Book Review - Klara and the Sun; Kazuo Ishiguro

 

Klara and the Sun; Kazuo Ishiguro

Random House Audio - 2021

(Sura Siu - narrator - very good)

Klara is an AF (artificial friend) who shines bright thanks to the sun.  She waits in a store until the time a special human will take her home.  Klara is an older model, there are fancier AFs with more bells and whistles it seems.  Klara is often stuck at the back of the store but, she loves those days she gets moved to the front window so she can enjoy the sun's warmth. Older models like Klara need lots of solar recharging.  

A young girl named Josie wants to take Klara home but, Josie's mother needs time to think about it.  Eventually Klara does become the AF to lonely Josie who doesn't seem to have any real friends except for neighbor boy Rick. Josie is schooled at home.  When Josie grow ill, we are never sure what is wrong with her,  her mother grows very concerned as she has already lost one daughter.   Klara is determined to comfort Josie and to find a way for her to get better and thrive.

I really enjoyed this thought provoking story and thought Klara,  as the narrator worked beautifully. She was such a keen observer and a caring friend to Josie.  It was easy to fall in love with this mechanical girl. 

The audio was delightful, well except for the numerous times that "Melania HouseKeeper" was spoken -- what was up with that??  Despite this minor annoyance, Klara and the Sun, is a real gem. Just the kind of story I needed. Don't miss it!

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: Thanks go to Random House Audio for allowing me access to this download in exchange for my unbiased review.

Brief Book Reviews - The Lost Apothecary; Sarah Penner - The Shore; Katie Runde and The Kind Worth Killing; Peter Swanson and Healing: When a Nurse Becomes a Patient; Theresa Brown

 

The Lost Apothecary; Sarah Penner

Park Row - 2021

Book Group Read 

The Lost Apothecary was our book group pick for May (discussion this week).  I thought the premise sounded really good. Set in 1791 London, Nella Clavinger took over an apothecary after her mother's death.  Her mission was to help women with their illnesses, afflictions and other more personal issues like providing them with poison when the men in their lives have done them wrong.  There is also 12 year old Eliza Fanning, who helps her mistress/employer Mrs Armwell but, when Eliza enters the picture and frequents the apothecary, Nella wonders how long the secret of what she has been doing will be safe.  

In the present day, Caroline Parcewell who has been married to James for ten years, but James is a cheater - she'll deal with him later.  She is also a woman who loves history. and after finding a mysterious blue vial in the Thames River (yes suspend belief here) with the help of a research librarian who Caroline develops a friendship with, she realizes the vial may be tied to the apothecary murders.

Told between (3) POVs, I really only enjoyed Nella's storyline. Caroline's melodrama was and the way her storyline was written was way too over the top at times.  I had never read about the terms "mudlarking/mudlark" ( the name given in the 19th century to children and adults who scavenged the banks of the River Thames in London.) I alway love when I learn something new when I read even though in this case it did not help with my overall opinion on the book.

Rating - 3/5 stars

(NOTE: An eGalley was provided to me by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for my unbiased review.)

The Shore; Katie Runde

Simon & Schuster - 2022

The Shore was a debut novel that takes place over the course of one summer in Seaside, New Jersey.  It's the story of the Dunne family: Brian (father), Margot (mother) and teenage daughters Liz and Evy.  The family has made a business of renting summer cottages along the shore to vacationers.  When Brian is diagnosed with a brain tumor, the family is forced to shift their focus while trying to maintain at least a little sense of normalcy while struggling to care for Brian as well.

The story is told from MPOV and this ended up being a much heavier read than what i had anticipated from the lovely cover art and title.  I alway struggle about reading the descriptions provided by the publishers which often reveal too much of the story. Unfortunately, in this case I wished I had.  As it turns out I was not a good a fit for this book.  I kept wishing the story stayed more focused on the family unit but, oftentimes it seemed to meander to details about the teens and their friends which caused me to lose interest.  There were several audio book narrators: Andi Arndt, Priya Ayyan, Dan Biltner and Ines del Castillo.  The ones portraying the adults were good, the ones who portrayed the teens seemed to irk me at times. Although this book was not a good choice for me, I can see how others might enjoy this story a bit more.

