BOOK: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, 418 pages

Typically British Challenge;
released September 21, 2010 in Canada, thanks to Random House Canada for the review copy

Becky Branford, nee Bloomwood drives me crazy in so many ways! Does she never learn? Wouldn't it be easier in to just tell the truth? But, if Becky ever learned, then these enjoyable romps wouldn't be nearly so much fun. It's silly fluff, but well written; the characters are true to form, and Becky, while flighty, has a good heart and just doesn't want to disappoint anyone.

Minnie is now a willful two year old, as obsessed with shopping as Becky is, screaming "Miine, dolly!" in the store and getting banned from Santa's Grotto at the mall. The financial crisis has hit London, and all must do their part. (Becky and her mother discover the joy of the Pound Shop, and 'save' a pile of money with all the deals they discover.) The main story is that Becky is planning a surprise birthday party for the long suffering Luke. All our favorite characters, Suze, sister Jess, Becky's parents, and Luke's estranged mother Elinor, are back to help Becky get the party organized, with several disasters along the way, natch. Kinsella makes great use of the new technology to further the plot (high powered Luke never lets go of his Blackberry, for example) and the fashion names are still being dropped like crazy, even if Becky has to go to the outlet mall to get her discounts.

Kinsella writes this type of story as well as anyone. I wouldn't start with this book, but fans of the series will not be disappointed. While I prefer her stand alone books (Twenties Girl was one of my favorite books from last year), checking in with Becky now and then provides for a weekend of amusing, fun reading. This story left the possibility of another escapade with Becky, Luke and Minnie, and I look forward to it.

my Shopaholic and Baby review from March 2008

also reviewed:
wendy and her sister Paula at caribousmom;

BOOK: Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie

It's still July, and time for anther Orange book. I've had this one for a while, and was saving it to read in July. I love when a book I've been looking forward to lives up to expectations, and yet makes you wonder why you waited so long to read it.

Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie, 370 pages

Orange July (shortlist 2009); review copy from RandomHouse

 Just this easily, everything worthwhile in a life can be erased.

What an ambitious book! Beginning in Nagasaki in 1945 and spanning decades and countries, ending up in post 9/11 New York City, Burnt Shadows examines war and displacement through its effect on two families.

There are several distinct time frames and locations, and I thought some parts worked better than others. Japan and Delhi, the first two sections were my favorites. Shamsie's writing and the characters she created were so vivid and real. I liked how she used the 'enemies' from World War 2, Germany and Japan, for the two female lead characters, and then some 'smaller' events, like the Nagasaki bomb (not the Hiroshima) and Indian partition in 1947 (it was a good thing for the English to leave, right?) to showcase the large effects on everyday people in war. What makes a person feel a part of a country? Is the English boy born and raised in India not allowed to love the only place he's been born?

(Snarkily, I wondered how we missed travelling to Vietnam in the 1960s for a visit to that war. It seemed to be one of the major war events between 1947 and 1982, and we could have seen the characters for a little stop over in the missing 30 years. Wasn't the CIA involved there too?)

Moving the action to Pakistan in the early 1980s provides western readers with a look at what was going on in Afghanistan and Pakistan during the Soviet invasion,  how the Americans got involved, and how young men could have been caught in training camps. The last two sections, particularly the post 9/11 became a little too much about espionage/CIA and less about the characters I wanted to read more about. Much of the action and characters had moved to New York City and the story changed. Shamsie seemed to be trying to connect too many threads and wars into one neat finale. She kept the same themes and symbols from the first sections, the families that were so entwined, but by making the story so big, she lost a bit of the character development. Plus, her main characters were so old by 2001 and their children and grandchildren took over the action, and I wasn't as interested in them.

I still really enjoyed this book, even with the changing last section. After a run of mysteries and Newbery winners, I felt like a grown-up reader devouring a very good book, with adult themes and a plot that had me thinking of people and countries around the world. Thanks Orange July and RandomHouse, for an intelligent, engaging read.

BOOK: The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw

The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw, 307 pages

review book from Randomhouse Canada

What are the ripple effects of a secret passion? Of a parent's devotion? Of a single, tortured mistake? (from the inside cover)

Expectations
Expectations going into a book can have an effect on the reading experience. When a book has great hype and raving reviews, reading it can feel like a let-down, if only because it was supposed to be 'that good' as Wendy found that this week. I feel nervous sometimes giving a rave review for a book because I don't want to raise expectations too high. The Swimming Pool was a good book, just not the book I thought I was going to read, based on the plot summary I had read. This is certainly not the author's fault, so I have to consider this when writing my review.

