting out as a professor of astronomy, not being taken seriously by her fellow male faculty members, she surprises even herself when she fulfills her dream and applies to be an astronaut trainee. When she is admitted, she knows the competition is stiff, but she maintains her confidence, her calm demeanor, and her priorities. And it is this balance and calm, even in the face of extreme stress, that allows her to learn not only what she has to for her program, but more importantly, what she has to learn about herself.

This is a beautiful story, with a dual message of liberation for Joan. Not only does she find where she is meant to be, among the scientists, engineers, and military personnel at NASA, but she also finds who she is supposed to love. She has always explored so many interests, had so much talent in so many different areas, but has never ventured into the realm of love because it just has never felt right for her. She never understood it. Until now. Here she finally meets someone with whom she can connect, to whom she is attracted, and with whom she feels she can be herself. And while she is so happy, she knows she also has to keep it under wraps, because it can compromise her entire career.

I also love how Joan’s connection with her niece is depicted. Joan’s sister, she realizes, is quite self-absorbed – has always been so – but she and her family have always enabled her in this. But her niece is the one to suffer because of it, and the problem only grows as she does. How this affects Joan grows as well, and it shows us just who Joan is, how deeply she can feel.

This novel will reach down into your heart and grab you and take hold. And the characters will live with you long after the last page has been turned. It’s just what you want from a novel, no?

Absolutely read this one!!

The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Suzanna isn’t sure about much these days, but one thing she is sure about is that she needs a space that is entirely her own. Not her family’s, not her husband’s, but hers. Since moving back to her parents’ estate from London, despite living in a cottage separate from them, she feels she can hardly breathe. But in her shop, her Peacock Emporium, she can be herself, she can make it her own. Unfortunately, she finds that folks seeking coffee are often seeking conversation as well, and is not exactly up to this task. Lucky for her, one of her first customers, a pretty young mother who is as chatty as they come, foists herself upon Suzanna, making it apparent that Suzanna needs Jessie as much as Jessie needs this job. In some ways, they open up each other’s worlds, and in some ways, they both resist change. And when tragedy ensues, Suzanna sees how one can get stuck in that resistance.

This is a sweet story that, again, shows how we can get mired in our past and be blinded to what is in front of us. We stay in relationships that are toxic because it’s too hard to make a change. We wallow in past wrongs, don’t forgive, and only hurt ourselves. And we allow our past to haunt us rather than living in the moment or pivoting toward our the future. But what we might learn from this story is how to hope. Although sadness, anger, and dreadful situations cannot always be avoided, love pushes through and this can give us hope.

And yes, this is corny – and is reflective of the story itself. But we must give in on occasion to the slightly predictable, the slightly mushy, just because corny and mushy and loving may be just what we might need sometimes.

Is this not exactly one of those times?

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Audrey has enough on her hands, having just been abandoned by her loser husband who absconded with all the funding for their shared restaurant, now bankrupt. The last thing she needs right now is to babysit her alcoholic, starlet mother, Meridith, while she continues to dry out. But of course that is exactly what she is being expected to do. And of course, it can’t be at home in California – no, it has to be on the east coast, at Meredith’s estate on the island where she grew up. Where memories come back thick with emotions for both women. Meanwhile, we are also privy to entries in the journal of a survivor of a shipwreck that happened decades prior, on the same shoreline surrounding Meredith’s estate. We learn about Providence Dare, her anxieties about being pursued by the law, and her bold transformation. How are the two connected? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Reading Beatriz Williams is like belonging to an insider’s club: you just never know whom you will remeet, what will be referenced, and what little joke you might find. And while each novel is a stand-alone great, it is best to read all of her novels, because 1, they are wonderful and 2, you’ll be in the club! This novel is a perfect example. There are several characters who reappear from other works, many references to her prior novels done with her characteristic tongue-in-cheek snark. And while these references are not essential to the plot and one would enjoy the story even without knowing them, they definitely add that much more of a giggle when you stumble upon them. You get to appreciate her brilliant sense of humor that much more.

And brilliant she is. She weaves a story of three women, with three different pasts, that converge into a timeline that intersects in the most surprising way. And it feels natural, particularly since it has been build from characters that already feel like family.

While this may not necessarily rise to the level of a MUST READ, I do very highly recommend it. It is fun, suspenseful, cleverly composed, and a joy to read, as all of her works are. She is a brilliant author who just seems to keep getting better and better!

All The Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Three women in three different time periods: Aurelie in 1914, Daisy in 1942, and Barbara (“Babs”) in 1964 – all connected through unknown ties at The Ritz in Paris. Each trying to survive the havoc that has been wreaked upon their lives because of war and keeping safe an heirloom that is thought to bring safety to France. Each trying to find her place in the world. And each finding that love wins out every time.

