The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

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When we are first introduced to the Briarwood House, we are informed that there are 2 dead bodies found within. This is in 1954.

We are immediately transported back to 1950, however, when Grace is first shown the tiny closet of a room on the top floor of this women’s boarding house, when she decides she can make this work, at least for the time being. Her answer to the cold, mean and nosey Mrs. Nilsson who runs the place? To undermine her rules and start a dinner “club” in this tiny room for all the tenants of the house on Thursday nights, when she is out at her regular card game. In this way, Grace creates a community within the house and actually makes the house a home to this disparate group, gets to know their various stories, even as her story remains quite mysterious.

This is yet another astonishing feat created by the extraordinary Kate Quinn. With the disturbing background of the McCarthy era, the oft-ignored Korean War, the pervasive fear of a Russian nuclear attack, and the absence of power that women still had over their lives and livelihood, Quinn sheds light on the fact that the 1950’s were not necessarily “Happy Days.” Her characters are not the sweet and shiny women we often expect from this time period, but they are real and they are hurting and they reflect the life experience they’ve each been through. We learn that there is a reason we are who we are.

The plot is also so intricate and suspenseful that I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down until you turn the final page. I was absolutely kept guessing until the very end.

This may be one of Quinn’s best novels, in my opinion – and that is high praise! It is deeply-researched, with relatable characters, and with a twisty plot that kept this reader’s light on through all hours of the night just to get to the finish line. Here’s one more MUST READ to add to her list!

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

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Rocky is new to this “empty nester” thing and it’s not going well. She is trying to recapture her “nest” as her family gathers for a week of vacation on Cape Cod, in the house they’ve stayed in year after year. She is thrilled she and her husband are with their son, daughter and their son’s girlfriend – and also that her parents will be joining them for a couple of days – but her feelings keep getting in the way. Why is she so angry all the time? And sad? And then remorseful? And then so full of love? It isn’t just that she’s menopausal, is it? Even while she pines for her past, she admits that it may not have been as perfect as she likes to think it was. Perhaps it is ok to live in the present.

I love the title of this novel for its very apt dual meaning. While it correctly summons the image of the quaint town that greets you as you travel over the bridge to Cape Cod, the town where the family vacation takes place, it also likely refers to the “sandwich generation” in which Rocky is a bit stunned to find herself. Rocky expends a tremendous amount of energy reminiscing about her exhausting but loving days when her children were small; on the other hand, she is also anxiously watching over her parents, who, in her mind, are suddenly gray-haired and frail. She rues the fact that her children are independent, intelligent adults, and simultaneously acknowledges that her parents now need attention they never needed before. This is a hard place to be, as there are demands still on both sides. It requires heart, humor and a great deal of tact. And while Rocky is blessed with the first two, she seems to still be working on that last one…

What is abundant here in the writing, however, is the love she feels for her family. There is so much of it that it spills over into the heart of the reader and one cannot help feeling what she feels as well. The warmth, the humor, the tender moments and goofy conversations are quite authentic and relatable. While her specific circumstances may be unique to her, the relationships are almost universal – and I feel (hope!) that many readers will relate to the characters here.

This is a fun summer read that runs deeper than one might expect.

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams

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2022: Mallory has essentially had her life on hold, since her son had that terrifying accidental ingestion of poisonous mushrooms that changed his life (and his kidney). Will his only hope be a kidney from the father that he doesn’t even know is his father?

1951: Hannah Ainsworth has a troubling past that she’s managed, until now, to put behind her. Her unhappiness has, so far, been masked by her new, wealthy husband, and his recent posting in a fancy hotel in Cairo, Egypt. Unfortunately, there is unrest here as well, between the spies from Israel and its unhappy neighbors as well as its own citizens who are unhappy with the local British presence. Hannah’s heart seems to find distraction in her hotel, however, that leads her to both danger and heartache.

How the two stories are connected are the source of the intrigue that Williams is so deservedly known for.