What did the book sound like it would be?
Because there was mention of a murder years before after the end of an affair, I thought the book would be more suspenseful, like a mystery. The unwinding of the mystery was not as much of a focus as the relationships between the characters, and I felt let down. I kept waiting for more suspense, more mystery and it never appeared.

What was the book actually about?
The affair from seven years previous was a pivotal point, but the novel focused on the relationships between the two entwined families - brother/sister, mother/daughter, mother/infants, ex-spouses, and then some new entanglements that really change some other relationships. My feeling after reading the book, was that this felt like the novel to explain what might have happened years after The Bridges of Madison County. (For readers unfamiliar with the book or movie, a stranger has an affair with a married woman, an Italian immigrant, who felt dissatisfied with the way her life had turned out.) The affair in The Swimming Pool wasn't like that, but the Italian wife feeling out of sorts with the way her life turned out was similar.

Most of the book takes place in the present, with some flashbacks. This is a real ensemble book, with no one character really as a main character. Because of this, there are many other issues happening with all the characters, including a post-partum story, new secret affairs, guilt, and discovering about the murder. With all these plots, it is still a quiet sort of story, with the characters doing lots of introspection and navel-gazing. I think it was well written, with interesting characters and room for discussion about some of their questionable actions, but I wish I hadn't expected a dramatic, suspenseful read.


For some decidedly different opinions, also reviewed by:
amy at myfriendamy
rhapsody in books
dawn at sheistoofondofbooks

BOOK: Small Wars by Sadie Jones

Title and author of book?

Small Wars by Sadie Jones, 376 pages

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?
Fiction, literature- fiction. It's a relationship story, with a strong theme of war.

What led you to pick up this book?
I read Jones' The Outcast last year and liked it, so when I saw it as a review book to pick from RandomHouse Canada, I jumped on it. I also liked the idea of the Cyprus setting.

Summarize the plot, but don't give away the ending!
Major Hal Treherne, British career army guy, is posted to Cyprus in 1956, and brings his wife Clara and twin daughters to the island. The island is under battle between the British rule and the Turks and Greek inhabitants. Hal has anxious to be involved in real battles, like his father was, and that he was trained for, after a stint in Germany, but the realities of war hit him hard, and some situations happen that throw him into disarray. Plus, he has to deal with his wife who is living in a warzone.

What did you like most about the book?

The horrors of war, even a small war, are profound. The subtle changes in the relationships and Hal's outlook on the military were very well done. The setting of Cyprus felt very real, and the dangers of a terrorist situation were made done very well.

Comparing the 'small war' of Cyprus with the small wars in a marriage, and showing that no war is small when it affects any one person was well done.

What did you like least?
The horrors and tragedies of war were done very well, and several violent situations were described almost too well.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books?
I read The Outcast, an shortlisted Orange nominated book in 2008. In both books, Jones tackles the crumbling British empire in the 1950s from the point of view of upper middle class. Stiff upper lip, pip, pip and all that stuff as their world changes around them.

What did you think of the main character?
Originally, I thought the main character was Clara, but Hal is equally important. The couple and their marriage were the main character. It took me a while to warm up to Hal, but I really felt for him by the end, and his moral decisions were stand up, and hard fought. Clara also grows a lot and has some tough decisions.

Any other particularly interesting characters?
Lt Davis, a translator, is the first to be shocked by the situations he is put it, and he is a pivotal character for both Clara and Hal. He certainly represents innocence.

Share a quote from the book:
Places that are fought over are always fought over, and will always be fought over, and there will never be an end to it, and each conflict is just adding to the heap of conflicts that no one can remember starting and no one will ever, ever finish. page 82

The outrage of the collective frees the individual to commit terrible acts. page 141

Share a favorite scene from the book.
There was a scene, late in the book, that flipped back and forth, quickly between Clara in town and Hal in the field, where is was clear some violent event would happen, but to who? when? how? It was very suspenseful and awful and well written to feel the tension.

What about the ending?

I was pleased with the ending, and the moral fortitude of the characters to deal with a life changing event and stay true to themselves.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? Why?