Rating - 3/5 stars

(NOTE: An audio download and eGalley were provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.)

The Kind Worth Killing; Peter Swanson

Harper Audio -2020 - 10 hours and 17 min.

(Narrators - Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka - very good)

Peter Swanson is one of those author's I'm always drawn to.  I like the fact that most of his books are set in New England and tend to have a riveting storyline that makes it hard to put down.  The Kind Worth Killing was such a story.

In a Heathrow (UK) airport lounge to strangers, Ted Stevenson and Lily Kintner strike up a conversation after their Boston bound flights have been delayed.  Their conversations get quite personal after a few drinks and, Ted confesses that he thinks his wife of three years, Miranda has married him for his money and believes she is having an affair and even knows who she is involved with.  He also tells Lily that he has thought of killing her to avoid a messy and costly divorce.  Lily, stuns him by saying that she thinks he should kill her and even offers to help him get rid of his problem.

Why would a complete stranger get involved? Well, it seems Lily has her own reasons.

This is a story built on deceit and revenge. The characters are all detestable but, it was hard to stop listening to this one.  Flashbacks into Lily's past give the reader insight into just what a nut job she is. A good story with several unexpected plot twists. The audiobook was read by (4) different narrators - all did a great job.)

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

(NOTE: I downloaded this audiobook from my public library)

Healing:  When a Nurse Becomes a Patient; Theresa Brown

Algonquin Books - 2022 (library book - hardcover)

Theresa Brown was an oncology and hospice nurse when she found herself on the other side in the role of patient - newly diagnosed with breast cancer.  Although she had non cancerous lumps removed at the age of 16, she did have relatives who died of breast cancer.  She tells her story of being diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, her surgery, follow up care and treatments.  She speaks about how healthcare professionals failed her at times and she has quite a bit to say about why compassionate care and positive attitudes are so important.  One thing she mentioned was that while she was in treatment, she felt she was doing something meaningful to avoid future recurrence but, added that once her treatment was finished those previous fears had a way of resurfacing. It seems once you are diagnosed with cancer, it never is truly gone from your mind.

In alternating chapters the author speaks of some of her unnamed patients during her time as an oncology and hospice nurse, recognizing how she, as well, had failed some of her patients.

I was drawn to this memoir for personal reasons and while I was happy I read it, I wished it had felt a bit more personal (I don't even think she mentioned her age when she was diagnosed). I can't describe it accurately but, I felt a little bit distanced by the way the author shared her breast cancer journey; it left me wanting more. 

Rating - 4/5 stars

NOTE: I borrowed the print edition of this book from my public library.

                                                              This Week's Reading Plans

Father's Day; Simon Van Booy

Harper Audio - 2016

6 hours 58 min - Bronson Pinchot narrator

Klara and the Sun; Kazuo Ishguro

Random House Audio - 2021

(Sura Siu - narrator - 10 hours 16 minutes)

(almost done with this one - so very good)

The Foundling; Ann Leary

Simon & Schuster Audio - 2022

(12 hours 40 minutes - Laura Benanti narrator)

I'm so excited about 20 Books of Summer and have just about finished compiling my list.  I'll be posting next weekend and looking forward to what I've picked. Are you making a summer reading list?

Share your week by posting a link on Deb's Blog HERE

Brief Book Reviews - Playing Catch Up - Little Souls; Sandra Dallas -- Marrying the Ketchups; Jennifer Close and Xstabeth; David Keenan

 

Little Souls; Sandra Dallas

Macmillan Audio - 2022

(audio narrator - Carly Robins - very good)

As I've mentioned previously, I don't read a lot of historical fiction but this premise appealed to me when I first read about it.  Set in Colorado, 1918, WWI is happening and the flu pandemic is raging on.  Little Souls is story about (2) sisters: Helen, a nurse and her husband to be, Gil, is a medical student.  Luttie, Helen's 24 year old younger sister, lives with her. Luttie is a bit of a dreamer who has an interest in fashion design and works for a high end department store. Luttie's boyfriend joined the Army to do his part with the war effort.  The sisters are very close. Dorothy is a 10 year old girl who lived with her parents in a small apartment located in the same house the sisters had shared.  When both parents die, under very different circumstances, the sisters take the girl in wanting to make sure that Dorothy is loved and cared for after learning how she had been abused.

