The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

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Mariamma is only 12 when she’s told she is to be married off to an older widow. There is nothing to be done, as this is her fate, just as it was for her own mother and those who came before her, in her home in southern India at the start of the 1900’s. She is, in truth, more worried for her dear mother, who herself has been widowed and is now at the mercy of her father’s brother, who perceives her more as a burden than as family. But Mariamma knows she is loved, knows how to love, and this serves her well. She enters her new home with an open heart and embarks upon a journey that brings her both great joys and deep sorrows.

This is a gorgeous family saga that enriches the reader with a deeper understanding of not only Indian culture, but of a bit of the unrest that ensued after the liberation of India from British rule. We immediately bond to Mariamma and her life becomes part of our own. When the plot shifts to focus on Digby, a young Scottish physician who comes to India on a quest to get practical surgical experience, we find ourselves adopting him as well. The characters and their stories are authentic, vulnerable, and gritty and we can’t help but get swept up in their struggles and their joys.

One of my favorite characters here is Mariamma’s husband, who is referred to as Big Appachen. He is a man of very few words, but his actions speak for themselves. He is generous beyond words – he rewards those who are loyal to him (and sometimes those who are not) with land grants and opportunities – and tries to overlook the traditional caste system that divides the people who work for him. While he does not express what he feels verbally, he shows it in the most important ways – through his protectiveness, his generosity, and his kindness. (I know I could learn from this, being one of many words.)

I loved this book. I believe these characters will live on with me for a very long time.

Give yourself the gift of reading it – you will not be disappointed! For sure, a MUST READ!

 

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

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Lara is aware that there is great suffering in the world, but for the moment, she is counting her blessings. Her three daughters, who’d gone their independent ways, have come back not only out of necessity – to help work their cherry farm, when so many of their usual hands are not available – but because their own lives have been put on hold for now. And since they are together, Lara’s colorful past has become the target of the girls’ interest. What was the actual story of Lara’s romance with this famous actor they’ve been watching in this movie over and over? Who was this larger-than-life Duke and what was it like to act with him? They have had bits and pieces of her story over the years, but now they have the time and maturity to hear more of the details. And Lara now has the patience to tell her story. Well, most of it.

So, once again, we have here a story within a story. Without even mentioning the word Covid once, the author makes it clear that the family is podding together as the world shuts down. But that remains a mere backdrop, and the focus is definitely on the positive of the time the family has together. They are working side by side as they never have before – at least not as adults. And as Lara shares her story, we hear it too. And it is bright with the hope of youth and dark with the heartbreak of young, naive love.

The writing here is typical Ann Patchett-beautiful. There is warmth, nostalgia, and a subtlety that comes from a writer who can portray a story without over-dramatization, without hyperbole. Each character is so genuine they might be your next door neighbor, but their story is nevertheless so tangible it stays with you long past the turning of that last page. Even those characters who do have dramatic presence, such as Duke, have clear vulnerabilities, obvious flaws, such that they are also so human and entirely relatable. This is absolutely a gift.

And we are so lucky to have the opportunity to partake of this gift of Patchett’s. In fact, this may actually be a MUST READ. I’d love to hear if you agree!

 

The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page

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Janice quietly sees herself as a cleaner. She takes pride in her work, and she while she does quite a bit more than just clean for her clients, she contents herself with the knowledge that she does her best. As she does, however, she also quietly collects the stories of the clients she serves, getting to know who they are, what they’ve lived through, and seeing not only who they project themselves to the world but who they are on the inside. When one of her clients asks her to add on her mother-in-law, an elderly but feisty woman with a store of her own stories to share, she ends up opening up the world for Janice in a way she would never have expected.

I found this to be a surprisingly beautiful novel. The multiple layers of stories, the many colorful characters, each with their own quirky tale, add so much without confusing the underlying plot in the least. And while there is true affection that develops between Janice and Mrs. B, the elderly mother-in-law, for example, it is the furthest thing from saccharine-sweet. They are alternatingly vulnerable and deeply sarcastic with each other and you never know if they will be hiding from each other their tears or their smirks. Likewise, the relationship that develops between Janice and her crush, the “geography professor” bus driver. While it develops in fits and starts and you’re never sure if Janice will allow herself the happiness you’re sure she’ll find with him, you root for it with all your heart, because you feel the warmth there. It radiates from the page.

Underlying the story here is how guilt can plague us, hold us back, allow us to punish ourselves indefinitely. So many of us cannot bring ourselves to forgive ourselves for our past, for something we’ve done, for something perhaps even out of our control. Not forgiving ourselves – just as not forgiving others – can be toxic. It is something we have to let go. It is hard to do – sometimes it’s the hardest thing to overcome. But it can be liberating as well, when you come out the other side of it. That is the message here. Something we can all probably use in this moment of division and difficulty even with civil discourse.

Maybe this novel is not quite to the level of a MUST READ, but it’s pretty darn close! You’ll definitely love Janice as she shares all of her stories with you!

