City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Natasha (formally Natalia) has just arrived in her home city in Russia after years in Paris, and it is overwhelming. She is not certain she will be able to face any of it – her scheduled return to the ballet stage after her injury, her old teachers, her old friends, the city itself. She is finding there to be just too many painful memories, too many scars from her past, far deeper than her physical ones. Can she overcome her heartbreak to return to the stage? Will it be worth it?

This is the dramatic saga of a ballet dancer who starts with nothing and works literally to the bone to rise to the very top. She ignores the competition and the backstabbing from her fellow students as well as the ruthlessness of the teachers and is laser-focused only on achieving perfection. Even friends and family must be kept secondary to her goal, or so she perceives. What she finds once she rises to the top, however, is that it becomes quite lonely there. When you’re on top, there is not much company there. It’s hard to fit others in there with you…

Has dancing filled in a void for her that she could not fill otherwise? Or did she create a void with her dancing, as a defense against having to cope with others? Natasha has loved, but it’s been complicated and tangled into her insular world. She is now facing that question as she forces herself to heal, both inside and out.

The most beautiful character here, in my opinion, is Natasha’s friend, Nina. While Natasha often takes her for granted, Nina is the most steadfast, the most grounded of all the characters in the story. While she also is incredibly talented, driven and successful, she also manages to have a relationship with another dancer, to marry and to have a family even while continuing to dance. When she is treated poorly by Natasha, she calls her out for it. In fact, there are years during which they do not speak. But Nina is forgiving, and ultimately, she is there for her friend, showing up when she knows she is needed the most.

This narrative is a fascinating peek into an artist’s mind as well as into the world of dance. It is also a story about love, friendship and forgiveness.

The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin

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Each morning when Jacob awakes, he feels it all over again – the shock of not being able to use the legs he once took for granted. He has relived that moment over and over in his mind of going from a normal, if rebellious, adolescent to one who cannot go anywhere without his damned wheelchair. And while his friends have tried to reach out, he has recoiled from their attempts, because, well, what’s the point? And then there is Alice, fairly paralyzed herself, but by the grief she’s felt since the death of her husband. And although she goes to work and cares for her beloved bees, she is really just going through the motions, isn’t she? At the same time, Harry is not far away, despondent since his uncle has been dragged away from their home, trying desperately to figure out where his next meal might come from. It is these three very disparate characters who will, by unforeseen circumstances come together, join forces, and in fact, perhaps even save each other.

This is a truly poignant story. Each character has suffered deep pain and is swimming in his/her trauma, trying desperately not to drown. None can see any sort of hope. It is only when they are together that they are able to bolster each other, to embolden each other. Much like the bees that they come together to care for.

In this novel, we are told much about how the community of bees works constantly for the benefit of the whole hive; how each member has a specific mission, how interdependent they are. How essentially, if a few fail, they all fail. What a lesson for us all, right? In this moment when so many of us are so isolated, so intent on working from home, so avid to avoid communal spaces, we may, actually, be hurting ourselves. When we’re connected with others, we improve our mental health and we improve societal health as well.

Another stunning lesson from nature beautifully transposed through this story.

Long Island by Colm Toibin

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Twenty or so years have passed (since Brooklyn), and we find Eilis still married to Tony, with two lovely teenaged children, sharing a tiny cul-de-sac on Long Island with Tony’s parents and his brothers and their families. This excessive closeness might not be so terrible if it weren’t for the sudden, unexpected visitor that appears at Eilis’s door one day, bringing with him a threat that upends her entire life. With this startling news and its implications, Eilis gradually learns two things: one, that there are no secrets in Tony’s family ever, and two, that she has no true allies among them. As she realizes that she must take matters into her own hands, she slowly tries to plot how she will cope. How she manages and her next steps will change her life and the lives of her whole family.

In this installment of the series, we see Eilis finally taking a stand, finding her red line. She has matured and grown stronger, even as she is treated so poorly by the family around her, including her husband. They lie to her, disrespect her, and treat her as an outsider. She learns the hard way that she cannot trust any of them. But she perseveres, trying to maintain some degree of sanity in order to hold on to her status as the mother of her children, knowing that if she deserts them, she will lose them (that she has few rights in the eyes of the law, especially at that time). And that the family will double-cross her, even though she is the one who has been wronged. So she is stealthy, strategic, smart.

The plot is also more intriguing, taking us back to Ireland, winding us back in time, as her old flame is reignited. But it’s much more complicated now. Lives have moved on, relationships have formed and Eilis is walking into a web of complex emotional ties. How she balances her own desires with her children’s welfare and her family’s internal drama keeps the story moving and the reader engaged.

I definitely found this one to be more engaging and less frustrating. Worth the work!

