The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Alina, the youngest of her siblings, is perfectly aware that she is spoiled, but she relishes the doting she receives from both her family and. her beloved crush, Tomasz.  As her world begins to collapse around her, and the Germans invade her poor, industrial Polish town, she learns that she must grow up fast and that being careless of what is happening around her could cost her or someone close to her their life.  

Fast forward to present day, we also meet Alice, struggling to keep up the balance of the life she never quite expected.  The mother of a son with autistic spectrum disorder, Alice finds herself constantly advocating for him, sometimes even with her own husband.  When her grandmother, Babcia, becomes acutely ill and asks of her the one thing she’s ever asked of her, it may push her fully over the edge – or possibly bring her back from it.  

This heart-wrenching story, a work of fiction but laced with details from the author’s Polish, Catholic background, is a beautiful tribute to the utter bravery of Righteous Gentiles who resisted and rebelled against Nazi hatred and violence during WWII in order to save their fellow Polish, Jewish citizens.  The Poles living through the Nazi occupation suffered also and some escaped to other countries.  And the immigrant experience during war carries with it trauma, no matter where one comes from and no matter when it has occurred.

The writing is truly beautiful.  We feel the characters deeply and their emotions become our own.  We experience the pent-up rage that Alice feels as a mother and wife, and while reading, I had to remind myself to breathe, almost as if for her.  We feel Alina’s profound terror, worrying constantly about the safety of her true love, Tomasz, and that of her entire family.  And we almost can’t read quickly enough as the suspense mounts and we learn of the plot twist that is truly unexpected.  It is a clever and warmly woven yarn – just be sure to have the tissues on hand!

This is a hard read, but well worth the journey!  I believe this is a MUST READ! 

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

After having achieved some degree of acclaim with his first novel, Jacob Finch Donner has been finding it a challenge, to say the least, to hit the target with that follow-up one.  Not that he hasn’t tried, of course.  He has had a couple of feeble attempts, but even he knows they were not worthy of much attention.  So, to make ends meet, he’s been doing what he can – and for writers, that translates to teaching writing, which he is doing currently at a small, run-down, third-tier program in Vermont, as an adjunct.  It is here where Donner has a brief exchange of ideas with an arrogant, petulant student who will forever change the course of Donner’s life – for better and for worse.  

While I found this book to be engaging for most of the way through, with a tone that was at once cynical and amusing, it was overall a bit disappointing.  The narrative did achieve some unpredictability, but it was riddled with conspicuous details and a singular plot line that just led to one possible conclusion.  The twists were not as “twisty” as I’d hoped for.

Even the characters were a bit milquetoast.  The main character, Jacob, was likable – messy, insecure and vulnerable – but we really don’t know very much about him.  We have little backstory on him and do not really develop a deep emotional attachment to him.  We feel even less about Anna, the woman he marries, and so do not get to like her all that much before we decide we may not.  

I will say that I was entertained for about the first 60% of the novel, but it definitely fell short of my expectations.  Worth it?  Not sure…

 

 

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi: 9781984899767 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

Gifty is striving to complete her final doctoral thesis in neuroscience on addictive behaviors. She knows she’s obsessing over her data, and that she needs to move on to the writing of the final paper, but her past has come back to haunt her and she is stuck.  It may be that the visit from her mother, drowning in her own pain, will nudge her forward.  Or will it be her sifting through her old journals from her youth?  Somehow, Gifty works through a resolution and confronts the deeply painful religious, emotional and philosophical issues that are holding her back. 

This memoir is a recounting of a second generation immigrant from Ghana who suffers multiple layers of trauma during her childhood,  while seeking and finding little community support in her small town, Southern evangelical church.  Needless to say, her struggle is complicated.

One recurrent theme is the conflict she feels between religion and science.  Having memorized large swaths of scripture for her mother’s approval and having limited experience outside her small, Bible belt town in Alabama until college, she has a deeply ingrained emotional connection to her religion and to a traditional belief in God.  On the other hand, her more cerebral side has rejected much of the dogma the church espouses; whether the narrow views on sexuality, the scorning of evolutionary theory, or the criticism of science in general.  So when a fellow student criticizes those who are religious, she is not quite sure what to feel, but she is simultaneously insulted and embarrassed.  She identifies with those being criticized but also sees why they are being so.   