Fans of British characters, fans of well-written books, people who like seeing the effects of war on the small scale, and the way people deal with terrible situations, fans of Sadie Jones book The Outcast.

also reviewed by:
S. Krishna
Katherine at a girl walked into a bookstore

BOOK: Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason

Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason, 314 pages
translated by Victoria Cribb

A Reykjavik Murder Mystery

A Continuing Series Review Format:

Give a brief summary of the book:
Inspector Erlendur is not supposed to investigating the suicide of Maria, a young woman, but when her friend comes to him, concerned, with a tape from a seance, something doesn't seem quite right. He begins asking around, without any proper authorization. Additionally, he reopens a few very old missing person files, hoping to ease the mind of a dying father.

Likes?
Erlendur is coming to terms with the decisions he made years ago to leave his family, as his son and daughter become more and more a part of his present day life after no contact for most of their childhood. The disappearance of his younger brother in a blizzard when they were ten and eight has defined Erlendur's whole life, and the cases he is working on are always related to that incident. I like how Erlendur is growing in his personal life, learning to look beyond his own pain.
I liked reading the parallel story of Maria before she committed suicide, and seeing what was going on in her state of mind.
The dark, cold atmosphere of Iceland is perfect for this time of year.

Dislikes?
There was almost no interaction with his partners, Sigurdur Oli or Elinborg and I missed them as characters in the story.
There is a new translator in the series as Bernard Scudder, the original translator of the first five books, died during the last book, Arctic Chill. I don't remember noticing the British words before, maybe they always were there, but using terms like 'lorry', 'boot', and 'lift' really stuck out for me as British, but not necessarily Icelandic words.

Additional Thoughts on the Series:
I've been recommending this mystery series to everyone I know. Good solid mysteries, great character development over the course of the series, and exotic location (doesn't anywhere not your home seem exotic?)

This was the third book in the series I've read this year, and there are no more translated as of now. I have the one early one left to read. I see by wikipedia that there are two recent books that haven't been translated yet. Come on Victoria, get to work!

thanks to Randomhouse Canada for the review copy.

BOOK: The Bishop's Man by Linden MacIntyre

The Bishop's Man by Linden MacIntyre, 399 pages

3rd Canadian Book Challenge

I only know Linden MacIntyre for his work as an investigative reporter on the CBC show the fifth estate, but he has a future as a novelist if this book is anything to go by. He writes a somewhat suspenceful tale of a lonely man, a priest facing a personal and spiritual crisis.

The long nights in the glebe give him too much time to think about his own troubled childhood, and to drink, and to think some more. (from the inside cover)

I enjoyed this memoir-ish novel of a priest looking back on his career. It wasn't the usual parish priest experience however. Father Duncan MacTavish spent some time in Honduras, and as the Bishop's investigator, was sent in to deal with priests who had gotten in trouble. His job was to minimize trouble and appease the victim. The Bishop hated the word victim, and was all for hushing up events. Eventually, these situations collide with his memories after he is assigned to the parish he grew up in, and he begins to question his own faith, and the repercussions left in a community after the problem priest was dealt with.

I'm not from Cape Breton, but small towns on an island are probably pretty similar, so the Gaelic influence and reliance of the church in small communities was relate able. MacIntyre grew up on Cape Breton (his memoir is called Causeway: A Passage from Innocence) and he draws a picture of life on the beautiful island with descriptions of land and people.

The bay is flat, endless pewter beneath the rising moon. Hypnotic. (page 64)

The story is told in several strands, and the timeline isn't completely linear, a reflection of how the present is coloured by past experiences. The first of the book is filled with foreshadowing and hints of things to come, which made me want to keep reading to find out what had happened, and then as events kept happening, I was turning faster and faster as Duncan's crisis comes to a head. I liked the portrayal of the priest as a real person, with struggles and demons, colliding with the expectations of his community. The hierarchy of the church, or maybe it was just his Bishop, looked more interested in power and protecting their position than in admitting what had happened. The topic of abuse within the church was very timely, and I thought it was a fair portrayal of how things were dealt, or not dealt, with.

I'm not sure what the RC church would think of the book, with its comments on celibacy and the discussion on abuse. They are certainly important ideas to be discussing. Interestingly, my parish has just ordained a rare married priest.