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

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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 Autumn of Ruth Winters by Marshall Fine

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Ruth is very much a creature of habit, borne of frustration with the world which she has felt has dealt her a tough hand. She’s been disappointed by her sister, her late husband, and her general life circumstances, and she’s just now managing to make the best of it by caring for a few young children in the neighborhood whom she enjoys quite a lot. Children, she finds, are honest, kind, and respond well to her “old-fashioned,” rules-driven manner. But suddenly, when she receives a shocking call from her sister asking for a favor, her world is turned upside-down. Ruth is forced to come to terms with her difficult past and perhaps make some changes that will affect both her present and her future.

This is a completely endearing novel that will engage you right from the start, pull at your heartstrings, and bring you joy. It is written with such tenderness, even when Ruth is stewing in resentment, or immobilized by inertia. We see that she is stuck but we also feel empathy for her. Life has thrown her curve balls, one after the other. But now, it appears, she is suddenly coming into her own.

I believe the lesson here is that while it may seem as if the other (here, Ruth’s sister) may have the “perfect” life, the grass truly isn’t always greener, so to speak. One never knows what goes on behind closed doors, we can never know what is going on in another person’s life or mind. The nicest house, the most glamorous career, the most beautiful, “picture-perfect” family – might inspire jealousy, but may not be what they appear to be. On the other hand, others who may appear on the outside to have difficulties or challenges, may actually be the most content.

This is a lovely novel, enriching, beautifully written and with a lovely message. I highly recommend it!

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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Alice, frustrated by her journalism career, has just landed the interview of a lifetime: she will be meeting the glamorous but reclusive Margaret Ives in the hopes of possibly writing her biography. Unfortunately, to her dismay, she has just discovered that she must prove herself more worthy of the task over the OTHER journalist who has also arrived to be interviewed for this opportunity, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Hayden. As she learns more and more about the origin story of Margaret Ives, her truths (and her semi-truths), she also finds she is learning more about herself – and about her competition – in the process.

This is a complex, incredibly imaginative story that will delight and surprise you in more ways than you can imagine. There is intrigue, heartbreak, and disappointment, but also love and romance and joy. Margaret’s story is complicated but fascinating, and we are kept in suspense by the breaks in her story, facilitated by the rivalry between Alice and Hayden. We feel for Margaret, as she clenches onto her privacy with a tight grip, as she’s lived in the media spotlight most of her life and been burned from the heat of it. But we also want to know. We want to know what happened to her, what has created her sadness, why she has shied away from the world for so long and why she wants to tell her story now.

This is not a typical romance novel, in that it was twisty, surprising (particularly toward the end), and complex. There are many layers to this story, as it is a story within a story, and it is as well-constructed as it is written.

Definitely treat yourself to this one!

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

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Shiloh is not sure why she is even going to Mikey’s wedding – she hasn’t spoken to him, or anyone from high school, if she’s honest with herself – for so many years. In spite of the fact that she’s back home, living with her mother and her two children since her ugly divorce. But the thought of possibly, maybe running into her old, best friend, Cary, is, well, an exciting, if intimidating prospect. While it may bring back many sweet memories, it also brings back some awkward ones as well. When she does see Cary, it sparks something between them. But what does it mean?

This is a sweet romance story that will not necessarily knock your socks off, but will certainly keep you curious and engaged. Shiloh is a no-nonsense, smart, and slightly disillusioned woman who has suffered more than her share of disappointments. She loves fiercely and has not always been given that love in return, and so has built a shell around her in self-preservation. When she meets Cary, again, this shell has become so hardened that she is unaware of how burdensome it can be to carry it around with her always. Fortunately, Cary is persistent…

Again, if you’re looking for a light romance novel that is witty and entertaining, this is for you.

We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates

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The Mulvaney family – Michael Sr, Corinne, and their four children, not to mention all their animals – are a boisterous, close-knit, and fairly prosperous family living on a working farm in upstate NY. Michael has worked his way up from humble beginnings, to say the least, and Corinne, who left college to marry Michael, prides herself on knowing exactly what is going on with their 3 boys and 1 girl at all times. And while she adores her sons, she takes particular pride in her beautiful, popular, and smart daughter, who mystifies her by the attention, the phone calls, and the friends she garners (that Corinne herself was never able to). So how is it that Corinne missed the change in Marianne, the alteration in her mood, her habits, even her appearance since the prom a week ago? And how would this affect the Mulvaneys going forward?