The other inescapable message here is the devastation that occurs when a family member has an addiction. Not only does the addict suffer, but everyone around him suffers as well.  When Nana, Gifty’s brother disappears, she and her mother spend hours searching for him to try to bring him home to safety.  When he is not functioning, the whole family is not able to function.  And the cycling and unpredictability has devastating effects on everyone for years to come. 

This very real story hits hard and is a hard read.  We are very fortunate that the author has chosen to share her experience with us.  

Home Again by Kristin Hannah

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
Home Again: A Novel - Kindle edition by Hannah, Kristin. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Angel DeMarco has been living in the fast lane for so long now, that he cannot even catch up with himself.  Famous for his blue-eyed, teen fan-wilting smile, and his roles in smash-hit action films, he has amassed the fortune to finance the most impulsive drug and sex sprees imaginable.  And yet – he still finds himself as lonely as ever.  When he is suddenly faced with a health crisis, all of this comes rushing in to challenge his very ability to face his past in order to make possible a future.  

Meanwhile, Madelaine, back home in Seattle, has become a successful cardiologist, working with a transplant team that is renowned for its success.  While she is top of her game professionally, she is struggling personally.  Her role as a single mom has become more and more challenging as her teenaged daughter, Lina, has begun to challenge everything about their relationship.  Trying so hard to protect Lina, Madelaine hides truths from her daughter.  But will this be sustainable?  And who is this really protecting?   

It is so disappointing when a book starts out well but then is heartbreakingly dull and predictable, right? Hannah had a great premise for this book: lovely characters, an interesting plot idea, and a challenging ethical dilemma.  Sadly, this great idea was muddled by repeatedly, prolonged character musings over past failings intertwined with drawn-out, ruminative thoughts.  The characters were flat — too pretty and stereotypical, with little depth.  And the plot was so devoid of surprise or twist that I felt I was reading the story just to prove there was no surprise or twist to be found.  

Is it the writer’s oversight?  The editor’s?  I wonder.  

In any case, there is too little time and too many books to read, so don’t spend our precious gift of literature on this one. 

 

 

 

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
The Lincoln Highway: A Novel: Towles, Amor: 9780735222359: Amazon.com: Books

After being escorted home by the warden of Salina, the juvenile detention center where he has just served, Emmett arrived with a fairly clear plan for starting anew, for himself and his younger brother, Billy,  Since the premature death of their father, the only parent who’d been around for the past number of years, it was now up to Emmett to see to Billy’s care and he planned to take that responsibility very seriously.  He did not, however, anticipate that 9-year-old Billy would have an equally precise idea about what their future plan should entail.  Nor did he anticipate the complicated route on which they would find themselves traveling.  

There are many reasons that I am not an author, but Amor Towles is one of them.  Many authors intimidate me, with their uncanny ability to weave together intricate plot lines, such that they push the borders of one’s imagination.  Others are able to conjure sentences that are like pearls on a string, poetry within prose, at which I can only marvel. Towles is able to accomplish both, which is the gift he shared with us in A Gentleman in Moscow, and again shares with us here. 

And the characters are as multi-dimensional as the people we know in our lives.  Duchess, one of Emmett’s associates from Salina, is a profound and complex character, and this novel is every bit about his journey as it is Emmett’s. Duchess who is the consummate showman, is always polite and upbeat and outwardly generous, is inwardly broken.  We know not to trust him but we like him in spite of ourselves; we know he has a heart, but that heart has been fractured over and over and over.  He too is on a mission, and his is understandable but misguided.

I love that Billy —  the youngest, most idealistic, and the one guided by a book of heroes — is also the character in the story with the most common sense.  Billy is the one who sees through all the nonsense that the others struggle with.  While everyone else sees themselves as his protectors, Billy is actually the one who remains calm, keeps the most level head, and pays attention to the details that matter most.  We can all learn from Billy.

The writing, the characters, the journey – give this gift to yourself.  And be glad that Amor Towles is the author, and not me! 

A definite MUST-READ!  