BOOK: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, 463 pages

published in '09

I looked up the meaning of Gothic literature at wikipedia, and would have to agree that this book is a classic Gothic novel. All the main characteristics are here: terror, mystery, ghosts, haunted houses, castles, decay, and madness. Waters has taken the time period, the 1940s post-war England, of her last novel The Night Watch, and used to to craft and suspenseful period piece which chronicles the changing of life in England, especially for the aristocracy.

The beauty of a suspenseful ghost story is having the story play out, with no awareness of what is to come. Any detail I give will lessen the experience for another reader, so not many details from me on that count. I liked the characters, and the life at Hundred's Hall, home of the Ayres, was vividly brought to life. It represents a period of British history that changed so dramatically after World War II. I was on the edge of my chair as the plot slowly unfolded, and like most mysteries, my imagination was going in many different directions, wondering what could be happening, and was generally more vivid than reality. My scientific brain tried to analyse what was happening, much like the doctor narrator, and it conflicted with the evidence at hand. I was left a little confused at the ending, but this would make a terrific movie - picture Pemberley Estate for the setting. (if you read this book, and want to discuss any details of the books, so I am not posting spoilers here, feel free to email me)

If you like slow building suspense tales, British castles and Gothic romance perfectly described, this book should be great.

also reviewed by Jackie at farmlane books, jenny at jennys books, nicola at back-to-books,

BOOK: Nocturnes by Kazou Ishiguro

Nocturnes by Kazou Ishiguro, 220 pages

Published in '09, released May 5, 2009

Five stories of Music and Nightfall

The subtitle was my first clue that nocturne might have more than one meaning. I knew it meant 'night', but it also means 'a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.' Thanks wikipedia. The five stories are all of a similar theme, and round back on themselves with characters or settings, all connected to music.

Ishiguro wrote these five short stories as a set, meant to go together but not one complete novel. (I learned from this Guardian article) They are all different, told from a first person narrator, but there are some similarities. Most have musicians that have not achieved success, yet. (and it's never their fault)

I liked the stories set in Venice, because they reminded me of my visit there and was easily transported to San Marco square. "Crooner" and "Cellists" show musicians at the beginning of their careers meeting seasoned performers who aren't exactly what they seem."Malvern Hills" has an out of work musician taking refuge in the hills with his sister who expects him to work for his room and board, and who defines the concept of an idealized musician who won't sacrifice his musical integrity for anything.

I don't think summarizing the stories helps much in a short story review. Overall, the stories were readable and the more I think about them, the more connections I can make between the plots and characters. Is it a coincidence that a sonata is divided into five sections - introduction, exposition, development, recapitulation, coda? With well defined rules of repetition and spiraling of themes? I don't think so, Ishiguro is too good for that to be a coincidence. And that's where it ends, because I like his writing, he takes me right into the tale, with his unreliable narrators that make you look at what they say with a jaundiced eye, so that as the reader, I am sceptical of the characters and their tales of woe. I like reading his stories because they make me think.

SHORT STORY MONDAY: The Scream by Rohinton Mistry

The Scream by Rohinton Mistry, 35 pages

One of my favorite books is Mistry's A Fine Balance, so when I got the chance to get this book, a single short story, I jumped. His short story collection, Tales from Firozsha Baag was also an interesting view of life in India. This book was originally written and published in 2006 as a limited edition, 150 copies, special fundraiser for World Literacy of Canada. All royalties from the sales of this book will go to World Literacy Canada.

The book is filled with beautiful illustrations by Tony Urquhart. The mixed media pictures were meant to "echo the richness of Indian miniatures and medieval manuscripts illuminations" according to Urquhart. They provide an extra level to the story, since short stories can be so, well, short, having the pictures makes it more of an experience.

The story itself is narrated by an old man, relegated to the front room, to the worst mattress, to the least food of the family. The story is one complete rant, but it has a bit of humor and a bit of pathos of aging as well. A soliloquy on aging, set in India, but really, universal. The elder member of the family becomes less and less influential and important. He is railing against his losses, the family thinks he's a grumpy old man.

Definitely for fans of Rohinton Mistry.

BOOK: Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay

Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay, 404 pages

Unread Author Challenge, Genre: thriller; 2nd Canadian

I love a good suspenseful thriller. I started this one yesterday, and since I had today off, I read all day. It was a real page turner, with twists and turns, some I could somewhat see or at least suspect, but still satisfying.

