Unabridged Chick

In the Garden of Stone by Susan Tekulve

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Title: In the Garden of Stone
Author: Susan Tekulve

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 1920s / 1930s / West Virginia / Sicily / Immigrants / Coal Mining / Marriage / Family Saga)
Publisher/Publication Date: Hub City Press (5/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a very good deal.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: Spanning almost fifty years, the story of a family in rural West Virginia and their passion for place, each other, the foreign and familiar.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction, Immigrant Stories

Do I like the cover?: I do -- months and bees feature rather prominently for two of the main characters.

I'm reminded of...: Jennifer Haigh, Ursula Hegi

First line: On Monday, washday, the two boys standing outside the white frame house looked like wizened old men.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like fiction of place, immigrant stories, and the vignette-y look at family a la Jennifer Haigh's Baker Towers.

Why did I get this book?: The era, the place.

Review: I was interested in this book because my paternal grandmother's family were Sicilians who ended up in West Virginia and western Maryland coal country. We're a taciturn people on my father's side of the family; my wife and sister-in-law marvel at the long, drawn out conversations we have about weather -- the current weather, the past weather, the weather to come -- but for my brother and I, that's just how you communicate with those relatives.

My wife and sister-in-law, being bolder, nosier people who didn't get the memo that one talks about the weather, are unabashed questioners, a trait I've come to deeply appreciate as they've elicited some of the loveliest and surprising stories from that side of the family. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away after she and my wife met only once, and that brief glimpse into her family's life was eye-opening and fascinating. It's one of my greatest regrets I didn't get to talk to her about more than the weather.

In some ways, this book felt like I got a chance to continue that conversation.

Spanning almost fifty years, from 1924 to 1973, this novel is a collection of vignettes following a West Virginia family. Emma, a 16-year old Sicilian immigrant, loathes her mother's joyless existence and marries impetuously. Caleb, her new husband, works for the railroads and has a generous but drifting kind of focus that emerges even more strongly in his son Dean. Tragedy forces Dean from his family's land and upon his return, his devotion to the ground, the earth, the animals, and even the people he crosses creates joy and anguish in equal part. His daughter comes of age when her immigrant Italian relatives are old and frightening and the lure of the world outside of her family's property lines calls her more than her family's link to the land.

Tekulve's writing style is pretty, poetic, but not ornate or obfuscated. Each chapter feels like a self-contained short story in many ways; together, they show the arc of a family and place, but individually, there's a brilliant, bright, or blinding moment that stings or illuminates. I got the sense that some of the pieces were composed independently of the volume: Tekulve occasionally repeats an incident or a particular turn of phrase from one story in another, as if trying to offer context to a chapter were it removed from the collection. I didn't mind the repetition as it sort of emphasized the almost fairy tale quality to the family: fatherless children, magical gardens, temptations.

The familiarity of Tekulve's characters and place resonated with me as much as the writing. She articulated the nuances of rural poverty that felt authentic rather than shocking or exploitative. In her description of the Sypher family property, with the creeks and trees, random cabins, farm animals semi-feral, men obsessively working the land -- hauling, pulling, cutting, chopping -- I was reminded of my grandfather, father, and even now, my brother. (A trip to see that part of the family isn't complete without something being hauled, a cabin or milk house explored.)

I will admit to laughing a few times Tekulve's characters remarked on the West Virginia landscape as resembling Sicily; my family was stationed in Sicily for a few years when I was a child, and the country was gripped in a terrible drought the entire time we were there. My memory of Sicily is of a dry, stony, yellowed place, scrub and withering trees rather than the sort of verdant hilliness I associate with West Virginia. It wasn't until a few years ago when traveling in the Mediterranean did I see Sicily as it usually is -- fresh, green, hilly but alive -- but I still can't shake the sense of it as I knew it. (This isn't a knock against Tekulve's description of place!)

The vignette-y style reminded me immediately of Jennifer Haigh's Baker Towers and Ursula Hegi's Floating in My Mother's Palm, so readers who enjoy those kind of family sagas will enjoy this volume (grandmother with Sicilian background not needed). Highly recommended for fans of immigrant stories and rural American life in the first half of the 20th century.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of In the Garden of Stone to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Interview with David Morrell

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Yesterday I reviewed David Morrell's wonderfully grim, deliciously dark Murder as a Fine Art. I'm excited to share my interview with Morrell, who reveals, among other tidbits, that he's working on a sequel to Murder as a Fine Art! (I am so excited.) Read on to learn more about him, his writing, and this great novel, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

My debut novel, published in 1972, was First Blood, the novel in which Rambo appeared. It’s an anti-war novel about the damage done to a man who was sent to war and discovered that he had a skill for killing, hating himself in the process. Ten years later, the film adaptation appeared, which follows the plot of my novel for the most part but reinterprets the story. It’s an odd feeling to be associated with a character that’s among the top five in the thriller world, using the criterion of characters who started in novels and then gained worldwide recognition through their film adaptations: Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, James Bond, Rambo, and Harry Potter. This is my forty-first year as a publisher author, an eternity in the publishing world where most careers last 15 or 20 years. I think the reason I’m still here is that I keep trying to find new ways to extend the idea of what a thriller can be.

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

I work from 8:30 to 5, with an hour for exercise in the middle of the day. Exercise is important because I sit for so many hours. I write five pages each day and print them out. In the morning, I read those printed pages in a place that is different from where I write. Then I type corrections into the digital version and write another five pages, printing them out at the end of the day. This process gives me a fresh perspective on the previous day’s work.

Was Murder as a Fine Art the original title of your book?

Yes, Murder as a Fine Art was the original title. In 1854, my main character, Thomas De Quincey, invented the true-crime genre in the third installment of his essay, “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” My novel is based on the notorious Ratcliffe Highway murders that De Quincey wrote about in his essay. I knew that my title would need to echo De Quincey’s title.

As you were writing Murder as a Fine Art, was there a particular scene or character that surprised you?

Although Murder as a Fine Art is a Victorian mystery/thriller, it is also a father/daughter story. In 1854, when the novel occurs, De Quincey was 69. His 21-year-old daughter, Emily, was his companion. The more I researched Emily’s relationship with her controversial father, the more fascinating she became to me. When I introduced her about 40 pages into the novel, I suddenly had the idea of having her speak to the reader via a journal (a common device in Victorian literature). I started the journal with this sentence. “This morning, I discovered Father again pacing the back courtyard.” Really, it was as if Emily were talking to me. With her bloomer dress and independent ways, she took over every scene in which she appeared and is the character that readers most ask about.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

To research aerial scenes in my novel about the mysterious Marfa lights of west Texas, The Shimmer, I became a private pilot. I try to spend once a week in the air. I enjoy hiking and swimming and am also an avid vegetable gardener.

Read any good books recently?