Once I started this story I found it hard to put down and it was very easy book to listen to on audio. Not only is this a story about sisters but, it is also a story about helping those in need and righting past injustices that occurred. I found the story kind of comforting even though there were some sad moments, tragic events, but,  there was also a happier ending and a satisfying epilogue as well. Highly recommended to historical fiction fans.

Rating - 4.5/5stars

(NOTE: I received an audio download from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review)

Marrying the Ketchups; Jennifer Close

Knopf - 2022

Marrying the Ketchups was a book I became curious about by the unusual title and Jennifer Close being an author I enjoyed years ago but one that I hadn't read in a while.

It's a story of (3) generations of a large Irish Catholic family who run an Oak Park (Chicago) restaurant called JP Sullivans.  The founders, Bud and Rose, opened the restaurant in the 1970s and in 2016 a few strange things had happened:  the Chicago Cubs win a World Series, their first in 108 years, poor Bud dies unexpectedly and Trump wins the presidential election  This complicated family must pick up the pieces and get their acts together and, they also must decide what is now best for mother Rose after Bud's death.

There are sisters: Gretchen - mid 30s, a bit on the wild side, lead singer in a band called the Donna Martin Graduates:) and Jane, a mother of two, successful, married to a wealthy man who just might be cheating on her.  Then Teddy, a cousin who manages the restaurant. He's a people-pleaser with issues of his own and then we have Reilly, Teddy's teenaged half-sister.

This is a story about complicated families and the author does a great job helping the reader to get to know and understand these unhappy people and their issues.  Well written, character driven, lots of funny moments even though most everyone is pretty miserable.  I liked this book but, think I might have appreciated it even more if I were younger.  The 2016 political aspects of the story were not overdone - thank goodness.  Worth considering for readers who enjoy a character driven story about complicated families.

Rating - 4/5 stars

(Note:  I received an eGalley download from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for my unbiased review.)

Xstabeth; David Keenan

Europa Editions - 2022

I loved Europa Editions and Xstabeth intrigued me when I read about it. I thought it seemed a bit unusual but worth trying especially because it was also a novella with fewer than 140 pages.

I'm really not sure how to classify this or even what to write about it as it was a bit too far out there for me. It's a story about a daughter, a father and the father's his best friend.  The father is singer/songwriter, but not a very good one. His daughter, Aneliya, loves her father but, begins seeing her father's best friend Jaco, who is a better musician than the girl's father.

When I have to skim a novella, it's because the book is not a good fit for me and that was the case here.  There were some explicit sex and, I just didn't get the whole point of the story unfortunately.

Rating - 1.5/5 stars

(Note: I received an eGalley of this novella from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for my unbiased review.)

What Else I'm Reading

The Lost Apothecary; Sarah Penner

Park Row - 2021

Book Group Read -  finished - no review yet

3.5/5 stars

Healing:  When a Nurse Becomes a Patient; Theresa Brown

Algonquin Books - 2022 (library book - hardcover)

(just started - page 57)

The Shore; Katie Runde

Simon & Schuster - 2022

(reading now - 27% mark)

Klara and the Sun; Kazuo Ishiguro

Random House Audio - 2021

(starting soon)

What are you reading?

Share your week by posting a link on Deb's Blog HERE

Book Review - The Lioness; Chris Bohjalian

 

The Lioness; Chris Bohjalian

Doubleday and Random House Audio

May 2022

It's 1964 when Katie Barstow, an A-List Hollywood actress marries David Hill, an art gallery owner. The couple decides to invite Katie's brother, Billy Stepanov, who is also David's best friend, Billy's pregnant wife, Margie, and some other wealthy Hollywood actors and friends on a Serengeti safari honeymoon destination.  As the guests settle into their home base enjoying the beauty and taking photos, the day after isn't anything they could have anticipated. Pretty quickly, the much anticipated adventure turns into a nightmare when Russian mercenaries arrive at the home base as they are about to set out on safari and kidnap the Americans and their safari guides.