The prologue starts with Derek, the seventeen year old son of the narrator, sneaking into a neighbour's house in upstate New York, and then being present but hidden while the family is massacred at gunpoint. The ensuing investigation unearths secrets of all the people connected with the family. Murder investigations often leave many people feeling exposed, and as unexpected details get discovered, more than a murderer can be the result.

It's no fun to read a review of a book that derives its pleasure from suspense, so there will be no incriminating details here. The characters were realistic, facing moral dilemmas and not always making the right choices. But overall, I thought Derek and his family were more like people caught in an unusual situation and making decisions based on protecting their family. There are some comments on politics, academia, and ambition, but mostly it's a tight thriller that kept me entertained all day.

BOOK: When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson , 348 pages

2nds Challenge, Random House review book

Jackson Brodie, previous detective from Case Histories and One Good Turn, is back for Kate Atkinson's newest novel. The title hints at the bad news following some characters that permeates this page turner. There are some desperately sad people in this book, and as several stories overlap and intersect they prove Jackson's line near the end of the book, 'A coincidence is just an explanation waiting to happen.'

This story is more straight forward than One Good Turn. Atkinson takes some time to weave several characters and stories together, and then the twists started that had me rapidly turning the pages to see how it would end. Great characters and plot twists and humor and suspense.

Reggie Chase, sixteen but looks younger, is a nanny for Dr Joanne Hunter's baby. Reggie spends her time avoiding her no good brother, trying to get her high school degree, and being followed by bad luck. I wanted to hug her and cheer her on the whole time.
Dr Hunter's husband is having some business cash flow issues and then Dr Hunter herself goes missing.
Joanne Mason was six years old when her family was butchered by a serial killer, only she and her novelist father survived. The killer, Andrew Decker, is about to be released from prison after thirty years in jail.
Louise Monroe, Detective Chief Inspector in Scotland, has moved on from her attraction to Jackson in the last book, but hasn't stopped thinking about him (who could?) She is still a strong protector of women and the baddest ass cop around.
Jackson Brodie, he used to be a policeman. He always has to look for a missing woman; he can't turn that mystery down.

Once a train wreck is added to this assortment of characters, lives get intertwined and some blood is shed. I liked how so many nursery rhymes were woven into the writing, and pop references are flying everywhere. I'm sure I missed a lot, not being a British native, but I was able to identify many. The ending was a little vague but as hopeful as could be expected for these sad, sad people. Louise and Jackson are terrific characters, full of angst and both are the typical lone-wolf cop with commitment issues. Hopefully, they will be back to another book.

BOOK: Wine Bar Food

Wine Bar Food: Mediterranean Flavors to Crave with Wines to Match

by Cathy Mantuano and Tony Mantuano

Two summers ago, my mother and sister and I went on a Mediterranean cruise, starting in Barcelona and ending in Venice, with stops in Marseilles, Florence, Rome, Capri, Mykonos, Istanbul, Ephesus, and Athens. I'm not explaining this to gloat, but to show why I love this cookbook. It is divided into sections based on cities and stops around the Mediterranean Sea, with most of the above (except the Turkish ones), but also Milan, Seville, Lisbon. Each city gets a tour with recipes and suggestions. Every time I pick up this book, I relive our cruise.

The cruise left from Barcelona, so we had a night there before we departed. I had a little guide book and we managed to found a restaurant listed in it - I felt like I was on the Amazing Race. We sat outside, eating tapas, and just drinking up the atmosphere. Our waiter insisted we order tomato bread so we did. It was plain, but delicious along with everything else. I've been wanting to make tomato bread ever since.

Some nice Irish tourists next to us took our picture, that's me on the left.

There are two types of cooks: the ones who faithfully follow a recipe, especially the first time and the ones who figure they know what they want and will make changes right away. I am usually the second type, but I faithfully followed the Tomato Bread recipe from this book for our family party. It called for Serrano ham which was my concern. It's a cured bacon type meat which I didn't actually enjoy for breakfast in Barcelona, but I found it in the grocery store so I decided to be true to the recipe. The Tomato Bread was yummy and got the requisite "ooh's" from my relatives last weekend. Once the ham was mixed with the other flavors, it was delicious.

