Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Mia Farraday has not always hidden in the shadow of her twin, Zach, but since middle school, she’s felt that life has just given her lemons when he’s been handed the lemonade. While Zach is the popular one with friends surrounding him constantly, she’s the one with the braces, the acne, and clearly no sense of what is normal because she cannot seem to attract anyone to her side. That is, until Lexi approaches her during lunchtime on their first day of high school, in spite of Mia warning that it might be “social suicide” to do so. Lexi, for her part, is used to being on the outs, as she has been in foster care until only a couple of weeks ago, so she’s just glad to find someone who will deign to speak to her. The two instantly bond, and while Mia and Zach’s mom, Jude is leery – Mia’s been hurt before – she finds it in her heart to accept Lexi for the kind and genuine friend she is to Mia. That is, until tragedy ensues. And how could she possibly find it in her heart to accept her then?

This is a heart-wrenching story of love and friendship that is challenged in unfathomable ways. We are brought into their world as one would be a warm hug, charmed by their love for each other even as we see their imperfections, their enmeshment. Jude is a loving mother but is overinvolved, overprotective, and enabling. Mia and Zach are quite different from each other but are not necessarily given the space to be so. And they accept Lexi for who she is, they see her kindness, her ability to give and to love and take her in as another member of the Farraday family. Until…

This is also a story of how pain distorts us. We all grieve in different ways, we all need to cope in different time frames. Some of us pull others to ourselves for support, others push away. Most of us need support even when we don’t realize it, however, and that is the key. We all need to recognize this need in others and see that when others strike out, are mean, or act out, it may be coming from a place of pain.

The other point that is underscored appropriately here is a word of advice for parents of teens (which I highlight from a professional perspective as well). When you are advising your teens on going out, no matter how much you trust them, no matter what their story is, tell them this: if they sense they are unsafe for any reason (alcohol, drugs, sexual encounter – whatever), that you will come get them at any time of day or night, NO QUESTIONS ASKED AND WITH NO CONSEQUENCES. And mean it! Follow through. No consequences, no questions asked. Full stop. You may be saving your kid’s life.

Another powerful, heartbreaker by Kristin Hannah…!

 

 

The Beekeeper’s Daughter by Santa Montefiore

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Grace is a bit appalled by how quick her peers are to judge the young folk of their tiny island off of Cape Cod. She knows that she has not been a saint – nor can anyone else make that claim – so she is never one to judge. So she tries to be compassionate when her own daughter becomes the target of some of the island’s whisperings, when her daughter is seen cavorting with a singer in a band staying on the island to record an album. Though she knows how this will end, she remains supportive of her daughter. But Grace has no idea how deeply her own history is tied to her daughter’s broken heart.

This is a sweetly presented narrative about love, love lost, and love rediscovered in unpredicted ways. In both mom and daughter, we see how love lost can impact actions that have repercussions for years to come. We see how honesty could unleash suppressed love and we see how love can heal and help us through our darkest moments.

We also learn here about the magic of bees. They are truly a remarkable resource on so many levels. Not only do they create honey for all of us, but they do so as a team. They work together, devoting themselves to the benefit of the hive, saving the queen and her eggs so that the hive can survive. If they sense danger, they sting the encroaching threat, giving their lives for the benefit of the whole. We in our “me”-focused culture can learn much from this concept. When we give, when we think of others, when we do for others, we feel a sense of gratification that is uplifting and rewarding. When this is not the motivation behind these generous acts, it becomes a byproduct of them.

This is a tender story that I would definitely recommend bringing with you on your next vacation.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Griffin

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Nina is appalled and ashamed. How can Finch, her son, the one she’s only known to be a “good kid,” have possibly been involved in the treacherous deed he’s been accused of? Similarly, Lyla, from her perspective, cannot fathom that the guy she’s been crushing on for so long would do that to her either. it just couldn’t be. And even if he did, what’s the big deal? Why is her father freaking out? He’ll only make it worse… And from Lyla’s dad’s perspective, this legitimizes his general mistrust of the world. As they each confront the traumatic incident they have endured, their worlds explode in different directions, yet somehow converge as well.