The Clover Girls by Viola Shipman

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Violet, Rachel and Liz have each just received a letter from their old camp friend, Em. While they’ve all lost touch many years ago over a few deep-cutting, mean-girl incidents, Em has kept track of all of them. In fact, even as she has been dying of cancer, she’s managed to create a plan to entice them back to the camp that had once united them. And even if she is no longer around to witness it, she has taken steps to ensure that they repair the wounds they’ve inflicted.

Sooooo…. I hate to say this, but this novel was one I would NOT recommend wasting time with. Even if you were a die-hard camper, even if you experienced girl drama as a kid – even if you just like women’s fiction – at least in my opinion, this is just not worth your time. I kept hoping that something would not work out perfectly, that something would not be a cliche. It was disappointing, particularly since each of the 3 main characters began as interesting, in and of themselves. Sadly, even as they confronted the conflict in their lives, everything fell much too neatly and predictably into place. Even the boy crush from years past was conveniently the owner of the boys’ camp across the lake and – surprise, surprise! – still available and still interested in the character who’d been pining for him all these years. (Cue eye roll!)

I would have loved to love this book. The intent is clearly to foster women empowerment and to uncover how these women are moved to empower each other as well as future generations, as they overcome their own obstacles. I am all for that. Unfortunately, the means didn’t justify the ends here – the “means” was just too painful.

The Genius of Israel by Dan Senor and Paul Singer

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Out of all the wealthy, first world countries in the world, Israel ranks 4th in how its citizens rate their happiness. This may come as a surprise to anyone who has visited this chaotic, yet vibrant country that is steeped in history, conflict, and challenge. But what it lacks in tranquility, even civility, it makes up for with the strong connections its citizens build through family, the army, its tech world, and through its acceptance and appreciation of diversity of its people. Citizens of Israel share a common bond and purpose – the sheer existence of the State of Israel, which is no small thing. In a world in which people living in many industrial nations are moving further and further apart, the people of Israel are staying closely bound – and this is the key to their happiness.

What is astounding is that this book was written during a time when so much of Israel was as polarized as a country could be – during massive protests against a government that was trying to undo democracy as it had been known to be. Thousands had been taking to the streets on a weekly basis to confront a government that was trying to take away the checks and balances that their Supreme Court provided to curb any potential government overstep. Netanyahu at the helm, again, was leading the charge to remove any obstacles in his way of having full reign over the country. And yet, it appears, the people were still rating their happiness as high, still feeling that their country was worth fighting for and that they had a quality of life they would not give up.

On the other hand, this book was written before October 7th, which has shifted the world as we know it. It changed Israelis’ feeling of security on a granular level and rattled their confidence in the government’s ability to lead like nothing ever before. Never before had the IDF failed the citizens of Israel as it did on 10/7. Nevertheless, I suspect, that if the citizens of Israel were to be polled now, they would still rate their happiness in the same way. After 10/7, the country rallied together like nothing I have ever witnessed. Citizens – not the government – organized makeshift hostels for the displaced kibbutzniks who survived the gruesome attacks and had to be rehoused further north. Citizens are still coordinating efforts to continue to provide shelter, food, clothing, mental health services, schooling, and other services to the thousands of displaced citizens resulting from the war with Hamas. The citizens are bonded in their efforts in surviving an existential threat of survival, with enemies attacking them from all sides and they are bonded together, supporting each other from within. There is nothing more unifying – or community-building – than this.

Because of the timing, it was difficult to be reading about Israel with all that has been going on – but it also gave a positive spin on what is going on as well, if that could possibly be. In the darkest of times, we must find light, and in these pages, one can find that tiny spark.

Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale

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Cassandra is definitely NOT having a good day. She’s been broken up with by her boyfriend of 4 months, she’s being fired by her boss, and they actually don’t even have banana muffins at her favorite pit stop. How can they be out of banana muffins??? When she learns suddenly on this day that she has the gift of time travel, she wonders, maybe, can she reverse some of these things that have happened? More importantly, can she reverse the bigger things that have affected her life? As she learns about how this new “gift” actually works, she also learns quite a bit about herself.

No one can describe what it’s like to be inside the mind/body of an autistic individual as one who is autistic – and this autistic author gives us the gift of sharing that experience by creating a brilliant, sarcastic, awkward, and deeply lovable autistic character in Cassandra. We feel for her as she struggles with her social interactions and we cringe on her behalf as she is challenged with various overwhelming noises, textures, and changes in her routine. She tries to learn from her prior experiences and she tries to “undo” – as we all wish we could, at times. And her journey is as entertaining as it is endearing. What she learns to appreciate is that she has to be true to herself and treasure who she is and the good she alone can bring to the world.

And don’t we all have this to learn? While we’d all like to change certain parts of ourselves, it may be more valuable to appreciate what we can do instead of trying to change what we cannot.

 

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks

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Taken by brute force after the slaughter of his family, Natan, a young boy of ten years, unwittingly reveals his gift as a prophet of the Name. Recognizing his value, David, the leader of the rebel forces being hunted by King Shaul, brings Natan into the fold and keeps him forever by his side as trusted advisor and friend. And it is Natan who narrates this story of David, as he witnesses David gathering strength, power and ultimately the throne over the motley tribes of Israel, revealing David’s wisdom and his failings, his humanity and his vulnerability.