The recipe book is filled with fabulous pictures, great ideas, and suggestions for wines and cheeses and how to use canned foods that might be more readily available in North America. Some recipes look like what you would order in a restaurant but not make for yourself like the Lavender Ice Cream on Briocche from Nice or the Potato Chips with Sea Salt and Rosemary from Milan. But I have a list of recipes I'd like to try, like Fried Eggs with Mushrooms, Garlic and Parsley from Barcelona or the Barolo Risotto from Milan. Fresh vegetables and herbs, good cheeses and wines, and good olive oil are the staples of Mediterranean eating and also coincide with healthy eating. Lots of great recipes in this book mean I will be reliving my cruise and adventure for years to come.

BOOK: Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

Heard it Through the Grapevine Challenge

This was the perfect book for this challenge, because I wanted to read it after reading reviews at tinylittlelibrarian's and kookiejar's. Both described it as cute and funny and a delightful romp. Well, maybe they didn't say exactly that, but they were right. I envisioned American Gods light, and that wasn't far from the truth.

The Greek Gods, like Apollo, Aphrodite, Eros, Ares, and the rest who I have never been able to keep straight, are living in London, in squalor since cleaning is totally beneath them. The Gods' powers have weakened since mortals don't believe in them anymore. They are trying to get by doing what they can: Aphrodite works for phone sex, Artemis walks dogs, and Apollo is trying to break into television. Although they all live together, they are not getting along the best after centuries of in family fighting. In trying to take revenge, Apollo is made to fall in love with Alice, a quiet mousy girl. Her nerdy, almost boyfriend Neil has to save Alice, and eventually the world.

I learned more about the Greek Gods reading this book than I ever have before. It was amusing and fun, and perfect for me today when I am full up with the cold. I just wanted to read an easy, fun book. For the squeamish, there were some incestuous relationships amongst the Gods described frankly. It doesn't bother me, but there was some descriptive language. I liked how the Gods operate within their own rules and guidelines, like the witches in Harry Potter. They may be powerful, but they still have rules that guide their lives. The book had a great idea and was executed well, in an amusing and fast-moving plot.

I was able to get 11/12 plus two minor Greek Gods on this quiz after reading the book.

also reviewed at: tinylittlelibrarian and katrina's

BOOK: The Outcast by Sadie Jones

The Outcast by Sadie Jones


in the pub '08,

The novel opens in 1957 with Lewis' return home after a stay in prison. We quickly flashback to when he was ten and his father was returning from the war, 1945 , to the small village outside London and follow poor Lewis's life up until his incarceration. The last third of the book rejoins the story after his release after prison. Interestingly, his years in prison seemed the most peaceful and safe.


Lewis and his mother would be described as a little odd, happy with themselves. They lived together while Gilbert was off in the war. His return is quite an upheaval, as returns from war can be. At ten, Lewis and his mother go for a picnic in the woods, but his mother doesn't return alive. This pivotal event changes Lewis, as in my opinion, no person cared for him or showed any affection. This loss of affection was particularly painful after the closeness to his mother. Gilbert quickly remarries a younger woman, Alice, and the neighbourly Carmichael's, including daughters Tamsin and Kit are entwined with Lewis and Gilbert, as well as the violent Dickie Carmichael, who is also Gilbert's boss. Drinking, abuse, and self-mutilation are all pushed under the rug, stiff upper lip, and then the requisite sending 'difficult' children away to boarding school.


So much happens here, an intrusive peek into the lives of upper middle class people in England, but also everyone as everyone has secrets and how well we hide them or deal with them can determine how functional our life appears. Lewis is a particularly sad case of a child shown no compassion. I was so frustrated at the way everyone dealt with him as if he were just a bother, or worse. Granted, he makes some bad decisions, but if ever there were a character who was given every bad break, it was him. I got very caught up in the emotions of the book and Lewis, and my heart just ached for him. A scene late in the book, with the village doctor who talks about Lewis' mother and then simply adds, 'I always liked you' was such a touching moment, one of the few people in the village to acknowledge him in any way. I read this very late into the night, because I had to finish it and see how it could end.


There is some buzz about this book; it's shortlisted for an Orange Prize, and I found it to be an engrossing read. There are some disturbing aspects to the novel, the secrets that are kept, but the overall neglect of Lewis and his emotional growth is what will stay with me.

BOOK: The Ravine by Paul Quarrington

The Ravine by Paul Quarrington

in the Pub '08

Paul Quarrington has been in the news lately (in Canada) as the author of the winning Canada Reads book, King Leary. I haven't read it yet, but when I got the opportunity to read his latest book, released March 11, 2008, I jumped.