This novel tackles a number of complicated issues: adolescent impulse sexting, class and wealth privilege, racism, and sexism. It does so in a non-preachy, non-threatening manner, albeit with a few cliches. But with charming characters (well, mostly)and a few unexpected surprises in the plot, the novel tells a good story, engages the reader and keeps us guessing until the last page.

There is also a good argument amidst these pages for keeping smart phone use to a minimum among young folks. I know there is a movement among some youth to move the the old flip phones and I am all for it. Having cameras at hand to document every moment of one’s life often interferes with actually LIVING one’s life, being IN one’s life. Moreover, in the hands of impulsive adolescents, who do not have fully developed frontal cortexes, it may not be the best idea to have access to both cameras and texting ability and/or social media.

This is a solid read, great for either book club discussions or just a lighter read under your umbrella with your toes in the sand. Either way, I believe you’ll enjoy it!

 

 

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Nantucket is a small island – perhaps too small, as those who live there year round seem to run out of things to talk about and perhaps create stories about others that may or may not even be true. For example, when Madeline gets a bit desperate to break her writer’s block and rents a space for herself in which to write, the neighbors begin to buzz about why she might need a place for herself. Just about everything becomes misconstrued, except for the actual, factual controversial actions taking place…

Grab your sunglasses, towel and sunblock, as you will definitely want to bring this one along with you to the beach this summer! This fun, lighthearted novel with its colorful characters, twisty plot, and sarcastic narrative will warm your heart, make you smile, and distract you from all the insanity that is going on in the “real world.” It is just substantive enough to keep you completely intrigued, but yet light enough to not get too anxious or worried about the characters. And really, don’t we have enough anxiety and worry right about now?

If you’re looking for something to read while on vacation – or just looking to feel like you’re on vacation! – here’s just the novel for you!

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Finding herself married to a man she doesn’t love and pregnant with his child, Rose does the only thing she truly does love to do: she drives. She abandons her life – and her mother, whom she does love deeply – and drives herself across the country to a home for unwed mothers with the plan to give up her baby as soon as it is born. It is not at all in her plan to grow attached to anyone there, not to the kind, elderly sister who works with her in the kitchen, not to her naive roommate, and certainly not to the older, giant of a groundskeeper who barely says a word to anyone. And it is definitely not her plan to stay. But things don’t always happen as we plan them…

This is Ann Patchett’s first novel, and it is just as understated and pensive as her later books. Her characters, central to her story and artfully developed, are also mysterious and opaque, perhaps even to themselves. Everyone around Rose yearns to connect with her, to get to know her, her story. She is beautiful, quiet, hardworking and devoted to the few things she loves, but she keeps her secrets close. At the same time, Rose struggles with trying to know herself, and cannot forgive herself for her past.

What I also love about Patchett’s stories is that they end with some finality but also with some parts left to the reader’s imagination. And this in just the right proportion. I think this is a hard line to walk for authors, and Patchett has found that perfect balance, in my opinion.

This is an excellent story, with deeply moving characters that you will not forget for a time. Enjoy it!

 

The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

In this collection of short stories by Jennifer Weiner we meet an assortment of characters struggling with both usual and unusual circumstances. We meet a new mother battling fatigue and bewilderment, trying to find her way through midnight feedings, sleeplessness, and wondering “what if I’d taken the alternative path?” We meet another mother finding her way to a support group and making an unlikely connection with a younger mother who surprises her with her pure and natural maternal instincts. And we meet another woman, older, alone, who is overtaken by two sisters who kidnap her inside her own home. Each of these characters and their plight reveals a slice of someone’s experience, a moment of a lived experience that we can peek in on and gain just a bit more insight, a bit more empathy.