I tend to read a lot of non-fiction because the style of some novels can get into my head and affect the tone of the fiction I’m working on. In my recent reading, I was impressed by Glenn Frankel’s The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend. Frankel discusses the Indian abduction of Cynthia Parker in 1836 and the many ways that the abduction and the search for her was recounted, especially in Alan LeMay’s novel, The Searchers, and John Ford’s film adaptation of it. The book is a fascinating blend of historical and cultural analysis. Otherwise, I’m continuing my research into Victorian London in the 1850s for a sequel to Murder as Fine Art. In both novels, my goal is to convince readers that they are actually in Victorian London.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Murder as a Fine Art to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:27:00 +0000

Title: Murder as a Fine Art
Author: David Morrell

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 19th Century / London / Thomas DeQuincy / Laudanum / Serial Killer)
Publisher/Publication Date: Mulholland Books (5/7/2013)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Rating: Loved -- will likely make my top ten of 2013.
Did I finish?: Oh yeah.
One-sentence summary: A serial killer in 1854 London replicates -- and exaggerates -- a series of violent crimes from decades before, and laudanum-addicted writer Thomas DeQuincey is seen as the prime suspect.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it's not super compelling but certainly evokes the feel of the novel: soot, fog, London, guys in hats.

I'm reminded of...: Matt Rees, Dan Simmons

First line: Titian, Rubens, and Van Dyke, it is said, always practiced their art in full dress.

Did... I die of surprise when I learned the author was the guy who invented Rambo?: YES. Morrell wrote First Blood in 1972 and was involved in the subsequent films. Crazy! I actually enjoyed this one so much I went out and got First Blood to read.

Do... I love the videos Morrell shares on his website about his research?: YES. He especially talks about how weird London in the mid 1800s was, which I appreciate, because hello, the Victorians were weird.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like historical mysteries, the Victorian era, or unusual historicals.

Why did I get this book?: I've never seen DeQuincey featured in fiction -- how could I resist?

Review: I had such a flippin' great time with this book. From the first page, I was sucked in, and the only reason I didn't finish this one in a day is that I made myself slow down and enjoy the journey -- I could have taken another 300 pages and been only slightly satisfied.

Set in 1854, the novel opens with 'the artist', a violent serial killer bent on replicating -- and improving upon -- a series of violent murders from 1811. (And ew, are they grim.) For the police and the London public, these crimes are chilling and frightening, and one suspect immediately comes to mind: writer/philosopher/laudanum-addict Thomas DeQuincey whose essay 'On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts' detailed the 1811 murders and seemingly offered admiration for the killer.

DeQuincey, now in his 60s, is still infamous for his Confessions of an Opium-Eater, perhaps the first tell-all drug memoir published. Chased by creditors, DeQuincey returns to London after a mysterious missive promises to reunite him with a woman from his past, accompanied by his smart, pragmatic, bloomer-wearing daughter, Emily.

Two London police officers -- an Irish detective named Ryan and a British constable named Becker -- are tasked with arresting notorious writer/drug addict Thomas DeQuincey for the murders -- and that's when things get really hairy.

This book hit every note for me: wonderful sense of place and era, fascinating characters, a gossipy treatment of history, and a narrative style that has as much personality as the characters. In the (wonderfully fascinating) Afterward, Morrell explains this novel is his take on the 19th century novel; he employs a third-person omniscient viewpoint and intersperses the narrative with excerpts from diary entries. The effect is fun without being exhausting (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was fun, but felt a bit much at times) and offered that lovely mix of 'education' (the narrative is peppered with trivia about the era) and escapism (there were some moments that were positively cinematic).

Hands down, Emily was my favorite character -- she might rank up there with my favorite heroines -- as she was smart, sympathetic, 'modern' (for the times), and vibrant. Morrell conveyed a Victorian woman raised with a rather unconventional thinker of father who still felt authentic to the era. She wasn't a contemporary woman in corsets (because Emily doesn't wear them, but you know what I mean.). I enjoyed every character, though, even our creepy 'artist of death', and I couldn't stop reading. There's non-stop action but the feel of the book isn't bombastic or exhausting -- having the cerebral DeQuincey helped temper the speed, I think, and balanced out the police officers and murders. He was certainly a fascinating foil for the story.

If you like Victorian London, take this trip. If you like historical mysteries, consider this one: the focus is less on the mystery since we know 'who' the murderer is (just not his name) and has a hint of the police procedural with a good helping of psychological profiling. I can't say whether or not DeQuincey nerds will approve of Morrell's portrayal of him and his daughter, but I just loved him and am super eager to read his works. (I kind of wish this would become a series with DeQuincey and company.)

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Murder as a Fine Art to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US readers only, ends 6/7.

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Just two giveaways this weekend!

The winner of The Golem and the Jinni is ... Leah!

The winner of Fear in the Sunlight ... Nadia!

Congrats to the winners!

I've emailed folks who have until end of day Tuesday to respond. If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways.

Weekend reads and feeling funky...

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:03:00 +0000

No cute picture today; I'm not exactly between books so much as sandwiched in a pile, all half started.

Real life has me a bit funky lately -- the last four weeks or so -- and I'm having a hard time focusing on reading, never mind reviewing. (Funk isn't helped by the pile of review books staring at me!)

What are you reading this weekend?

[image credit: Mo Willems]

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet Stephanie Cowell

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I'm excited to share another Q&A with an author participating in the 2013 Historical Novel Society Conference this year, Stephanie Cowell. Her books have long been on my TBR and now I'm breathless with anticipation for her newest (see her second to last question).

Stephanie Cowell

What got you first interested in historical fiction?

Since an early age I believed I belonged in an earlier time, that my real life and were waiting for me there. I read historical children’s novels such as A LITTLE PRINCESS and felt that was my life, if I could only get to it. Even today certain places and times are a home I miss with all my heart.

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

Oh I am interested in many people and topics, and they come rushing at me. I can hardly leave a street in Europe or England without some fictional character tapping me on the shoulder and pouring out her story. Years ago I was walking behind my parents in a tiny village full of stone houses in Switzerland, and my father called back, “Daughter, where are you?” And I replied, “A character is following me.” My poor stepmother got SO upset and rushed back, thinking some deranged ragged person was trailing me. After that when I lagged behind, I simply called out “I’m just twenty feet and four centuries behind you.”

Do you follow a specific writing and/or research process?

I research as I write. I know something about the person or the times of course to begin with. In the last stages of the novel, I drop in all sorts of specifics…hat pins, things like that. I rewrite each novel several times trying to make a rising dramatic plot line out of a life.

For you, what is the line between fiction and fact?

I think it is most important to get the essence of a story, which means my character may have one big argument with her husband rather than seven, and live in one place in steady of fourteen. You have to change things a little to make a dramatic piece. We can’t change when Marie Antoinette died or the way she died, but we can change when she was playing with her children.

Do you have an anecdote about a reading or fan interaction you'd like to share?

Someone e-mailed me photos of the bookshop in Salzburg which sold my Mozart novel in German; it happened to be the same very old shop where Mozart himself bought books. So many things have happened! And Monet’s house in Giverny has a bookshop which carried my novel on him.

Where do you feel historical fiction is headed as a genre?