And then I laughed my way through this book. Phil McQuigge is a fifty year old alcoholic, who has recently lost his wife and his job. Things aren't looking so great for Phil. Interestingly, Quarrington describes the book as semi-autobiographical. Phil decides that much of his crappy life relates back to an incident in 'the ravine' when he and a friend and his brother met up with some mean teenagers one day. Phil decides to write a novel based on the incident, if only he could remember exactly what happened.

I'm sure this doesn't sound like a funny book from my description, but Quarrington is very humorous, with irony and black comedy and straight-out funny lines. Phil's brother Jay, who also made a mess of his life, is around if somewhat estranged, and continually refutes the details of Phil's memories. I found this a rather timely discussion of memory, as there have been some recent news events with misplaced memories, and it is an area I find very interesting. Phil was also a teevee writer, and his famous television show (famous in Canada for 156 episode, it only played two episode in the States) is based on a movie he saw as a child (memories again.) Then you begin to question the narrator because if he doesn't remember, how reliable is anything he tells us?

So, the book is a novel being written by the main character about his life, which is semi-autobiographical. If I thought about it I got confused, so instead I just sat back and enjoyed the self-deprecating humour. The ending was a little weird and I'm not exactly sure what to make of it, but it was worth the read to get to the end. I must look for King Leary now.

BOOK: The End of East by Jen Sookfong Lee

The End of East by Jen Sookfong Lee


Canadian Book Challenge, BC book

Vancouver's Chinatown is the setting of this family history chronicling Sammy Chan's ancestors. The novel starts with Sammy's return to her mother's house, but the family's story begins with the immigration of Seid Quan from China. I don't think Canada has much to be proud about for its treatment of Chinese immigrants in the beginning of this century. Shew Lin becomes his wife, but stays in China with their children. Seid Quan works and works at a job he hates to send money to his family in China. He eventually saves enough to bring his son, Pon Man, and very eventually, his wife. Pon Man gets a wife from China, Siu Sang, and they have five girls, one of whom is Sammy.

The struggle of immigrants to build a new life, but still wanting their old life results in this family being very unhappy. Shew Lin and Siu Sang in particular, seemed very, very unhappy. Or at least, only happy when they were making others miserable around them. The family dynamics were complex, but no one is fulfilled or content, everyone worried what the others think. The novel follows the story of this family, but not told chronologically. It's a quiet novel, a character study, that was interesting, full of life, death, and all the interactions in between. It let me see a culture and experience that I am not at all familiar with. The Chinese culture is not very large in PEI, present, but not hugely.

I liked how the book was structured, each character leading a narrative, but we never really get into any particular character's emotions and thoughts, at least not for long. I didn't have a character I rooted for, except maybe Pon Man, who was caught in the classic conflict between his wife and mother, but he was detached from his father and there was much disappointment between them as well. This was a book about relationships and families, and while told from the experience in Chinatown, has parallels everywhere.

BOOK: Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

In the Pub '08

What if you were in an accident and woke up 3 years later? Only, not really 3 years later, but 3 years earlier in your life? Lexi Smart, a twenty-eight year old Londoner wakes up and discovers she isn't the person she thought she was. Lexi, like Becky the Shopaholic, is a little too obsessed with money and looks, but now she has them and she isn't quite sure how she got them. This book is her discovery of who she has become in the past three years, and getting to know the people in her life and her new high powered job.

Kinsella hasn't lost her touch, and I quite enjoyed this book. I find the Shopaholic series a little too silly sometimes, but Lexi is more realistic. The Undomestic Goddess was very good and funny, but the setup was a little contrived. I think she's got it altogether here. Kinsella does a great job with the plot, giving a few details here and there, interesting characters and then wrapping it all up. The process poor Lexi goes through in trying to remember her life, and wondering who to believe, as she must rely on others to tell her about her life. And many people take this opportunity to tell her the way they probably wish things were, which doesn't help her recover her real life.

This has the makings of a great romantic comedy- I can see Hugh Grant or Colin Firth as one of the men, maybe Jennifer Garner as Lexie, and the plot would unfold humorously. You read it here first!