In these various stories, Weiner manages to create, in so brief a time, characters that are as deep and authentic as you might find in a full-length novel. She creates stories that bring you in and leave you wanting more. Which is exactly my difficulty – perhaps my own impatience – with short stories. I just want more! Sure, short stories serve a purpose. They create vignettes that set a stage, make a point, relate an adage, perhaps, or even communicate an experience. But for me, I just find them frustrating. I am hooked, I am engaged, I am all in – and then, POOF! – it’s done! Just not fair.

On the other hand, if anyone can pull it off, it is Weiner. And these are quite well done. They are entertaining, engaging, and, well, leave you wanting more. Which is, I guess, the point?

 

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Marianne has always known that she is different from the other kids at school. She is used to being by herself, reading books alone through her lunch periods, and being somewhat anonymous. So when Connell, of all people, begins to show her attention, albeit in private, she is quite shocked. Of course they have known each other forever, as his mother has worked for years as a cleaner for her family, but they’ve never spoken before now. But the attention he now shows her and the relationship that has now developed, even though they do not acknowledge it in public, will come to change both of their lives forever.

I feel as if this is another example of a good idea that is just poorly executed. Marianne and Connell form a connection but it is not clear how deep that connection actually goes. Connell, begins as a typical, awkward, adolescent male, living mostly in his own head and for the purpose of creating an outwardly “cool” persona. On the other hand, Marianne starts out as a fairly mature adolescent with much self-awareness and respect for the social stratification in her school, keeping herself virtually outside it. But as they come together, we see how Marianne is forever being used and considers herself unworthy of being treated better than someone who should just be used. Connell is not ever brave enough to fully change this.

Why do I think it is poorly executed? While some frustration in the reader can create tension and can be a fine literary tool, I felt that the entire story here was frustrating, and that is not ok. We never fully get Marianne’s story, her family’s history, the full picture. We get glimpses of what she has endured, through scenes with her older brother, but we never really know what has occurred. We never really know why Marianne and Connell keep missing each other’s signals, why they can never fully communicate. And although we understand Marianne’s compulsion to be mistreated, that she feels she does not deserve to be treated better, we never know why it is Connell who gets psychological treatment and Marianne who does not. I felt stranded with more questions than answers by the end – and that was much more frustrating than satisfying. And, as you may know if you’ve read any of my prior entries, while I do not like everything in a story wrapped up with a perfectly tied bow, I also don’t think that the polar opposite needs to be the case.

In a word, I wouldn’t bother…

 

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Sasha, much to her dismay, has left her clean, shiny, new apartment to move into her husband’s family’s 3-story brownstone in the historic “fruit” section of Brooklyn. Mind you, she appreciates the generosity of her husband’s extraordinarily wealthy parents for letting them move in there, but when she was told to make it her own, there were a bit too many caveats. She could not change the dark, long curtains that hung in the huge windows, because, well, they’d been made especially for those huge windows and what would you possibly find to fit those? And you couldn’t think about replacing the shabby old couch, even though it had given her a rash when she’d sat on it – because, well, you know it came directly from the governor’s mansion. Nor could her sister-in-law’s entire bedroom be cleared of the junk in there, because, well, she had no idea why. It drove Sasha completely mad. In fact, the way the family clung to their traditions, and to each other, if she were entirely honest with herself, sort of drove her a bit mad. But she did love her husband, Cord. And wasn’t it worth it just to be with him? Or was it?

Apparently, this is this author’s first novel, and I have to say, I can’t wait for her next! I enjoyed this novel from the very first page until the end of the acknowledgements. Her writing is crisp, clever, witty and had me giggling along as often as I was empathizing with her utterly delightful characters. We hear the story not only from Sasha, an artist from a middle class upbringing from a suburb of Providence, RI (center of the universe!), but from her sisters-in-law, Darley and Georgiana, who are the ultimate in NY upper crust, and so privileged they are completely oblivious to how privileged they are; that is, until it hits them smack in their clear-skinned, tanned and tennis-playing faces.