The story pulled me in and I liked the adventure, suspense, time period as well.  The beautiful setting, the descriptions of the beautiful animals in the wild was vividly described.  There were some gory parts but nothing too hard to take. I found the background info on Katie and Billy's childhood at the hands of their Broadway theatre parents interesting and felt for Billy who was often abused while sister Katie was groomed for the stage/screen. 

The audiobook was excellent and narrated by: January Lavoy, Grace Experience and Gabrielle DeCuir.  I also had the eGalley which came in handy while waiting for an oil change and at a doctor's appointment last week.  Even though the audio was addictive, there were far too many characters for me to be able to fully appreciate whose POV I was getting at various times.  I found that a bit confusing and frustrating even though the audio and eGalley lists the characters at the beginning of each.  Overall, I enjoyed this story and the wrap up was satisfying. I did think it would make a good story for the big screen.

Rating - 4/5 stars

NOTE: Thanks go to Doubleday, Random House Audio and NetGalley for allowing me access to these electronic downloads in exchange for my unbiased review.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Lioness; Chris Bohjalian

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. 

 The Lioness; Chris Bohjalian

Doubleday and Random House Audio - May 10, 2022

PROLOGUE

Oh, I can't speak for the dead. And I won't speak for the missing. I can only tell you what I think happened.  Others--the dead and the missing--would probably have their own versions.  Blame, I can tell you firsthand, is every bit as subjective as truth.

Of course, I am also confident that the missing will never be found: the Serengeti is vast and it's been years. Years.  But Africa is changing. One never knows.  Someday it's possible that some of their bones--a femur that is recognizably human or a skull that was clearly a woman's or a man's --will be spotted beside a dirt road where a jackal or hyena or magnificent lappet-faced vulture decades ago finished off what a leopard or lion didn't.  Just think for a moment of the age of the fossils and remnants of ancient man that have been found a little south of where we were in the Olduvai Gorge.  Mary Leakey began piecing together the Nutcracker Man only five years before we were there when she saw what looked like two teeth in a jaw.  Nutcracker Man lived two million years ago.  We were there and (most of us, anyway) died there in 1964.

Chris Bohjalian is a favorite author and, from this intro, I can't wait to begin.  What do you think--read more or pass?

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Unlikely Animals; Annie Hartnett

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. 

Unlikely Animals; Annie Hartnett

Random House Audio and Ballantine Books - 2022

Maple Street Cemetery, Everton, NH 

Years later, when people in Everton would tell the story, they would say it was Clive Starling who called the reporter, the way that man loved attention.

But we remember it the way it happened:  it was the midwife who slid down the hall to the payphone to get The Upper Valley New Hampshire News on the horn.  It was a slow news day, so the reporter have zipped right over to the hospital, and let the midwife go on and on into the tape recorder about a condition called charismata iamaton, which translates, in Greek, to "gifts of healing."  She insisted that the hands of this newborn baby, tiny hands still coated in the awful gunk of birth, had cured her sciatica.  She said most people with natural healing talents are unaware of their gifts, but this baby had the strongest natural talent she's ever seen.

BABY WITH MIRACLE HEALING POTENTIAL BORN, the next morning's headline read.  Town of Everton, N.H., REJOICES.

What do you think -- read more or pass?

I started this one last night and am am enjoying it so far.  

Book Reviews - Notes on an Execution; Danya Kukafka and The Days of Afrekete; Asali Solomon

Notes on an Execution; Danya Kukafka

William Morrow and Harper Audio - 2022

(combo read/listen) (9 hours 42 min.)

(Mozhan Marno and Jim Meskimen - narrators - very good)

Notes on an Execution caught my eye early on. It is a work of fiction about a serial killer named Ansel Parker sentenced to death for killing several girls years earlier. The story begins with Parker on death row in Texas, 12 hours prior to his execution. Ansel does not want to die, he does want others to understand his story.  As the countdown to his execution plays out we learn of Ansel's past beginning with his mother Lavender, an abused young woman who gave birth to him in a barn at the age of 17 and, then later in pure desperation left him and his infant brother.  We also hear from Hazel, the twin sister of Ansel's wife Jenny who had an early concern for her sister's well being as she saw the ugly side of Ansel when her sister did not. Then there is Saffy, an upstate New York police captain whose job it was to see that justice was served. The two have a shared past in a group home as teens and Saffy also saw the darker side of what turned out to be a serial killer in the making.