BOOK: Quirks and Quarks Guide to Space by Jim Lebans

The Quirks and Quarks Guide to Space by Jim Lebans

42 Questions (and Answers) About Life, The Universe, and Everything

Science Book Challenge

If you are lucky enough to get CBC radio, you probably already know about Quirks and Quarks, the science show on Saturdays. Host Bob MacDonald explains all the newest scientific discoveries, in everyday language and with humor. I was very excited to see this book released, and it is going to have a prominent place on my desk at school. During physics classes, the most amazing questions can be asked, and I don't know the answer to many of them, astronomy not being my strong suit. I may even start reading a chapter out loud every day or so, because this is the stuff that people want to know.

To give you an idea of the tone of the book, which is very readable, the opening quote is from Douglas Adams, "Space is big. Really big....." Lebans, a producer with the Quirks and Quarks show, tackles 42 questions and then answers them. Where does space begin? (100km above Earth) Can I run fast and jump into orbit? (theoretically, but not really) What moons are worth visiting? ( Jupiter's Europa, and Saturn's Titan might be very interesting) and How fast are we moving through space? (it's all relative to what else is moving, but pretty fast)

Lebans does a great job of explaining why Pluto isn't a planet anymore, and what might happen if you fell into a black hole, which involves 'spaghettifying.' I first heard that phrase when watching 'A Brief History of Time,' the documentary based on Stephen Hawking's book of the same name. I am not up to date enough to know if everything is accurate, but since science changes so rapidly, I'll assume it is good for now. I plan to reread some of the Big Bang Theory questions later, and I hope I'll be lending this out to those inquisitive students who love physics.

BOOK: House of Meetings by Martin Amis

House of Meetings by Martin Amis

notable books challenge

These aren't called reading challenges for nothing. Some books make you think and really challenge your reading ability. House of Meetings by Martin Amis is from the New York Times Notable Book list of 2007. I haven't read any books by Amis before but I have heard his name.

The summary made it sound like a great plot: two brothers in love with the same woman, the pivotal night of a conjugal visit, ten years in a Soviet slave labour camp, a mysterious letter. It was well written, and well paced, in fact so well written that there were words here I've never seen before, and unfortunately, I don't look words up. It made me feel like I was a kid in grade five trying to read a grade ten reading level novel.

Also unfortunately, I didn't connect with the characters in this novel in any way.

Maybe it is a gender bias, as the other reviews are raves, but I didn't like reading this mean, and self-described violent man's life story. And maybe this is a trend, as I've read reviews of other books, like The Sea by John Banville and Everyman by Philip Roth, which are perhaps similar type books, old man telling his life story, and this just isn't connecting with some female readers. It was the plot of course, but I'm not sure what purpose it would serve to write this memoir to your twenty year old daughter. It felt self indulgent to burden a child with such a horrible story. And much like Tomorrow or On Chesil Beach, the final reveal was such a let down that it made me wonder what the fuss was about.

I'm trying to figure out why I didn't really enjoy this book. I didn't hate it, and there are probably people who would like it. The few books I've read set in Russia have found me having difficulty identifying with the culture. After reading Russka by John Rutherford years ago, I realized that that isolated country is so very different from European/American life, it makes it hard to connect. If you had an interest in Soviet life, this would be worthwhile. There is a lot of psychological character study here, and I do think there is a gender issue. I should be able to read about a man's inner struggle, but I didn't like it. Maybe I'm too soft but I don't want to imagine what happens to the psych after surviving ten years in a slave labour camp. It doesn't make the book bad, but if I am reading and choosing to immerse myself in a book for a few days, I do get to make that choice. It just makes the book not a good fit for me.

BOOK: One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

New York Times Notable Book 2006

randomhouse book for review

I like books like this: a murder mystery, with a seemingly unconnected cast of characters. The first half of the book is spent setting the stage and I felt like a juggler keeping track of all the people and motives and backstories. And then, gradually, people become connected and the story really picked up.

Jackson Brodie is the main character, I suppose, and according to the back cover, he was the investigator in Atkinson's last book, Case Histories. I would mention that it wouldn't be required to read the first book, as I didn't feel I missed any back story in reading the sequel, but I would be very interested in seeing what happens with Jackson next. Jackson witnesses a road rage incident that sets off the chain of events and characters. A meek writer, an obnoxious comedian, a dirty rich developer, his fed up wife, and a few Russian immigrants round out some of the characters, along with a tough female detective for Jackson to butt heads with.

Although it felt a little long, the action is continuous and a thread of humor is woven throughout so that I enjoyed reading it a lot. The summer arts festival in Edinburgh provides the background, and Atkinson kept my interest with so many different characters.