I also hold a special place in my heart for the Rhode Island humor hidden deep in these pages. References to the quahog and its appropriate pronunciation, the use of the word “bubbler” (anyone know what that is???), and teaching their kid to speak Rhode Island – I was sold way before that, but that clinched the deal. It was pure poetry to my Rhode Island-born ears. While you might not guess I am from there from my accent, I still carry a very treasured place in my heart for that tiny state that is not, in fact, an island.

This novel addresses class difference and social justice with a sense of humor, a light touch, and a kindness that might be a bit generous, but it is also done in a way that is digestible. I for one loved it and, as I said, cannot wait to see what is next from this very promising author. Because of the pure fun I had reading this one, I’m giving it a MUST READ!

 

The Beach at Summerly

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Emilia, whom most on Winthrop Island know as Cricket, has had something of an idyllic upbringing. Although her family works for the Peabody family, who only grace the island during the summer, she has always seen no difference between herself and the Peabody boys with whom she and her siblings were constant companions from Memorial until Labor Day. But things appear changed for all of them now that each family has lost a son in the second world war, and the sons who have returned have done so having seen what the world could impose. When the Peabodys’ aunt shows up with her children and an offer of a job for Cricket, this opens up possibilities – and danger – for Cricket and for her family.

Once again, Beatriz Williams has written a wonderfully crafted novel with all the ingredients of a MUST READ. We love Cricket, because she is smart, loving, and trying her best to do what is right. Nevertheless, she is of course caught up in a tangle of historical fictional intrigue and there are more than a few sections that even I, who tries to really read every word of a book, found myself glossing over some to try to find out what happens, because I NEEDED to know!

In this novel, we also see how the “bad guys” are not always necessarily “bad,” but just victims of their own ideals. It can be quite easy to be swayed by ideas that feel right or pure. There was a time, for example, particularly after the market crash of the 1930’s when Marxism and communism may have appeared to be a sound alternative to economically vulnerable capitalism. An “equal” society might have seemed to be a fairer way to live when there was such a stark difference between the rich and the poor. It might even appeal today. Nevertheless, the countries who reign under these Marxist/communist theories obfuscated what was really going on in order to maintain these regimes – which was that any opposition of opinion or thought was being rooted out and violently suppressed. It was going on then, during and just after WWII, when Russia was considered an ally, and it is absolutely going on now.

This is both a well-researched, valuable historical perspective and an un-put-down-able work of fiction. The best combination, in my book!

Yellowface by RF Kuang

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

June Hayward is ambitious. She knows in her bones that she was born to be a writer, and in spite of the fact that her family will not see it as a legitimate career, she is determined to prove this to be true. And even as she has faith in her own potential, she cannot help but worship Athena Liu, who has become, straight out of Yale where they met and became friendly, an overnight success. Where June ultimately takes this drive, this deep need for acknowledgement will likely shock you — again and again and again.

This story is an indictment of both the publishing industry and social media. The hoops that potential authors must jump through to get to be seen creates an almost closed loop for so many. If you don’t have an agent, you cannot get your manuscript looked at by an editor – but if you’ve never published, it’s almost impossible to get an agent. If you do succeed in breaking through, you may become either the newest darling of the industry or depending on public opinion, the newest pariah. And it is not necessarily the case that any publicity is good publicity.

And social media, magnifies any controversy ad infinitum. When June is outed for the controversy she starts with her book, for example, the online discourse goes utterly viral. She cannot get out from under this. There are some creative ways in which she attempts to handle the attacks, but they mostly backfire – as they often do. And they are personal, cruel, and, well, yes, true. But we still feel a bit sorry for her, which is the beauty of this book.

In spite of her deeply flawed logic and her repeatedly poor decision-making, we are still sympathetic – at least to a point – toward June. We get her – we are able to see her, at least in part, as an underdog and, in a way, we do sort of root for her, in spite of her persistently absurd choices. Which is what makes this book a fun read in spite of all the cringing we cannot help ourselves undergoing throughout. It verges on funny, on sad and on absurd – all at the same time. But always, consistently, cringeworthy.

Definitely a worthwhile and entertaining book to delve into!