This is a dark, exceptionally well written novel which is very different from anything I've read in a long while.  The victims themselves were not well explored but, that in no way detracted from the effectiveness of the story.  I never understood how Ansel Parker was able to do what he did yet, his story was still sometimes sad, compelling and ultimately powerful.  I was satisfied with the way the story played out. This is one of those stories I will not easily forget; it left me with plenty to think about.  Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a darker character driven work of crime fiction. 

(eGalley courtesy of publisher and Edelweiss - audiobook download from my public library)

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

The Days of Afrekete; Asali Solomon

Random House Audio - 2021

Narrated by Karen Chilton - good 

(5 hours and 33 min.)

The Days of Afrekete is a book which recently came to me attention by reading Susan's post on her blog, The Cue Card.  It's a relatively short novel (novella) at just around 200 pages and 5 hours on audio.  I'm still not sure how to classify it.  It's dark, bold and even funny at times but, I thought it was a bit strange as well.

The story begins with a black woman named Liselle Belmont hosting a dinner party to thank her white husband Winn's political supporters for their hard work despite his failed political bid for state legislature in PA.  As the dinner party is about to begin we learn that only Liselle is aware of the FBI's interest in her husband, a former real estate lawyer for some rather sketchy business dealings.  As the uncomfortable party is about begin, Liselle's mind flashes back to some 20 years earlier to her college days at Bryn Mawr and her sexual escapades as a lesbian where she eventually meets a black woman named Selena.  We begin to understand why the lives of these women play out in very different ways. Liselle begins to think given her current situation,  that Selena may be the only person who might really understand her.

Told mostly from the POV of Liselle, the story seemed to focus more on the past including insight into both women as well as  Liselle's mother Verity who a lot of issues of her own.  This is a rather short novel and although the audio, narrated by Karen Chilton, was well done, I just wasn't a huge fan of the way the story played out.

Rating - 3/5 stars

(audio book download from my public library)

Book Review; In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss; Amy Bloom

 

In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss; Amy Bloom

Random House Audio - 2022

(Narrated by the author - good)

(4 hours and 49 min.)

Sometimes even when I think I need an upbeat read, I find myself drawn to darker or sadder stories -- Case in point: In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom.

After meeting in 2005, Amy Bloom and Brian Ameche married in 2007.  Both were in previous relationships but, they knew they were a match early in the relationship.  Each had friends, family and a job they enjoyed and many shared interests as well.  One day Amy began to notice subtle but odd changes in her husband, they were easy to brush off at first but, soon Brian ended up leaving the job he loved and after MRIs and various testing in 2019 was diagnosed with Alzheimers at the age of 65.

For Brian one thing was certain, he was adamant about wanting to die with dignity before his disease took him on a journey of forgetting everything and everyone that had meaning in his life.  He asked his wife to research death with dignity options for when the time was right.  

Although there are several states in the US that have so called "right to die" laws in place, the criteria is very specific and most states require that the individual's illness be terminal and that death was likely to occur within 6 months.  As a couple they decided to look into assisted suicide options in Zurich, Switzerland.  Bloom tell readers that Dignitas is the best option for US citizens who are not terminally ill if they feel the need to end their lives. After going through the application process, a required autobiography, interviews, medical reports and much more, Brian eventually meets the requirements and in January 2020 with his wife Amy by his side he ended his life. 

This memoir was a bit of an eye-opener and I'm glad I had the opportunity to listen to it.  It is not a long book and it is written in a way that is not all doom and gloom. The author has a way of infusing her wit and humor at appropriate times as she shares the story of their years together.  Many readers may shy a way from a topic such as this but, I do recommend this one.  

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

Book Review - French Braid; Anne Tyler

 

French Braid; Anne Tyler

Knopf 3/22/2022 and Random House Audio

(9+ hours - narrated by Kimberly Farr (very good)

"Nobody outside a marriage has any real notion of what goes on inside."