If you’ve read any of my posts, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Beatriz Williams’s books, and this older one of hers is no exception. While these characters are not quite as snarky as hers usually are, they are still sharp, kind, and utterly likable. We are caught up in each of their stories, puzzling how they’re connected, and rooting for them as they each battle their challenges. And as each story builds in tension, the switch to the alternate plot line serves to both relieve tension when it becomes taut. But switching also builds suspense, as we must wait further to learn the fate of our beloved characters. Nevertheless, the connections and the intersections gradually come to light, and we get the very satisfying “aha” moments we crave.

As usual, for this author – and her co-authors – this novel is masterfully constructed, artistically drawn, and hard to part with when it ends. Once again, I am in awe of her writing and can’t wait to read the next one!

Meredith, Alone by Clare Alexander

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Meredith has not left her home in 1, 214 days. In spite of this, she has managed to make a living, own a friendly cat named Fred, and treasure her steadfast, best friend, Sadie. Everything she needs (and doesn’t) can be delivered to her door, including the jigsaw puzzles of the many magnificent wonders of the world (which she’s mastered and which she will likely never see). When she finds herself forming two new unlikely friendships, however, her world begins to open up in unnerving and surprising ways.

This story is both sweet and tragic in so many ways. It is the story of how trauma can cause such crippling anxiety that one can so easily retreat into a solitary world. Meredith’s story is one of hope, and ultimately connection. She is able to mend the fences that have broken down because of miscommunication and distrust, and she is able to heal, albeit slowly and over much time. But this is not always the case. It is easy to see how one can turn to more deviant, darker internet voices that corrupt and radicalize. One can see how we have become so polarized in our society from these voices, because while Meredith’s situation may be extreme, she is certainly not unique.

As for the story itself, it is a very moving one. Meredith’s character is a truly endearing one: honest, loyal, and kind. She is also surrounded by complex characters, who have treated her with both kindness and cruelty, which have resulted in her well-earned trust issues. And while her story is traumatic, it is softened by the tenderness, warmth and humor in the narration.

I highly recommend this book – it will grab you, engage you, and inspire you.

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Addie Baum has been asked by her granddaughter to relay her life story, and, as this is her favorite granddaughter (Shhh! It’s their secret!), she of course complies. She begins her tale with the story of her own parents as they immigrate from Russia, bringing with them trauma that continues to hangs over them and their children. In searching for an outlet from this stressful home life, Addie finds her way to the Saturday Club, a weekly gathering of young girls of varying backgrounds and cultures. When they head out for a weeklong escape to Rockport, MA, Addie sneaks out of her home to join them, and forms friendships that last her lifetime.

What I love most about this tender and heartfelt story is the voice through which it is told. Between the expressions and the phrasing, I can literally hear my own Jewish grandmothers speaking the words written here. The way Addie expresses her love for her granddaughter, the way she excuses herself when she feels she’s behaved, perhaps, unexpectedly, or when she speaks of something she feels guilt for – it all rings so sweetly familiar.

But it’s also a common, generalizable, second generation experience. Addie feels a constant tension between respecting and seeking the approval from her mother, in particular, and needing to reach outside the family for love, guidance, and a way to find her true self. She carries her mother’s trauma because her mother can’t let it go and she simultaneously cannot live with it because it is toxic. Fortunately for Addie, she does find both mentors and friends who she can rely on for safety, advice, and sheer reason, and she learns to navigate through life, utilizing these connections to help herself and to help others.

It’s a truly lovely story. Highly recommend this one!

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Meddie feels a bit like she’s lost herself. She knows when she was in college, she was her truest self, at her most independent. There, free of her “Ma” and her aunties, she was able to speak up for herself, to pursue love, and explore her passions. But somehow, on moving home, her drive and ambition became swallowed up in the dynamic of her mother and her aunties. So much so that when her mother poses as Meddie on a dating app, she actually goes along with it and goes to meet the guy. Big mistake, as it turns out… and one that leads to another, and another and another…

This is an outrageous, madcap romcom that is just pure fun. Once you are able to suspend disbelief and just go with the absurdity, you will not be able to resist the humor, warmth and the joy here. The characters are kind, the plot is dizzying, and there is a chuckle on every page.

I love that Meddie is repeatedly torn between being annoyed by her interfering aunties and being just bowled over by their loyalty and love. We cannot miss how they, for all their hilarious quirks, misguided actions, and internal feuding, are also eternally devoted to each other. I suspect many of you will be able to relate to this, no matter your background, your culture. I think parental/family guilt is often an expression of love, part of what makes the world go round in so many cultures. If we don’t laugh at it, we are doomed to over-pathologize it. And then we miss out on that love that is likely underlying it.

If you’re looking for an escape – and who isn’t right now??? – this is your answer! Enjoy!