This portrait of the gradual demise of a family after a major trauma is tragic, heart-wrenching, and devastatingly realistic. We watch as their communication breaks down, as they increasingly close off to one another, drawing inside themselves, festering in their own grief, unable to reach out to the one who actually is the one who truly needs the nurturing: Marianne. Even Corinne, the mom, who is supposedly the heart of the family, desperately tries to be the glue tying them all to their beloved home. She is coming apart at the seams, fraying and caving to the weaknesses of the men around her, particularly her husband’s. Marianne’s vulnerability, her trauma, becomes her fault. As happens way too often, Marianne punishes herself and is punished by everyone around her, as if she has asked for this trauma. As if something she has done has provoked the trauma she’s experienced. (Which, of course, it has not.)

It is hard to read this novel without becoming angry – at the family, at the community, at society in general. Because this is the story of women. It is set in the 1970’s but it can be anytime, anywhere and it will be true all over again. A man assaults a woman and it becomes her fault, she gets blamed and it becomes all about the men around her. How it reflects on the family. How it must be avenged. How she must have brought it on, somehow. How she must be punished for it, ultimately. Because somehow it is her shame, not the shame of the perpetrator. (Why is this still a thing? It is impossible to comprehend.)

I believe the writing is a bit meandering, with quite a lot of extraneous detail. But within is a story for all time, an important statement about the past and current way in which the needs of women become undermined by those of the men around them. How a single traumatic event can impact an entire family for their whole lives. And how if we don’t communicate, face what is needed with kindness, compassion, and humility, we will never get beyond this hypocritical treatment of women in our society.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

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Lo has just gone through a frighteningly traumatic event after which she’s not slept for a week. But she knows she has to pull it together because she has a one and only chance to advance her career in the travel journalism field, with this upcoming, singular event: the maiden voyage of a VERY exclusive, very small cruise ship, hosting Britain’s elite with whom she must connect and impress. But suddenly, in the middle of her first night, shocking sounds have awoken Lo, and she is now distracted from her mission. Is she going mad? Can she rely on her memory of what happened in the middle of the night? She must get to the bottom of this, no matter what…

This is truly one of the most suspenseful novels I’ve read, one I felt I just couldn’t read fast enough! (And if you’ve followed this blog, you know I’ve been on a suspense tear, so this is saying quite a lot!) The story bursts immediately into action and, in truth, never stops. We follow Lo and feel for her, as she has her missteps and miscalculations but we also see that she is thwarted and misled by something devious and dangerous as well. And I NEVER would have guessed the ending – total twister!

This is not a character-based novel. I did not derive great insights or ponder deep thoughts about life’s meaning while reading this. I cannot wax poetic about about newfound wisdom gleaned from this novel.

But it is definitely great fun, a wonderful escape, and damn well what we need right now, so treat yourself and indulge!

The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

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As a child, Rachel could not imagine remaining on her tiny island of St. Thomas, restrained by the small minds, the rigid rules of her insular, Jewish community. She and her best friend, Jestine, dream of one day sailing off together to Paris, where they might have a chance at being able to defy the norms that women are restricted to, and have some control over their lives. Rachel’s defiant spirit is further fomented by her father, who has taught her to read and write and calculate figures so that she has an understanding of their family’s business. Even when Rachel appears to be following the rules, her indomitable spirit is ever percolating beneath the surface, leading her to follow her heart – sometimes to her benefit, and sometimes to her detriment.

This is a beautiful, fictionalized story of the life of the mother of Camille Pissarro, the famous Impressionist painter. We learn of her and her parents’ complicated relationship with their domestic workers and how this has impacted her upbringing, her world view, and, in turn, impacted the artist himself. Not every lie, every secret – especially on a small island such as this one – can stay buried forever.

The writing here is beautiful. If anyone can write color, it is Alice Hoffman. It is so easy, with her vivid descriptions, to imagine the blinding light of the island, the green expanse of the ocean, and the smoky sky of Paris. We imagine the paintings of Pissarro without even having to see them, the way he absorbs colors, taking in each new shade as if it is a new sweetness, a new flavor he must taste. The descriptions are mystical and atmospheric, elevating both the narrative of the story and the descriptions of the art, making both feel almost spiritual.

This is also a timely novel. The fears of the Jewish community of persistent persecution are evident as they huddle together, trying to remain as quiet and invisible to the outside world as possible. The Jews of St. Thomas in the 1800’s were mostly refugees from persecution in other places, whether Spain, Portugal, or other islands, where they had been captured and enslaved or worse. They were fearful of being oppressed once again and even though they were currently free, they knew how fragile that freedom was and how quickly it could be taken away – knowing that it had happened so many times in their past. Just as we are seeing now, worldwide, as antisemitism has risen astronomically over the past few years. Even here in the US, where we are supposedly “free.” Especially here in the US, where we are supposedly “free.”

I highly recommend this book – for the story, for the historical value, and for the pure pleasure of the imagery.