This is yet another masterpiece by one of my favorite authors, as you must know by now, if you’ve read any of my posts. Williams has a magical way of incorporating history into romance to create stories that are as captivating as they are suspenseful. There is layer upon layer here that keeps the reader completely enraptured. She also writes strong female characters that do not bend to social pressures, no matter the time period, no matter the circumstances. Her characters have brains, brawn, and banter – the dialogue is always sharp. And even when there is an ending we wish for, it does not feel sappy because it is always so hard-won.

I would place all of her books in the MUST READ category – she is a MUST READ author!

 

How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

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Grace has been plotting to avenge her mother’s death since she was a young teenager. And while most teenage goals vacillate, hers remained steadfast. Never taking her eye off the ball, she has avoided university, any serious dating – even most friendships, save her one close friend, Jimmy, who she’d grown up with – to remain focused on her mission. How to achieve it? This would be plotted out carefully but only once she’d attained adulthood and the financial stability that would enable her to carry out the goal of murdering the entire millionaire family who had abandoned her and her mother even before she was born. But who would’ve guessed she’d be imprisoned for the one murder she did NOT commit???

So, many of you may be questioning my judgement right about now, wondering how I could have possibly chosen a book with such a title… But actually, while dark, it is quite amusing. We follow Grace in her exploits, and even initially feel sympathy for her because of her difficult childhood; however, the more we learn, the more we realize that her mission has consumed her to the point of creating a disdainful, isolated, unfeeling person who is almost as evil (sometimes more so) as those whom she is out to murder. And even when you think you’ve got her story all figured out, there remain some unexpected twists that will catch you unaware and entertained until the very final page.

No, this is not the great American novel, but it will keep you amused, snickering, and even surprised a bit until the end. Great for the beach, a plane ride, or even just a cozy, late night curled up with your pet.

Daughters of Rome by Kate Quinn

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In the year 69 AD, Rome was the center of upheaval and violence, as the title of Emperor became as changeable as the seasons. During this tumultuous time, the “Cornelias,” as they were referred to — two sisters and their two cousins — were very much a part of the events, as they were in the “inner circle” of the elite. The first Cornelia, the eldest and most dignified, was married to a man expected to be named heir to the Emperor, so she saw her place by his side. Her sister, Marcella, the historian, kept occupied recording – and somehow impacting – the historical events of the year. Lollia, one of the cousins, was serially married off to the power-broker of the day by her wealthy and strategic grandfather. And the youngest and wildest, Diana, was one obsessed not by men but by horses. And while each brought vulnerability to each other, each brought strength as well, as they fought to survive the many changes this year brought to their lives.

While it did take me a bit of time to be fully engaged in this story, perhaps because of my own ignorance of the historical details of this era, once I got to know the characters (and appreciate their depth), I was all in. Because I came to love these Cornelias, I became invested in their welfare and as the plot became more entangled, so did my fascination with their story. This plot had intrigue, romance, suspense, and twists that brought both smiles and tears as I got to know these characters better and better.

My favorite character, I have to admit, is Lollia. When we first meet her, she appears, on the surface, to be just that – all surface. She appears vain, coddled by her wealthy grandfather, and only concerned with what she can gain by her marriages. But as we get to know her, we really see her: her generosity, her kindness, her humility, and her ability to love deeply and to look beyond what is expected and to do what is right.

Not only will you fall in love with these beautiful characters and their bond with each other, but you will also learn about this wild year in the history of the Roman Empire, where there were four different Emperors in a brief, bloody period of time. It’s what I love most about historical fiction – and Kate Quinn is the master!

Z by Therese Anne Fowler

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Toward the end of the first World War, many young folk, including Zelda Sayres, sought relief from all the death and sadness. For someone as beautiful and vibrant as she, any excuse to be able to dance or attend a gathering was welcome, but on one particular evening, when she was performing a ballet solo for soldiers, she noted one solder who stood out to her. He was tall and blond and had an air of confidence she’d rarely encountered in the boys she knew in her small southern town. He was also an author, something that also attracted her, as she was an avid reader and dabbled in writing herself. Unfortunately, her father did not appreciate the attraction of an author, something he perceived as a sideline and not a steady career, and he insisted this was not suitable for his daughter. It took a couple of years, but Scott Fitzgerald proved himself worthy, at least to Zelda, and she followed him to New York City, where their adventure together began. For better and for worse…

