The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay is the book I’ve been most disappointed by this year, probably because of all the hype around it and how much I was looking forward to reading it. Although parts are beautifully written, I never understood or liked the main character, Shalini. She is a wealthy, naive young woman from Bangalore who goes to live for a time with a family in Kashmir, this part is semi-autobiographical. However, the choices she makes are hard…
Mama’s Last Hug, Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves by Frans De Waal is a book about the study of chimpanzees and other animals over the course of many decades. De Waal, one of the worlds leading primatologists, concludes that we should be treating animals better since they too have emotions. That this is still unknown to so many people is baffling to me. I’m glad this book is out if this is what is needed to…
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman is the original book about the Owens family, of which the more recent The Rules of Magic is the prequel. I really enjoyed The Rules of Magic, but was disappointed in this book, it felt dated and indeed it was written in 1995. Too little magic, too many abusive relationships, it just wasn’t a very good book and it was turned into an even worse movie. I still think Hoffman is a great writer, but…
You Think It, I’ll Say It:Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld, author of American Wife, reminded me why I don’t read short stories. Even when written by writers I like, they almost always disappoint. Here were several stories with unlikable characters that made me wonder why I wasted my time reading about them. Skip this collection and pick up one of Sittenfeld’s novels instead.
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman is a prequel to Practical Magic, which I haven’t read yet. Hoffman is a prolific writer and a couple of my favorites are The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things. In this novel we meet the Owens’ siblings, Franny Jet and Vincent, all with unique magical gifts but cursed with great tragedy if they fall in love. Set against the backdrop of NYC in the sixties, Hoffman is a wonderful storyteller; she…
One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan is written in Tamil and was hugely popular in India. Now translated into English, I feel all the richer for having been able to read it. Set in rural South India, a loving couple Kali and Ponna are unable to have children. This is an unacceptable situation in their village and they are treated with disdain by everyone, family included. Murugan wonderfully portrays this struggle in an otherwise happy marriage. After praying and making…
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders is a hard novel to describe, part fantasy, part sci-fi, part love story, part mystery; sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. However, Anders is a truly original voice and one to watch in my opinion. An ancient society of witches led by the powerful young witch Patricia, who talks to birds and trees, battles a high tech group of scientists led by young brilliant Laurence, who have known each other…
The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling takes place in a little known part of Northern California in the fictional high desert town of Altavista. A young mom, Daphne, leaves her stable job in San Fransisco with her toddler to spend 10 days in her grandparents empty house that now belongs to her. Meanwhile, her husband is stuck in Turkey due to a “click of the mouse” error that wont let him back in the country. We follow Daphne on a…
The Genuine Stories is a novel by Susan Smith Daniels. These linked together stories moving back in forth in time to tell the story of Genuine Eriksson and her unique healing abilities that fist showed up when she was a child. Each story can stand alone, but taken together they paint a portrait of a truly original character. Enjoyable and well written, a small book that makes you believe that anything is possible
The Emissary by Yoko Tawada is a slim little surrealist novel set in Japan after an imaginary apocalypse. Old people live forever, but young people are born sick, barely able to walk as children, and aging each year. Everything is turned on its head. At the heart of the story is young optimistic Mumei living with his constantly worrying great-grandfather Yoshiro. At times funny, at times sad, always full of heart. A witty, original read, not for everyone.