I don’t know. We go through fads. Considering everything from the beginning of time thru WWII is considered HF, we are taking over the world! That leaves us contemporary fiction and books set in the future.

Is there an era/area that is your favorite to write about? How about to read?

Oh many different times…I prefer to read about people in the arts than kings and queens on a whole.

Is there a writer, living or deceased, you would like to meet?

I would like to be with Shakespeare at rehearsals of HAMLET.

What book was the most fun for you to write?

Marrying Mozart…it took nine months and was pure joy. I adore Mozart. It was my love story for him.

Can you tell us about your latest publication?

My newest novel which will not be out for some time is about the Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She was a invalid with great family problems when the handsome gifted Robert Browning swept her away to Italy where her passionate love for Robert was in conflict with her family devotion, her laudanum addiction, her refusal to consider her health and her newly freed genius…among which were the sonnets she wrote for him. “How do I love thee?” etc.. It’s about a woman of genius handling love, health and life.

Do you have a most interesting question or crazy anecdote related to your writing you would like to share?

My first B&N reading for my first novel (NICHOLAS COOKE) outside the city was a disaster! The book had debuted well as a People Pick, great printed reviews, etc so off I went to Albany. The reading space was situated between the busy front door and loud café and there was no mike. I screamed out my readings….then many many people came through the door but not one of them stopped for me. Finally I asked the manager where they were all going. She said, “Oh, Spot the Dog is appearing here today!” It was profoundly depressing! I had an ice cream sundae after and was almost too sad to eat any of it.

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Learn more about Stephanie Cowell: check out her website or see her speaker profile here (scroll down).

A Prince to be Feared by Mary Lancaster

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: A Prince to be Feared
Author: Mary Lancaster

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 15th Century / Eastern Europe / Romania / Ottoman Empire / Court Intrigue / Historical Figure Fictionalized / Romance)
Publisher/Publication Date: Self published (4/2013)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: The lifelong friendship and love affair between Vlad the Impaler and a Hungarian noblewoman in 15th century Transylvania.
Reading Challenges: E-book, Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it's ambigu-royal but I think it conveys the more serious (non-paranormal) heft to the story.

I'm reminded of...: Jeanne Kalogridis, Matt Rees

First line: He made a perfect villain.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Buy -- the ebook is $2.99!

Why did I get this book?: I love hist fic in unusual settings, and having traveled through Transylvania over the winter, I'm eager to return -- in person or via book!

Review: A novel about Dracula that doesn't involve vampires?! Be still my heart!

Needless to say, when I was offered to be on the tour for this one, I leapt at the chance, and my leap was rewarded: this is a great novel of court intrigue, war, and love -- and I'm happy to say, this isn't a Tudor-esque fic simply plunked into Transylvania.

Alternating between 1474 and 1454, the novel follows Ilona Szilágyi, a Hungarian noblewoman, and her friendship, courtship and love affair with Vlad Dracula.

My historical knowledge of Vlad Dracula is fuzzy (or, really, nonexistent), and Lancaster's novel quickly and neatly delves into his violent and heartbreaking life -- hostage to the Ottomans, a pawn during war, an ambitious military leader regarded with awe and horror for his unapologetically brutal ways -- who becomes a Prince and eventual political prisoner. Vlad's ambitions are boundless as is his determination to remain a ruler, and he allows himself to be used by the Wallachians and Hungarians to remain in power. Lancaster opens with Machiavelli's quote (better a prince be feared than loved), which is coined some forty years after Vlad's reign and yet exemplifies his leadership style.

And still, knowing all that, I was kind of into Vlad. Even with a mustache and his cruel military prowess, I was digging him! It helped that our heroine, Ilona, was fun, a realistic mix of innocence and boldness, a bit fiery and a bit shy; I could relate to her, and when she was smitten, I was a tiny bit smitten.

Lancaster's writing is effortless, geeky with detail without feeling like infodumping or oversharing. She plunges us into the story, opening with the end of Vlad's imprisonment before taking us back to his youth, when he first met the impetuous Ilona. The political tangle of that region is lightly explained but really offered through context, and I appreciated that. (For those who are curious, you can read Chapter One on Lancaster's website.)

There's a long cast of characters at the beginning of the book as well as a map of the region. There's no Author's Note or Afterward, which I would have liked -- I'm intensely curious about this era and the players now!

I'm unsure how to describe this one: it's beach-y fun to read, but it isn't a bodice ripper or a sexed up historical ala Philippa Gregory. It isn't the weighty military historical necessarily but it's obviously a novel of war and conflict. It's a tiny bit coming-of-age for our young noblewoman; it's a bit middle-age-looking-back-at-youth as well. Whatever it is, it's fun, and effortless to read, and worth picking up if you like court intrigue but want a little variation, or if you're curious about Eastern Europe in the 15th century, or even if you just want to know a bit about the historical Dracula. (And, at the moment, it's $2.99 as an ebook.)

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer an e-book copy of A Prince to be Feared to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US and international readers, ends 5/31.

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:03:00 +0000

I'm super behind on life -- reading, reviews, and apparently, sharing giveaway winners! -- so my apologies for the wait! Here are the winners for this week!

The winner of Pain, Parties, Work is ... Krystle C.!

The winner of The Bequest of Big Daddy is ... Emily of The Bookshelf of Emily J.!

Congrats to the winners! Folks have until the end of day Wednesday to get back to me. If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways!

Mailbox Monday, May 13

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 12 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

In May, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Abi @ 4 the LOVE of BOOKS. Some wonderful arrivals this week! To learn more about any title, click the cover and it will open in a new tab/window.

What did you get this week? What do you think of these titles?

For Review

Swapped/Gifted/Purchased

All gifted to me by the amazing Amy of Passages to the Past! Thanks for letting me get these out of your house! ;)

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference Panelist: Meet Stephanie Dray

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 11 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This year, I'm going to be attending the Historical Novel Society's annual conference -- a first for me -- and I'm going as a panelist! (So surreal!)

For the next few weeks, I'm going to be sharing some short interviews with a few of the panelists planning to come to the conference. I hope, even if you aren't attending, you'll find some new authors to add to your TBR!

I'm particularly excited to be hosting Stephanie Dray here -- as some of you may know, I kind of have a thing for her writing. (Good luck to me if I have a chance to meet her; there will be much gasping and swooning.)

Here are some questions Ms. Dray answered for HNS about her writing and books.

Stephanie Dray

How do you find the people and topics of your books?

I'm fascinated by the bad girls of history, not to mention the under-appreciated heroines of our past. When I learn about a woman that I feel I should know about, and don't, it's almost as if she's calling out to me to bring her to life. It's a miraculous thing.

For you, what is the line between fiction and fact?

I can be obsessive about getting the facts right. My agent and my husband once staged an intervention to stop me from fermenting crustacean shells in my back yard to see if I could recreate the ancient process of making purple dye. That said, I try not to be a pretentious person. I know what my job is. I am a novelist, not a biographer. My responsibility is to the story, first and foremost. I try to remember that history is written by the victors and that, especially when it comes to the ancient world, facts are fragmentary and a small piece of the puzzle. So I treat the facts respectfully, but I try never to be tyrannized by them.