This novel provided a peek inside the glamorous but exhausting lives of both F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda. Based on extensive research and told from her vision, it not only showed the wonders of the time and the artists they rubbed shoulders with. It also shed light on the struggles they had, with each other and each with their own demons. To an outsider, it may have seemed the perfect life, with world travel, sophisticated parties, knowing the most famous of the writers, dancers, and artists of their era. But to Zelda, it was a constant challenge; keeping up, maintaining appearances physically, financially, and emotionally. Multiple times the pressure was so high, it necessitated hospitalization and inhumane treatments for Zelda.

What is apparent is that while on the outside, Zelda did not see herself as a feminist in the stereotypical sense, she was one at heart, and this is what likely ate at her throughout her life. She could not see why she needed to suppress her own artistic endeavors just because her husband needed to pursue his. His jealousy was so overpowering that even when she wrote stories, he published them under his own name, claiming they’d get more acclaim if he did so. This undermining of her, the constant repression she had to force upon herself, slowly ate at her, giving her both physical and psychological pains throughout her adult life.

This is a very dramatic, historical fiction account of Zelda’s life with F. Scott Fitzgerald. I highly recommend it!

 

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

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Molly is smart and she is tough. She knows she’s different from those around her but she truly doesn’t care. While her mother, Carrie, and her best friend, Leroy, try in their own ways to convince her to bend to what is “acceptable,” especially when it comes to both gender and sexual stereotyped norms, she remains true to herself.  And this is no simple task, not in the early 1950’s and not in rural Pennsylvania, nor on the Florida coast.  It is clear to Molly that she must make it out of her small town to survive, but how she accomplishes this and what she finds when she gets there shows that life can be challenging wherever we may find ourselves.

This was a groundbreaking book in 1973, but of course it was initially ignored and kept underground because of its unabashed celebration of lesbian sex. Only a few years later, when a more established publisher took on the title did the book become more widely sold and gain something of its current notoriety. Now, of course, there are many books about this topic and it is less of a standout, but it must be acknowledged for its pioneering spirit and daring language. Few ventured into this terrain at the time; few were brave enough to “out” themselves when it was not only not fashionable but it could actually be quite dangerous to do so. But doing so clearly spoke to millions of folks who either identified with the characters or felt they needed to learn more. Doing so opened up a world of dialogue about the topic, freeing many to speak their truth and to acknowledge what might be in their hearts. 

That said, the story itself is quite depressing. It feels as if there is a constant tugging at the heart, a constant thrum of defeat. Molly has high hopes, high expectations of herself and while she works hard and keeps herself focused on her goals, she has one obstacle thrown at her after another. Whether her family, her friends, her lovers, or her so-called mentors, everyone seems to disappoint. However realistic it is, in her world at that time, it is a hard story to take in. No matter her incredible achievements,  she lived in a world where men ruled unchecked and women had no legal protections. 

This novel functions as a crucial reminder of some rights we take for granted – and some that we should be continuing to fight for. 

 

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

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Amy has had it rough over the past 3 years. After 18 years of marriage, her husband flew to Hong Kong on a business trip and never returned. Now, suddenly, he’s appeared, in a local pharmacy of all places, after all this time. What can he possibly be doing here? And what can she say to him? Does she want him back after all he’s done? Or not done, as the case may be? And what about the kids? His proposal of giving her a week away from them while he tries to reconnect with the kids at first glance is outrageous, but gradually, the idea grows on her. It just happens to coincide with a conference she’s been interested in attending in NYC, where her oldest, bestie happens to live. Could she actually do this? Could she leave her kids who she’s been sole caretaker for a whole week? Give herself this tiny gift?

I present you here with another perfect summer read – light, with just enough substance so you don’t have to feel too guilty spending your time in the sun leafing – and laughing- through these pages. And while there are a few emotional moments, there are a couple of moments where the giggles will slip out from you, in spite of yourself.