 

 

 

The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
The Map of Salt and Stars | Book by Zeyn Joukhadar | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Nour has already been uprooted with her family from New York to Syria, after the death of her beloved father.  It has been hard to feel grounded, not to feel out of place, as she’s struggled to learn the language that comes so easily to her older sisters who had the advantage of having been born there.  When disaster strikes, however, they must leave once again, and Nour must find the strength to search for the place she will ultimately call home, as well as determine who she really is.  What guides and inspires Nour is her memory of the fantastical legend of Rawiya, who sets out to study the art of mapmaking, facing her own challenges and adventures.  

 It is stories like this one that brings the migrant crisis to a human level.  We might read about thousands of people crossing deserts, oceans, and barbed-wired borders in search of freedom or safety,  and it might be hard for us to connect to these realities.  But when we come to know a 12-year-old girl, with 2 older sisters, who has painful memories of her deceased father, who feels out of place and awkward and is stuck in her own dreams and her father’s stories, we connect with her.  And when she travels we travel and when she is in danger, we are in danger.   And it’s hard and it hurts – and that makes it human.  And that is the power of fiction – it makes things real. 

What works in the novel is the simultaneous tale of Rawiya,.  It serves as an emotional release from the intensity of Nour’s journey- almost a literary breath, if you will.  More than that, though, it gives an opportunity to highlight the mystical and historic richness of the lands through which Nour is traversing.   These lands of Arabia are vibrant and full of legend, and the story brings this to light.  

Again, this is hard to read, but it is poetically written, colorful and imaginative.  A journey of its own.   

 

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
Wish You Were Here: A Novel: Picoult, Jodi: 9781984818416: Amazon.com: Books

It is March, 2020, and Diane may have just made the faux pas of her career.  She’d been on such a positive trajectory, climbing the ladder in the art business world just as she’d planned.  In fact, most of her life was going as planned – her life with Finn, her boyfriend, their New York, fast-paced, busy lives — really everything.  But now, who knows?  This would be the perfect time to get away to the Galapagos, as she and Finn had planned,  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as though Finn will be able to get away, as this novel coronavirus has coopted his surgical training, and all hands are on deck for caring for Covid patients at the hospital.  Should she go on her own, as he’s suggested? The next few months will turn their lives upside-down, as they have done for all of us – but not nearly in the way you will expect!

When I realized that this book was taking place during Covid, I was apprehensive about reading it.  We’ve all been through it and we’re all pretty over it – to say the very least!  The masks, the distancing, the isolation – enough already!!  

But actually, this story has a novel plot line, with ample twists and turns that keep it fresh.  Covid is only a part of the story.  There are gorgeous natural scenes in the Galapagos that engage our imagination.  There are characters who are experiencing familial issues that are unrelated to the pandemic that will distract you from thinking about your mask and your disinfectant.  And there is deep discussion about art that always highlights our humanity.  

Most importantly, this narrative suggests we strive to seek our own silver lining from the pandemic.  Diane finds hers, in her relationship with her mother, in her self-discovery, in her appreciation of living in the moment.  While there has been devastating loss, unspeakable fractionation within our population, and the unearthing of so much injustice during this pandemic, there has also been newfound light.  There has been a slowing down, a “time out,” so to speak, during which we’ve had a chance to reevaluate and reassess.  There has been more intensive time with some loved ones, even while there has been time away from others, which can give us time to appreciate each other on a whole different level.  There’s been time to appreciate what we do have.  

Yes, this may all sound a little pollyannish, but I am, at the end of the day, an optimist.  It helps me to find something good even in things that are hard.   

How exactly is this expressed in the story?  I guess you’ll have to read it to find out…!

 

 

Tidelands by Philippa Gregory

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
Tidelands (1) (The Fairmile Series): Gregory, Philippa: 9781501187155: Amazon.com: Books

 

Alinor was very alone in the graveyard on a windy, cold night, wondering if her husband was going to be returning to her or if he had died at sea, when suddenly she found herself faced with a finely dressed gentleman of the cloth.  She quickly recovered herself and sprung into action, feeling compassion for this young man who was clearly in danger of his life.  What she could not foresee was that saving him would have an impact on her future and the future of both of her children.  And what she will not know if this would be for better or for worse. 