What book was the most fun for you to write?

Let me tell you, instead, which was the least fun to write, and that was Song of the Nile. I knew that the book was going to touch on very problematic themes. I write about the Ptolemies, which means incest was going to come up for sure. I write about goddess worship when it was at its strongest and when it was imperiled. I write about the Romans, and rape was as embedded in their culture as it appears to still be in ours. I knew it was going to be a dark book and an over-the-top dramatic one. I kept pulling back the throttle, I kept avoiding writing the hard scenes, and when I did write them, I sometimes sniffled my way through them. In the end, it was my award-winningest book and I think, my most beautiful. But it hurt to write it and sometimes that's okay.

Do you have a most interesting question or crazy anecdote related to your writing you would like to share?

This is a very nerdy anecdote, but one that tickles me. I have been very fortunate to be able to consult with a professor of antiquities on the life of Cleopatra Selene. Because the date of her death is disputed, I wanted to get his opinion. I said, "Professor, I am quite certain that your theory about her death in 5 BC is correct, but that is very inconvenient for my story. Can I justify a later death date since most scholars, up until recently, believed she died in 17 AD?" He was quite firm in his opinion that I should adopt his theory because he was confident in its accuracy and worried that "if there is a cataclysm, and all books about Cleopatra Selene are destroyed about yours, don't you want it to be accurate?" I wondered what kind of person goes around worrying about such things! Then I realized that professors of antiquities do...and must...because so much in the ancient world is lost to us. In the end, I chose 5 BC...just in case there's a cataclysm.

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Learn more about Stephanie Dray: sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter and check out her website. You can also see her speaker bio at the HNS Conference website on this page (just scroll down).

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Author: Anthony Marra

Genre: Fiction (2000s / 1990s / Russia / Chechnya / Secret Police / Emergency Room / Sex Trafficking / Doctors / Siblings)
Publisher/Publication Date: Hogarth (5/7/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: Six lives overlap, collide, and crash over a span of a decade, distilled down into five days in war-torn Chechnya.

Do I like the cover?: I adore it -- so sad, so evocative, so bittersweet!

I'm reminded of...: Jennifer Dubois, Valerie Laken

First line: On the morning after the Feds burned down her house and took her father, Havaa woke from dreams of sea anemones.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy -- I suspect this book will be getting a good deal of praise in the coming months.

Why did I get this book?: If it's from Hogarth, I'm reading it.

Review: I'm a total Hogarth fangirl now, having first fallen in love with I Am Forbidden and then The Headmaster's Wager.

Set in a small town in the Chechan Republic, the novel takes place over five days, shifting from 'present' -- 2004 -- back to 1994. (The time jumps are beautiful noted at the start of each chapter with this timeline, the year in question bolded.)

The five days in question, the frame of the book, refer to the time spent at a nearly abandoned hospital by Akhmed, an incompetent village doctor, and Havaa, the 8-year old daughter of his neighbor, orphaned after Federal police seized her father and burned her house. Desperate to save her, Akhmed drags her to the city hospital (at one point in the book, he realizes it is the first life he's saved as a doctor).

There they meet Sonja and her crazy nurse. Sonja, paralysed with guilt and fear over her sister Natasha, missing again after being a victim of sex trafficking, works automaton-like numbness at the hospital, amputating limbs with quick practice and dealing with gangsters to resupply the hospital.

Every night, Akhmed returns home to care for his invalid wife, living in fear of his neighbor Ramzan, who is a snitch for the police (Ramzan is the reason Havaa and her father were turned in to the police) while nurturing a friendship with Khassan, Ramzan's historian father who has taken to ignoring his son as punishment for his betrayals.

Chechnya, a region in Russia perhaps only vaguely familiar to Americans in the last decade, is now increasingly familiar due to the Boston Marathon bombings. I will admit to some -- I don't know how to describe it -- some shaky unease reading about Chechan landmines and amputations when I've been reading about bombs and amputations here.

Marra's writing is gorgeous, not quite poetry, not simple statement, and as a result, whatever he articulates, be it a broken heart or severed limb, reads achingly real. (Which isn't to say it's all lofty philosophy: there are some literally stomach-turning, had-to-put-the-book-down-and-walk-away graphic or grotesque moments, like the aforementioned amputation scene.) That said, I couldn't stop reading -- or wanting to read -- this book, and Marra's inclusion of such violence emphasizes the unstable destruction of the area, the unceasing horror these characters live with.

Much like the old medical text that inspired the title, the characters are all points on a constellation, connected and separate. I finished this book unwilling to start another, still working at the story in my mind.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/24.

Margaret Fuller: A New American Life by Megan Marshall

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: Margaret Fuller: A New American Life
Author: Megan Marshall

Genre: Non-Fiction (Biography / 19th Century / Massachusetts / Boston / Transcendentalists / Philosophy / Revolution /
Publisher/Publication Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (3/12/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: An affectionate biography of a great 19th century American thinker with heavy emphasis on Fuller's own words.

Do I like the cover?: Oh, I love it. Although I think it's kind of evocative of a pioneer / Western expansion biography rather than a fairly urbane Bostonian one, but the airy moodiness of it gets me.

I'm reminded of...: Nancy Rubin Stuart, Jean Zimmerman

First line: The archivist placed the slim volume, an ordinary composition book with mottled green covers, in a protective foam cradle on the library desk in front of me.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like partial biographies that lift the voice of the subject.

Why did I get this book?: I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve Margaret Fuller.

Review: Margaret Fuller is one of my patron saints and spiritual mentors. She'd make my list of famous people I'd love to have dinner with (but I have to admit I'd be quite intimidated!).

A brilliant thinker, philosopher, and writer, Fuller grew up in the heady, fiery, intellectual Boston of the early 19th century, among famed Transcendentalists, philosophers, Unitarian ministers, agitators, organizers, social scions, ex-pat Britons, and blue-blood artists. Despite being a blazing star of her time, admired by some of the most famous American thinkers today, Fuller is depressingly unknown. Here's hoping Marshall's biography is a first step in returning Fuller to her proper place of prominence in American history.

Born to schoolmaster-turned-elected official, Fuller's father was a relentless taskmaster, crafting his clever daughter into the model American son -- all the while leaving Margaret to chafe at the limitations she faced as an adult woman. Unable to become a minister, she instead found herself becoming a teacher and writer, growing into a more recognized voice in the Boston literati scene. Conflicted about romantic relationships -- her female friends almost all disappeared once they became wives -- she was torn between an appreciation for the Romantic emphasis on sensuality and the real life ramifications of such behavior. In the end, while covering the revolutionary movements in Italy in the 1840s, she found love and became a mother, writing what she considered her greatest work -- only to die tragically in a shipwreck on her return to the US.