It's 1959 and time to meet the all American family - The Garretts  - Mercy and Robin (mother and father) and their (3) children: Alice and Lily are teens and David is the youngest child.   Father, Robin is running the family hardware store in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Robin is sort of removed from the daily life of his children.  The mother, Mercy, tends to the needs of her children but, she is far from a warm and comforting sort of mother. She is unfulfilled with her life, her marriage and, her real passion seems to be her art.  The children: Alice is responsible and the one who likes to follow the rules, Lily is perhaps too boy crazy for her own good and young David seems confused; he longs to be grown up yet still very much a child who needs reassurance. 

As the story begins in 1959, Robin decides that the family should take a vacation. It will be their first and last vacation as a family. We follow the Garrett family from 1959 through the present day.  This is an expansive yet quiet, poignant, reflective kind of story about family.  There are special moments to be shared but, also there is that secret desire to break free from the family. 

I thought the Garrett family felt cold, there was not a lot of emotion but, in reality that is just how some families are.  There was one particular scene on a train involving the grandmother and her granddaughter which will forever be etched in my mind when I think about this book.  In some ways the mother, Mercy reminded me of Delia in Ladder of the Years, a book I finally read a few months ago and loved - she too was an unfulfilled mother needing something more than what her marriage and children provided.

If you are wondering about the significance of the title French Braid it is this - when a hair braid is undone crimps and crinkles remain -- "that's how families work too. You think you're free of them but, you're never really free! The ripples are crimped forever."  Not my favorite Anne Tyler novel but, I'm certainly happy I experienced it. No one writes about family like Anne Tyler, an author who is not afraid to show us human frailties in her flawed characters.

Thanks go to Knopf Publishing and Random House Audio for allowing me access to the eGalley as well as the audio download in exchange for my unbiased review.

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Abide with Me; Elizabeth Strout

 Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. I've actually stopped reading this week as I have some other year end projects to get to but, because I love Elizabeth Strout's writing, I'm planning on reading the remaining (2) books of hers that I haven't read in 2022.  Abide with Me will be on my January 2022.  The other book on my 2022 list is Amy and Isabelle. Have you read these?

Abide with Me; Elizabeth Strout

Random House Audio - 2006

One

Oh, it would be years ago now, but at one time a minister lived with his small daughter in a town up north near the Sabbanock River, up where the river is narrow and the winters used to be especially long.  The minister's name was Tyler Caskey, and for quite some while his story was told in towns up and down the river, and as far over as the coast, until it emerged with enough variations so as to lose its original punch, and just the passing of time, of course,  will affect the vigor of these things.  But there are a few people still living in the town of West Annett who are set to remember quite clearly the events that took place during the wintery, final months of 1959.  And if you inquire with enough patience and restraint of curiosity, you can probably get them to tell what is is they claim to know, although its accuracy might be something you'd have to sort out on your own.

What do you think?

Book Review - The Guide; Peter Heller

 

The Guide; Peter Heller

Random House Audio - 2021 - (6 hours 59 min)

In 2019 I read Peter Heller's book The River which took place in Canada and I really enjoyed it.  This new book, The Guide, has Jack returning to the river but, this time the setting is Colorado. Jack is still dealing with grief: his mother's violent death and a tragedy involving a best friend. He has been hired by The Kingfisher Lodge, as a fishing guide to wealthy clients looking for peace and relaxation and, this may just be the job that helps Jack move beyond his grief. The story takes place in a post-COVID world but where another type of virus is threatening.  The lodge is nestled in a canyon with the most beautiful waters yet the grounds are surrounded by high razor wire fences, locked gates and signs warning trespassers who wander beyond the grounds that they risk getting shot.  What is really going on around the so-called "billionaire's mile?"

Jacks first client is a famous young female singer named Allison seeking the relaxation and someone to bait her fishing line. Although the two get along well Allison comes across as someone who is quite meek and not at all the way you would imagine a famous singer to be.  Shortly after the story begins there is a loud scream during the night and things begin to happen.  Although the setting was nicely described, the storyline itself did not work well for us.  For example, on a few occasions Jack's job is in jeopardy for policy violations yet he never gets fired and still freely snoops around when you would expect that video surveillance would be everywhere. There are also some strange things going on that make the reader realize that something at Kingfisher Lodge and the surrounding property isn't the peaceful place it claims to be.  The story eventually goes to a very dark place which involves young children. The happenings didn't seem at all plausible and the ending seemed unlikely as well.  After enjoying, The River, this follow-up just did not measure up.