Amy’s adventure in NYC exemplifies the wish of many moms: Just a brief escape from the constant pressure of bearing responsibility for everyone else’s happiness. And it’s not that we don’t adore our loved ones – of course not! But caring for them, while of course working to earn money to support them, ensuring they have balanced meals, clean (and acceptable) clothes, and are kept safe — well, it’s a constant drumroll in the back of one’s mind that can build into a crescendo that becomes explosive unless one can let off steam every once in awhile. If one is not given a break, one can actually break.

It is also a lesson in how to ask for help. We, none of us, can live our lives without others. Man is not an island, as we know, and it is not a sign of weakness, but rather of humanity, that we need help from time to time. Asking advice, support, even an extra hand, not only helps the one asking but also gifts the one helping the opportunity to help, which is always, truly, a gift.

This is a very sweet story that is fun to read and gives you a chance to relax yourself. Give yourself this gift!

 

 

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict

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Seeking to pursue a career in basic science research in an environment where she would be accepted as an equal to her male peers – not an easy task in post-WWII 1940’s – Rosalind Franklin moved from London to Paris. On arrival, she felt immediately welcomed by all of her fellow researchers in the x-ray crystallography lab. She quickly began her painstaking work of pursuing the identification of carbon-based structures via this type of X-ray imaging, and became known for her meticulousness, hard work, and dedication. After an uncomfortable incident in the lab between herself and one of her superiors, however, she felt compelled to leave this otherwise congenial environment to return to London. There, she was thrust into a competitive race to use her perfected techniques to identify the structure of DNA. Only gender discrimination prevented her from achieving the fame that Watson and Crick did, as it was Franklin’s research that truly uncovered the secret to DNA’s structure.

This deeply researched fictionalized story is a profound tribute to Rosalind Franklin, a woman who contributed so much to what we know about the structure of carbons, DNA and RNA. Only now, decades later, are we understanding the ways in which she was robbed of the respect and acclaim that was her due. The men around her took credit for her work, her discoveries, her hard-won labor, and she had no recourse at the time because she was a woman and would be looked upon as a complainer, a shrew. She was denied the status of a full professorship, and with that, the ability to achieve rights to her own grants and her own laboratory. She was always beholden to the men around her, who were often her intellectual inferiors.

I also never knew her family situation, which came through in this story as well. First, she was Jewish, which influenced where she was able to go and when. During the second World War, she certainly could not go into Paris – not until the Germans were overthrown by the Allies – and so her training began initially in London. Moreover, while she was simultaneously fending off the pressures from her male colleagues in the lab, she was also quelling her family’s efforts to bring her to more “ladylike” pursuits, as they saw them – doing charity work, marrying and raising a family. Because she saw these as being incongruous with her deep ambition to pursue science, she resisted pressure from all sides.

This is a beautiful tribute to a true hero in our history – one who should be acknowledged and celebrated for her brilliance, dedication, and contributions to science, to medicine, and to the betterment of mankind.

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Here I have fallen again into another book of short stories – but luckily so. While, again, I am generally not a fan of them, these stories are virtually novels unto themselves. Not in physical length, but in the depth of characters the author creates and in the lives and experiences they convey. We have a writer attending a workshop surrounded by writers afraid to stand up to the man in charge who is inappropriate and sexist and racist, out of fear they will threaten their own opportunities. We read about a young bride of an arranged marriage, newly brought to New York from Nigeria, about her disappointments and resentments. And we read about a young woman trying to come to terms with the death of her brother, so many years prior.

The many characters and the many stories here bring us closer to understanding the African experience in America and the African experience in Africa. We are exposed to the conflict that often arises from clashing cultures, religions, origins, and beliefs – and how each character must struggle to identify where they fit into the world where these conflicts exist. Just as exists anywhere, there is conflict between old and young, between man and woman, between one culture and another. The human experience, on display so vividly in these pages, is finding what our role is in that morass and how we resolve our differences with those around us. It is both specific to these cultures and generalizable to almost anyone living in the world.

Of course there are some stories I enjoyed more than others, but that is to be expected. On the whole, however, I found these stories to be powerful, deeply moving, and well worth the experience of going out of my comfort zone to read short stories in spite of myself. I encourage you to do the same!