As with Winder's brief biography of Plath which I reviewed earlier, Marshall makes no bones about her obvious affection for her subject. That admiration shines through every page, but doesn't mean Marshall is blind to Fuller's flaws; she presents a complicated woman fully, in the context of her time. A blurb on the back describes this as an 'empathetic biography', which is precisely how I found this to read. (It helped immensely that Marshall has the same feelings toward the Transcendentalist and Unitarian crowd as I do -- when she suggested Bronson Alcott was, perhaps, a 'charlatan', I literally cackled with delight!)

In her Prologue, Marshall wrote she once wanted to write a biography of Fuller "that turned away from the intrigues of her private life, that spoke of public events solely," and I admit, my heart sank. Fuller is one of the original 'the personal is political' figures for me, and I bristled at the thought that her intimate life (experiences as woman, not her sex life) would be separated from her 'public' life. Marshall quickly explained how impossible that endeavor was -- even silly -- as Fuller lived and breathed philosophy, revolution, and identity.

Marshall's style is to use Fuller's own words to tell her story, which means the narrative doesn't read quite as smoothly as some biographies but I found I grew used to the style and was sucked in. There's a slightly circuitous feel to the book at times, as Marshall gleans from letters and journals of others to fill in the places where she doesn't have Fuller's exact language, but in the end, I found this style rather breathtaking. In a way, it felt as if Fuller was dictating her biography.

Although hefty -- 496 pages -- this reads much faster and while dense at moments (the book presumes some awareness of the Transcendentalists), it is completely readable. For those who love remembering the forgotten women of history, get this book (I'd recommend April Bernard's novel Miss Fuller first, then this book, to get a lovely picture of the woman.).

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/24.

Mailbox Monday, May 6

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:48:00 +0000

In May, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Abi @ 4 the LOVE of BOOKS and my offering for this week is about three week's worth of arrivals, hence the huge haul.

To learn more about any title, click the cover and it will open in a new tab/window.

What did you get this week? What do you think of these titles?

For Review

Won

Won thanks to Jenny Q of Let Them Read Books

Won thanks to Jessie at Ageless Pages Review!

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 04 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Kind of brain dead today -- allergies, I hope! -- but am excited to share giveaway winners for this week.

The winner of Roses Have Thorns is ... Angela/griperang!

The winner of Daughter of the Sky is ... Charlie of The Worm Hole!

Congrats to the winners! Folks have been emailed and have until end of day Tuesday to get back to me. Check out my open giveaways and be sure to watch for those coming this week.

Literary Wives: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:54:00 +0000

Earlier this spring I was invited to participate in a book club-discussion group, Literary Wives, looking at novels that feature wives and how, exactly, does being married influence, affect, shape, change, and drive the character.

Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife was picked as the inaugural title to discuss. A fictional exploration of Laura Bush, Sittenfeld's novel takes some of the notable touchstones and moments of Bush's life and adds her own twists, embellishments, back stories, and plot twists.

In Summary
This book blew my mind: I hated it, or maybe I loved it. I'm really torn.

I will say I read this nearly 600 page book in about two days, unable to stop, consumed with curiosity. My opinion on it will, I'm sure, shift and change with time, and while I haven't written my review yet, I hope to soon. (There's a good deal about Sittenfeld's writing style, the episodes she chooses to focus on, the graphic sex! that I'll talk about in my review since it doesn't fit here.)

I decided to jump right into discussing and opening up the discussion about American Wife -- feel free to share your thoughts as well if you've read this!

Be sure to check out the conversation with the other Literary Wives -- Angela, Ariel, and Emily -- who say everything so much more eloquently and interestingly than me.

The proposed frame to kick off the conversation are these two questions:

1. What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife?

2. In what way does this woman define “wife”—or in what way is she defined by “wife”?

First, A Confession and Then An Apology
I will admit that this novel provoked me politically and I've been really working to separate my political values from this conversation -- but for me, the personal is political blah blah and much of my response to this novel is shaped by my own personal values. Here's hoping I can convey that well without being offensive! Also, sorry this is a small novel.

Who is a Wife?
(In what way does this woman define “wife”—or in what way is she defined by “wife”?)

The title of this book in particular just amplifies this question, for our heroine is not just defined by being a wife, she's also THE American Wife at one point.

Alice Blackwell (our fictional Laura Bush), is defined by wife for her whole life -- aspiring to be one, fearing she may never be one, becoming one. In fact, a good deal of the novel dealt with the pleasures, pains, tragedies, and tradeoffs of romantic partnership (both those that occur and those that fizzle away and die).

Her being defined by her marriage, however, only seems to become particular to her identity when her husband takes political office; before that, being a wife seems to be one of the many parts of her life, from being a librarian, a mother, a competent party planner, a supportive in-law, or a reader.

On Life Partnership
(What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife?)

Returning to the first question, I'll admit to some real hostility when looking at Alice's marriage and her experience as a wife. Although Sittenfeld is careful to articulate a woman who, for the most part, is happy with her marriage, I couldn't help but read this book as a beautifully written subsummation of someone rather interesting into someone rather boorish. Alice is everything her husband isn't, and at no point does Alice ever seem to flounder for self-identity, and yet she spends most of the novel justifying not only why she doesn't really care what her husband does but why she doesn't feel a need to stop him, sway him, press back against him, or leave him.

I'm being glib: she cares what he does, obviously, and yet -- especially during the sections when her husband is in political office -- she lives with little desire to be a separate entity from her husband. When she thinks about how much she doesn't want her husband to run for office, she simply says she doesn't believe she can tell him what to do; when she's misquoted in the media, she doesn't bother to correct people; when she shares a politically inexpedient opinion, she's happy to let the White House scramble to correct assumptions about what that means; when she commits a betrayal that will likely break her husband's heart, she does it in a way that affects and impacts absolutely nothing. It was such a staggering handing over of will, agency, and self-direction, I was breathless with wonder for most of the book.

This was where I felt the most resentment and dislike for Alice and where I thought for sure she and I had nothing in common when it came to our marriages and experiences as wives.

BUT. I had an 'ah-ha'.

When I met my wife, close to a decade ago (!wow!), she was in divinity school studying to be a Christian minister. I was working for a non-Christian religious organization doing justice advocacy and was up to my nose in ministers. The last thing I wanted was to date a minister, but she was smart and funny and pretty and I was really, really intrigued. Despite my determination to avoid ministers, I ended up falling in love with one, and for a good four years, found myself looking at a future as a pastor's wife. All the things I had no patience or interest in -- churches, Sunday services, Jesus, potluck, Christian holidays, funerals, pastoral counseling -- were suddenly part and parcel of my life, and even though it was never a life I would have chosen for myself, I wasn't going to give up my then-girlfriend over it. I maintained my non-Christian beliefs and attended church on Sundays and made nice to the well-meaning congregants because it made my wife happy, because I wanted to be a part of something that was important to her, and because this was my wife's vocation and who was I to tell her what to do?

Yeah, I'll admit to being shocked I used half the arguments Alice did.