I borrowed this audio download from my local library and fortunately is was shorter than most books. Mark Deakins narrated the book and did a decent job but, overall, we found this book very disappointing.

Rating - 2/5 stars

brief Book Reviews from late August reading: Council of Animals; Nick McDonnell, His Only Wife; Peace Adzo Medie and Sooley; John Grisham

 

                                                   The Council of Animals; Nick McDonell

                                                           Henry Holt & Company - 2021

This slim book (just 208pp.) was the strangest of stories that I've read in a while.  It reminded me in some ways of what I remembered of Animal Farm (from decades ago).  In this story there is an event referred to as "the great calamity" where humans were pretty much extinguished from the face of the earth except for about a dozen remaining who are frightened as to what will become of them.  The event appears to have had something to do with climate change or something nuclear even but something caused by human actions or inaction.  

Left to decide the fate of the few remaining humans are "The Council of Animals" which consist of dog, cat, bear, raven, cow, horse and baboon. Since the animals feel the humans are the ones that caused the calamity, should the dozen who remain be allowed to live or should they be killed and eaten?  The manner in which the debate and finger/paw pointing goes made me smile as chaos erupted. The animal factions and their rationale was entertaining.  Yes, it's political satire but, it seems in some ways to mimic the finger-pointing that has been going on in our own politics and the divisiveness that we witness day in and day out.

I started with the short audio book (3 hours) read by the author but, the narration and sound seemed a bit annoying so I switched over to the eBook which had some cool illustrations done by Steven Tabbutt.  Although this wasn't the type of book I would normally read, I thought it had merit and was certainly thought provoking enough.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

(Thanks go to NetGalley and Henry Holt Books for allowing me access to this book in exchange for my unbiased review.)

His Only Wife; Peace Adzo Medie

Algonquin Books - 2020

Afi is a young seamstress Ghana and after her father dies she and her mother are faced with poverty.  She is convinced by family to marry Eliken Ganyo, a wealthy man she has never met in what will be an arranged marriage. When she agrees  Eliken doesn't even show up for the wedding, there is a stand-in and the marriage happens anyways.  When Afi moves to Accra to be with her new husband she learns he is in love with another woman and there is even a child involved.  

The entire set up for this marriage was by a powerful, elder Aunty -- picture the female Godfather. Aunty's intent was to get Eiken away from the woman the family does not like.  Afi starts out with an almost child-like behavior but, it was nice seeing her mature over the course of the story and begin to grow more confident. This story started out a bit slow, but, I loved the setting, Ghana, and learning about a new culture and customs. 

Rating - 4/5 stars

(Thanks go to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for allowing me access to this book in exchange for my unbiased review.)

Sooley; John Grisham

Random House Audio - 2021

Samuel Sooleyman is a boy who loves basketball and is living in South Sudan.  He is in his last year of secondary school and gets the opportunity of a lifetime. He will join other basketball players from his country to play in a tournament in the United States.  Sooley, has led a sheltered life and has never even flown on an airplane but, this is an opportunity for the seventeen year old to be seen by scouts.  He isn't the best of the best, in fact he's the last to be chosen but, he's determined and practices every opportunity he has even when others have stopped. He improves and his determination pays off as he gets noticed.  Meanwhile back home in South Sudan, a civil war is raging, he father has been killed and his sister abducted, terrible things happen.

This is not a book just for sports lovers as I enjoyed it even more than I expected. My husband really loved it as well. It's a story about basketball and a ags to riches stories. It's also a story about a country devastated by civil war and the dreams of a better life elsewhere.  Sooley was a character to root for and I loved the way his character developed and how he transitioned into a life that was so different.  I must say that we hadn't anticipated the way the story would end (don't look for for spoilers). I do recommend this one - especially on audio.

The audio book (10 hours, 27 min) was narrated by Dion Graham who did a fantastic job. BTW: In case you have never listened to this narrator he is also narrating Colson Whitehead's new book: Harlem Shuffle which I plan to begin soon.

Rating 4.5/5 stars

(Thanks go to Penguin Random House audio for allowing me access to this book in exchange for my unbiased review.)