I was reminded by this novel was that some of the best stories require patience to reveal themselves as such.  It took time to build the world in which Alinor lived, that of great political conflict, as revolutionaries were rebelling against King Charles in the 1600’s in England.  Even as Alinor tried to stay out of the fray, it was impossible, as she was inextricably caught between her brother who fought for the freedom of the ordinary man and her lover who served the king he believed was ordained by his Lord directly.  And the fray was mundane as well, with her tiny, provincial, seaside town being fertile ground for festering grudges and jealousies.  The tidelands, as her land was called, because of the sand on which she lived which flooded and eroded with the ocean forces, was a beautiful metaphor for the shifting alliances she found herself exposed to.  As these conflicts both large and small grew, so too did the literary tension, such that it really grew hard for the reader to look away.

This is a lush, striking story with beautiful imagery, forceful characters and great power.  The question now is, do I read the next one in the series now or save it for later???

 

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Amazon.com: My Absolute Darling: A Novel: 9780735211179: Tallent, Gabriel: Books

Turtle has been living a very self-contained existence for all of her 14 years of life. It’s been pretty much just her and Martin, her father, with a weekly visit to play Cribbage with her Grandpa. Except for going to school, Turtle has been living mostly off the grid, and Martin’s obsession with survival has her ensuring that her guns are always clean and her guard is always up. And while she feels incompetent because of her academic struggles, she feels little about how she is perceived socially – that is, until she meets 2 lost boys in the woods, who ultimately help her every bit as much as she helps them.

This is an utterly gripping, but utterly disturbing novel about how trauma can be experienced and passed down from one generation to the next.  We are in Turtle’s head as she withstands her recurrent abuse at the hands of her father, and we deeply feel compassion for the simultaneous love and hate she feels toward him. There are so many opportunities she has to escape and yet she returns to his overpowering grip. It is a classic abusive relationship, where the abuser convinces the abused that they have no way out.  

The writing is razor-sharp and keeps the reader on edge throughout.  It is impossible to put this one down. We are with Turtle, rooting for her, holding our breath, feeling her awkwardness, and reeling from her anger toward the hard, hard world she inhabits. We exhale when we meet her 2 new friends, as they banter mindlessly and playfully, in such stark contrast to anything she has ever known. And we cannot stop turning the pages to find out how far she will have to go to survive.  

This book is not for the feint of heart, but it is a wildly suspenseful read and an important insight into the mindset of a child abused.  

Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld
Amazon.com: Imagine Me Gone: 9780316261333: Haslett, Adam: Books

Margaret has tried her best to keep her marriage to John and their 3 children’s lives as “normal” as possible, but she has not been able to stifle her fear that John’s formidable depression might return at any time. Steadfast in her love for him, she stands by him, even as he is unable to maintain even the fiction of function. Yet, as she is trying desperately to guide her children through their adolescence, she cannot prevent the tragedy that ends up defining them. Maybe, she thinks, she can keep them close enough to show them that family can help each other get through.

The sheer beauty of the writing in this novel carries it to great heights. The story is told from a rotation of voices, which strengthens the perspective and gives us a glimpse into the minds of each member of this close-knit and deeply pained family. There is such imagery, almost poetry, in the descriptions and the way ideas are shared. Michael, the eldest of the 3 children, has inherited his father’s mental illness, and it manifests in a mania, obsessions, and overwhelming and paralyzing guilt. He often rambles on, the typical “flight of ideas” of someone with mania. One of his rants, during a loan deferment application, contains the following passage: “I was selected by the Department of Education to voyage on their first Student Loan Probe to Jupiter, as one of four debitnauts. We traveled for years, passing through nebulae of internships and retail, through the wake of an imploding technology boom, and on through the outer rings of bankruptcy, before finally reaching the planet’s gaseous surface. Our hope was to make contact with the lost colony of the underemployed.” (Page 290) And so on.

The quality of the writing extends to the character development as well, in my opinion. We get inside the brains of Michael, of his sister, Celia, and his much younger brother, Alec. We learn how they cope, how they don’t cope, and how they rely on each other to get through. Their bond is just as dysfunctional as it is functional – typical and realistic. They fight each other and fight for each other. But there is always love underlying all of it – and that is communicated with the warmth and the humor and even the eye rolls that we can so clearly envision.

So yes, this book has its depressing overtones, but it is so beautifully written that it is worth the hardship of it. It is also such a realistic portrait of mental illness and its impact on a family that it’s our duty not to shy away from it.