So even though my wife and I share the same political beliefs, I suddenly understood Sittenfeld's angle and focus on this famous couple. While I wanted to loathe Alice for loving a man whose political beliefs are so antithetical to mine I literally get foamy at the mouth thinking about it, she has the same values and desires I do: to have the opportunity to spend her life with someone she loves and admires even she when doesn't agree with them.

While reading this book, I kept thinking back to Melanie Benjamin's The Aviator's Wife, a novel about Anne Morrow Lindbergh. (The Aviator's Wife is our August pick!) Anne was married to another intensely political public figure with whom she didn't always agree with; while reading The Aviator's Wife I felt more sympathy toward Anne than I did toward Alice, but upon finishing both books, I think I respect Alice more. Anne was a wife and soldiered on as a partner to her husband, but almost unfailing as his shadow and cheerleader; Alice, despite my pretending otherwise, used the privilege and eventually the power granted to her by her husband, and her being a wife -- a president's wife -- allowed her to amplify her ability to affect change in a way Anne never did.

In Conclusion
Sittenfeld writes this one in first person, with Alice at some points literally appealing to the reader to understand her decisions. At the time, I resisted, mostly because I'm a giant Judgy McJudgerton but having some space, I think I can appreciate her arguments, her appeal to understand her American marriage, and the mythology behind a 'solid' marriage.

Be sure to see what Angela, Ariel, and Emily have to say!

Next Month
If you've got the time or interest, June 1 we'll be discussing Paula McLain's The Paris Wife -- I hope you'll pop by and share your thoughts!

Seduction by M.J. Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Title: Seduction
Author: M.J. Rose

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 19th Century / UK / Historical Figure Fictionalized / Dual Narrative / Contemporary / Reincarnation)
Publisher/Publication Date: Atria (5/7/2013)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Rating: Okay.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: The shadowy island of Jersey is home to a family plagued by spirits, the memories of past lives, and the legacy of Victor Hugo's conversations with beings from another realm.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: Adore it! Love the colors, the model, the fonts...

I'm reminded of...: Alma Katsu

First line: Every story begins with a tremble of anticipation.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow if you like a good summer beach read that has history, mood, intrigue, and a hint of the paranormal.

Why did I get this book?: I was very curious about the Victor Hugo plotline.

Review: Rose's novels are great summertime thrillers, mixing history and intrigue with a hint of something possibly paranormal-ish (reincarnation). In this one, she slightly changes up her formula to focus on a famed historical figure -- French novelist Victor Hugo -- and brings back a character from her previous book, Jac L’Etoile, mythologist.

Alternating between Victor's story and Jac's, Rose's novel focuses on the dangerous and, well, seductive appeal of the otherworldly realm. In 1855, Victor Hugo is living with his family on the Channel Islands in the UK, despondent over the accidental death of his daughter Leopoldine. A friend convinces the Hugos to attempt a seance -- all the rage in Europe -- and an addiction is born. Consumed with the conversations he believes he's having with spirits from another realm, Hugo transcribes the secrets and stories he learns.

In contemporary Jersey, mythologist Jac L’Etoile is researching Celtic legends with her pseudo-therapist acquaintance Malachai. (Malachai and his Phoenix Foundation are the recurrent characters in Rose's Reincarnationist series; one need not read the previous books to dive into the newer ones, although I recommend The Book of Lost Fragrances first as it introduces Jac's story.) Jac gets to know the Gaspard family, all of whom have been touched in some way by the melancholy moodiness of Jersey and the specter of seances, spirit-calling, and terrible family secrets; in particular, she has a complicated history with the widower Theo.

What I've always enjoyed about Rose's novels is that they are very readable. The myths she focuses on, the theme of reincarnation, and the rather complicated plot lines all fall out nicely and neatly in her hands. I can keep the characters straight even though there's always a handful, and I am never overwhelmed by infodumps or backstory. One need not buy into any of her premises -- or even believe in reincarnation -- to enjoy her stories, and as always, her books make me wish there was such a place as the Phoenix Institute where I could plumb the possibility of my past lives.

A quick, engrossing summer-y read, with enough meat to keep you focused and enough drama to make you feel like you're on vacation!

Fear in the Sunlight by Nicola Upson

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:37:00 +0000

Title: Fear in the Sunlight
Author: Nicola Upson

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 1930s / 1950s / Historical Figure Fictionalized / Murder Mystery / Hitchcock / Josephine Tey / Wales / Hollywood / Movies / LGBTQ)
Publisher/Publication Date: Bourbon Street Books (4/19/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: Novelist Josephine Tey celebrates her 40th birthday at a resort in Wales with friends, Alfred Hitchcock, and murders.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction, What's in a Name

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it perfectly captures the locale, characters, and ambiance of the novel.

First line: 'Do you mind if we stop for a moment?'

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy -- and get the previous books as well!

Why did I get this book?: I'd read Upson's previous Tey mystery in 2011 and liked it.

Review: I love a good mystery series for the mix of new and familiar: the return to characters I know and enjoy, settings and eras that are appealing and made different with new crimes, perhaps new tidbits about my beloved detectives and crime stoppers. Nicola Upson's series featuring 1930s mystery novelist Josephine Tey is a new favorite -- in 2011, I reviewed Two For Sorrow, and was taken with Tey, Upson's lovely writing style, and the dark moodiness of the locale and crime.

(A note about the heroine: Josephine Tey is a real-life author of mystery novels from the 1930s. Tey is the pseudonym for Elizabeth Mackintosh, a very mysterious and shadowy writer. I don't know if Upson's articulation of Tey is meant to be a reflection of Mackintosh or if she's styling her Tey as a person independent of Mackintosh, so if you're me, try not to assume Tey's sapphic inclinations are historical fact.)

The setting of this book is almost the polar opposite of Two For Sorrow -- a sunshine-y resort in Wales, Hitchock and movies, the golden glitz of birthdays and celebrities -- and yet, underneath is the same dark sadness, moodiness, and bittersweet mix of loss and longing I found so appealing.

That sense of bittersweet loss was evident from the first page, in 1954, when we learn our heroine, Josephine Tey, is dead. (I was so stunned I reread this page about a dozen times before deciding to trust Upson and see what was going on.) Tey's friend, Detective Archie Penrose, has been asked to consult on a series of murders in Hollywood that might be connected to a series of murders from 1936. The connection: both happened on Alfred Hitchcock's film sets and were possibly committed by the same person -- despite the fact the 1936s murders were considered solved.

Upson takes us back to that summer. Tey, celebrating her 40th birthday, is considering selling her newest mystery to Hitchcock, and is vacationing at Portmeirion, a planned resort on the coast of Wales. Archie has joined her as well as a coterie of friends and acquaintances, including a woman for whom she has complicated emotional feelings. Hitchcock and his wife Alma are staying there as well, with a gaggle of actors and film crew, observed by the locals who work and live around the resort. Quickly, things turn tense: Hitchcock is a cruel practical joker and a prank of his goes to far; a murder victim turns up and quickly the mood on the resort turns from nervous and excited to anxious and angry. Tey struggles with her romantic feelings for a woman -- and all that implies -- while Archie finds his own romance.