This fictionized version of history is as poetic as it is violent, with scenes of love and of war, scenes of fanfare and of mutiny. The writing is beautiful, with imagery that builds the story in the mind’s eye with crystal clarity. We are given a window into the character of David himself and it is multi-layered and complex. David is a leader, as we all know – but he is deeply flawed, human. He is charismatic, brilliant, musically gifted, and sensitive, and yet his vanity, violence, and blind spots for certain people in his life create his vulnerabilities. Natan becomes his conscience, his guide, and often the only one who will speak truth to him, even as he fears the possible repercussions of his words.

Yet another excellent novel by Geraldine Brooks – though not for the feint of heart. She brings these biblical characters to life and we come to feel what life might have been like at that time for the unstable royalty that was so short-lived in that land.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto

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Most days, Vera begins her routine with a very early morning walk, multiple, prodding texts to her son, and service to her most loyal – and singular – customer at her “World Famous” tea house. Most surprisingly, however, today Vera stumbles upon the body of a dead man right there on the floor of her shop. What no one suspects, however, is how very efficiently Vera can solve the mystery of who killed this man- because truly, what do the police know, anyway??? Very quickly, Vera finds herself embedded in the life of this man, connected to those around him, as she finds a way to the truth.

If you’ve ever had a mother – and I suspect many of you have -you will relate to Vera’s delightfully pushy, guilt-inducing, and extraordinarily generous character that is the driver of this novel. She is a force to be reckoned with, a woman on a mission, a person to whom no one can say no. And since she observes that each of the other characters is struggling in their own way, she cares for them in her very maternal manner — even as she is accusing each of them of being a suspect of the dead man’s murder! There is such lovely irony you cannot help smiling throughout the entirety of the book.

Is this story a little contrived? Yes. Is it too perfectly wrapped up, as I complain about often? Of course it is. But I am still going to rate it as a MUST READ, because right now, in this dark moment, we all need a book like this one – one that is pure entertainment, about warmth, and about love.

 

 

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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In this memoir, Machado shares her experience of a relationship with a beautiful woman that begins as dream-like and erotic and devolves into terrifying and abusive. Through a course of poetic essays, with the Dream House imagery as theme, she portrays how she is entranced, then entrapped, and then, finally, enraged enough to free herself from the woman who has gripped her heart and fractured it in two.

This is, apparently, one of the rare portrayals of queer relationship violence/abuse that is documented by literary means. While books about heterosexual abuse abound, the queer community has been more silent on this topic. It is not uncommon for a marginalized community to feel a loyalty such as this, to hold itself to a higher standard, to try to appear to have achieved a higher ideal. Doing so is an understandable way to try to protect those in the community from further criticism, because, surely, they receive enough as it is. However, by doing so, it denies those who identify as queer as having others believe them , understand their plight, and have others who openly support and identify with them when it does occur. And spousal abuse/relationship abuse can happen to anyone – anyone is vulnerable, no matter your gender identity, your sexual preference, your race, your religion, your ability, your size. This is the harsh reality.

The writing here is poetic and ethereal. The image of the Dream House as both positive and negative images captures the internal struggle of the victim of abuse and the subsequent gaslighting. There can be so much wonder and love and light, but there is also so much darkness and hatred and doom – and it can change in a heartbeat from one extreme to the other. The victim walks on eggshells, constantly apologizing for her own existence. She feels she must have brought this on herself, she must deserve what is happening, because, really, what else could it be? How could someone love her so much in one moment but then hate her so much in another? Maybe if she just acts better, IS better, she can make it right. But of course, it is not her – it is her abuser who is at fault. This is so painfully hard to see when you are in it.

Machado has very generously opened her heart to us. I hope that others come forward with their stories as well in order to create the supportive community that is necessary to acknowledge that this can happen to anyone, queer or otherwise.

 

 

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

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Although she did not grow up in a traditional family, Hannah has found herself now with a dream husband, Owen, and his teenage daughter, Bailey, and she’s moved quite happily into their home, into their lives. While she is still working on gaining Bailey’s “approval,” she is very much in love with Owen, and appreciates the love, the independence, and the respect he shows her. Which is why she is stunned when one day, he suddenly disappears, leaving her with a note saying only 2 words: Protect her. It is clear to Hannah who Owen means, but it is not at all clear why or how she must accomplish this.

This is definitely a fun read – full of suspense, sharp characters, and a twisty plot that kept me guessing and those pages turning throughout the book. I also had an opportunity to learn a bit. I never knew the term “woodturning” – which was the trade of the main character, Hannah. Having looked it up, I realize that we’ve all probably purchased items produced by these craftspeople but looking into how it works, the use of the lathe, and the techniques involved, it is quite impressive.

On the other hand, I felt the plot was a bit easy. The search for Owen, truly finding a needle in a haystack, sort of fell into the laps of Hannah and Bailey in some ways. As they followed remote memories of Bailey’s, that may or may not have been valid, they were lucky enough to have stumbled just upon the correct direction enough times that it worked. But I suppose that is why this is fiction, right?

On the whole, it’s a worthwhile read, a much-needed distraction in this very tense moment in our world, and I say, go for it!