The feel of this story is a bit of 1950s Hollywood noir meets Agatha Christie's closed room English murder mysteries. (Perhaps even reminiscent of Tey's novels but I've never read them.) While I can't wholly endorse this one as a standalone I do think those who are interested in Hitchcock will enjoy this one and could read it outside of the series. Upson has done personal interviews with those who knew Hitchcock and this novel is full of gossip-y tidbits about what the man was like, his gifted wife Alma Reville, and what on-set life was like with the famed director. The insight into the British film industry in the 1930s was also fascinating. Upson shifts from character to character which is both fun -- you see the whole story unfold -- but also slightly maddening, as I wanted very much to just settle down with Tey and know exactly what she's thinking and feeling!

I finished this one quickly -- it reads fast -- and I will admit to being panicked that this was the last Tey novel Upson had planned. Thankfully, her website says one will be coming out at the end of this summer. (Whew!) I know there are many novels set during this era, but what I enjoy about Upson's series is her heroine -- this smart, chic, pragmatic author -- and the setting -- the eve of World War II, in a way, Britain in the years leading up to the war. There's a mix of glamor and grit I find appealing and as I mentioned before, a lingering sort of melancholy I can't resist.

(Also, this book introduced me to HarperCollins' new mystery imprint, Bourbon Street Books. They'll be re-iussing the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy L. Sayers!)

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Fear in the Sunlight to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/17.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: The Golem and the Jinni
Author: Helene Wecker

Genre: Fiction (Historical / Magical Realism / Historical Fantasy / 19th Century / New York City / Immigrants / Supernatural Creatures / Judaism /
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper (4/23/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked to loved.
Did I finish?: I did!
One-sentence summary: Two mythological creatures arrive in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century, immigrants plunged into communities alien, and facing threats greater than they know.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction, Immigrant Stories

Do I like the cover?: I do -- I think it captures the flavor of the book and the characters in a deliciously moody (and pretty!) way.

I'm reminded of...: Stephanie Dray, Neil Gaiman

First line: The Golem's life began in the hold of a steamship.

Did... I love browsing the author's website?: YES. She has sections on New York in 1899, Little Syria, the Lower East Side, as well as a helpful character list.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you like magical realism meets historical fiction, New York City in novels, or deeply engrossing chunksters.

Why did I get this book?: Historical fiction meets supernatural mythology? Y.U.M.

Review: I was captivated by this book from the first line and my time with this book was nearly obsessive. Every free second I needed to read; and now that I'm done, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to do this book justice. (The very short review: I loved this imaginative, thoughtful book.)

Set in New York City, 1899, the novel follows two very unusual immigrants: a female golem, created to be a bride/sex slave to a man who dies on their journey to the US and a jinni (genie), released from a flask accidentally by a timsmith.

The golem is found by a rabbi who guesses her true identity, and they live in uncomfortable closeness. The golem, built to serve but living without a master, finds herself tugged at by every wish, desire, and yearning around her. The rabbi, unable to bring himself to destroy her, instead tries to introduce her into the wider Jewish world in the Lower East Side. Unable to sleep and unable to rest, the golem finds employment in a bakery but still attracts attention, despite her best attempts to obey the rabbi's suggestions.

The jinni, on the other hand, a powerful creature chained into human form by iron, chafes and bucks at his mortal shell. Almost a thousand years have passed since he was last free, and while he has a myriad of memories, he has no memory of his entrapment and what might have happened while trapped. Hidden in 'Little Syria' -- a neighborhood of Christian and Muslim Syrians in lower Manhattan -- the jinni is styled as the tinsmith's new assistant and immediately attracts nosy interest from his neighbors. In an impetuous move, motivated by curiosity and a smidgen of lust, the jinni meets a society woman who immediately captures his interest and attention with tragic results.

All this happens in the first hundred pages, and the remaining three hundred plus pages unfolds these two threads. But within these stories are a myriad other stories, like a fairy tale or Scheherazade's, overlapping and meeting, occasionally tangling: the hermit who made the golem, the wizard who entrapped the jinni, the society woman, an itinerant ice cream seller with a complicated and strange affliction.

The jacket blurb says this is in the vein of A Discovery of Witches, which originally put me off since I didn't like ADOW, but I found this a richer, more nuanced novel.

Depending on the kind of reader you are, this can be simply a fantastical mix of myth and history or a literary exploration of faith, self directed identity, free will, the stuff that makes us human. Through the golem and jinni, we see firsthand the tumultuous, explosive, earthy world of early 20th century New York City; as they struggle with the whys of their existence, we puzzle through the bigger philosophical questions about life and choice. But at no point is this book pedantic or political; Wecker's characters wrestle with the same issues so many of us do and have, in the end, to answer to themselves, those they love, and the values they chose to hold.

Those who liked Neil Gaiman's American Gods might enjoy this one; those who like unusual historical novels will certainly dig this book. While it is a supernatural story or a historical fantasy, the 'magic' is tempered and controlled, and I think anyone who allergic to paranormal stories should give this one a try. (You can read an excerpt here, if it that helps!) I will say this one will end up on my holiday gift list for many folks -- it's a book that made me feel joyous as a reader, relishing the pleasure of being lost in a story so real I had to remind myself where I was every time I lifted my nose from the page.

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of The Golem and the Jinni to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/17.

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Today just ran away from me! I meant to do this earlier, but got waylaid. It's a stunningly gorgeous day and I'm grateful for it!

The winner of Cascade is ... Amy F.!

The winner of Highlander Most Wanted is ... Melody May!

The winner of The Chalice is ... Katherine G.!

Congrats to the winners! I've emailed folks and everyone has until end of day Tuesday to get back to me. Be sure to check out my open giveaways. I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far!

The Bequest of Big Daddy by Jo-Ann Costa

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Title: The Bequest of Big Daddy
Author: Jo-Ann Costa

Genre: Fiction (Southern / Gothic / Family Saga / 19th Century / 20th Century / Civil War / Post-Civil War / Alabama / Anti-Hero / Skeletons in the Closet)
Publisher/Publication Date: Koehler Books (4/1/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Okay to liked. (Although, having finished my review, am nudging more closely to liked!)
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: A young woman delves into her family's complicated past when she seeks out the truth of her great-grandfather and her family's connection to her ancestral home.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: It's fine, although with that little girl, I thought there'd be some kind of abuse, but this novel had a different kind of violence to it.

First line: As I understand it, Big Daddy was born that way, unable to help himself when he acted ugly and equally unable to recognize right from wrong.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like good, tangled Southern gothic. This isn't V.C. Andrew's type family drama; more Truman Capote, perhaps, meets Elmore Leonard.

Why did I get this book?: I like Gothic-y Southern fiction.

Review: Spanning 1843 through 1981, this novel follows the Janson family, through Jo-Dee Janson Cipriano (a fictional take on the author, Jo-Ann Costa, I presume), a young woman fascinated by her great-grandfather, Big Daddy -- Horatio 'Ratio' Gage Janson. Rude, unruly, wild, downright 'randy' (according to her mother), Jo-Dee knows Big Daddy only as a wizened old man on the verge of death. His passing prompts her to seek out the truth of his story, propelled by a curiosity to know just how bad, how wild, and how randy he really was.

In proper gothic tradition, the circumstances of Big Daddy's birth are shrouded in secrecy and lies. His mother, the stunningly gorgeous and staggeringly selfish Mina Satterley is a Southern belle forced into exile from her family's plantation with the arrival of the Civil War. Her husband, sweet Clay Man Janson, besotted with her since a boy, has become a soldier and is presumed dead, unloved by Mina and unknown by Ratio. Mina has taken up with an Alabama senator for her keep, a man who loathes Ratio but offers employment to keep the boy out of trouble. Charmed, perhaps, with a good luck amulet from a childhood incident with the circus, Ratio manages well -- but still gets himself into trouble with the surety of a compass finding north.

Some of the characters -- Ratio primary -- are hard to like. They're cruel, mean, rude, ignorant, violent, selfish -- but they are fascinating. Like a car accident or a sordid argument, you can't look away -- and really, why look away?

Costa has a sharp sense of her characters and the appeal of a sordid, tangled drama, but I occasionally found the writing clunky. I preferred the historical sections as the more contemporary ones rang a tad awkward. I also have to confess that the use of dialect in dialogue was off-putting and distracting for me; I appreciate the desire to indicate a different style of speaking, but as all her white Southern characters speak grammatically correct English, it was noticeable that the slaves and freed people of color all spoke something more muddled and broken.

Still, there's a lovely kind of spoken rhythm to the story -- mimicking in some ways the storytelling that we see happen in the book, as happens at the Janson's reunion in 1981, relatives replaying and rehashing their shared familial memory -- and the reader is invited into that circle. If you like tawdry Southern family drama that steers toward Capote-meets-Leonard rather than V.C. Andrews, this is your book.

*** *** ***

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of The Bequest of Big Daddy to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/10.

Pain, Parties, Work by Elizabeth Winder

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953
Author: Elizabeth Winder

Genre: Non-Fiction (Biography / Poetry / 1950s / New York City / Sylvia Plath / Mademoiselle Magazine / Depression / Pop Culture / Sociology)
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper (4/16/2013)
Source: TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked a good deal.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: A poetic look at a month in Sylvia Plath's life, punctuated with trivia about 1953, American culture, women's lives, and New York City.
Reading Challenges: What's In a Name

Do I like the cover?: I love the cover very much -- adore those retro pics -- but my galley has no info about the image. I don't think it's Sylvia Plath on the cover, which is really too bad, as there are some wonderful pictures from this time that I would have preferred to see featured.

I'm reminded of...: Nancy Milford

First line: Sylvia Plath committed suicide with cooking gas.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like unique biographies or are a Plath fan.

Why did I get this book?: I'm fascinated by Plath.

Review: The experience of a book is shaped by the reader: what she feels, thinks, values, believes, has experienced, wants to experience. Some books come with more baggage than others.

Sylvia Plath is a figure for whom I have intense, tangled feelings; any book I read by her or of her is seen through the many layers of experience and emotion I've tied to Plath. More than ten years ago, I wrote a sort of reflection piece on a non-book blog about The Bell Jar, trying post-college to untangle my feelings about Plath and her tragic hagiography. In college, as a young depressed teenager, the pathos of Plath's life as I understood it seemed immensely appealing -- crucial, even -- to my developing identity as an adult (and at the time, a writer) but now that I'm older, now that I'm dealing with my depression, I want to get past the flat caricature and see the complete woman.

This book is hardly a complete presentation, but the focused sliver is fascinating. In this 288-page volume, poet Elizabeth Winder narrows her sights on Plath's one month internship at Mademoiselle magazine in 1953 and the impact it had on her. (These four weeks later inspired The Bell Jar, an autobiographical novel about a brilliant, passionate, self-possessed young woman chafing life in the 1950s.)

Winder's Plath is a sensualist, a fashionista, a gourmand, a sociologist. She's unlikable, predatory, sharp, cruel, insecure, competitive, playful, curious. Using Plath's diary and new interviews with the other 'guest editors' who spent that June with Plath, Winder shapes a Sylvia who is less alien and more familiar than I anticipated. (And far less melancholy!)

The rigors of working for Mademoiselle, the pressure of being a young woman from an Ivy League college in 1953, the transition from small town life to New York City all weighed on the women who made up the guest editors, Plath included. Each one, they shared in their interviews with Winder, thought they alone were unhappy, stressed, or feeling isolated. Oblivious, they rocketed from one event to another, cramming copy in between fashion shows and cocktail parties, Yankee baseball games and movies. In their opening editorial, they declared they wanted careers and marriage (and three children each); Plath, however, fought against that inevitability bitterly. She paid for her resistance, as well as her passion, with her first suicide attempt and subsequent electroconvulsive therapy treatments.

The book's unusual style reminded me of a magazine, with the sidebars, call outs, blocks of trivia, interviews mixed in with narrative. I didn't find it gimmicky; it read breezy and fast, layered, allowing Winder to tell her story without having to spell it all out. I raced through this one, even when the last 100 pages grew weighty with the foreshadowing of Plath's coming suicide attempt.

My only real critique is that there were some glaring inconsistencies that might just be a result of my reading a galley (rather than a finished copy). Info offered on one page is contradicted on another ('she wrote in blue cursive' (p61), 'She never wrote in cursive.' (p62)); or repeated verbatim, like the tidbit of a guest editor writing to Mademoiselle in the 1970s, condemning them for ignoring Plath's vulnerabilities (p89 and p181). There was also the occasional mistake (Sylvia gifted someone Alice and Wonderland which I presume was meant to be Alice in Wonderland.)

I can't say I was exactly sad to leave Sylvia -- she's not a woman I think I would have been friends with -- but I do miss Winder's warm portrayal of that heady, busy, sad, stifling summer and the women who worked with her. (And for the most part, based on the quotes Winder shares, seemed to have liked Plath, in a way.) This is a partial, biased biography that unabashedly rings with admiration and affection for Plath, and I appreciated that. For those new to Plath, I think this a good introduction to her; those who are familiar with Plath might find nothing shockingly new other than the tidbits revealed by Winder's interviews. Those who like gossip-y armchair escapes will love this book: New York City and some of her famous residents and notorious visitors appear, pushing for attention as much as Plath was.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer a copy of Pain, Parties, Work to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US/Canadian readers, ends 5/10.

Interview with Michelle Diener

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I just loved Michelle Diner's 19th century historical novel set in South Africa, Daughter of the Sky. It was gripping and escapist and granted me some time away from the stress of last week, and for that, I'm grateful. I'm doubly so as Michelle Diener agreed to answer a few of my questions, so read on to learn more about her and her writing, and be sure to enter the giveaway for her wonderful book!

What was the plot of your very first piece of fiction?

Oh, dear. Do I really have to? OK. If you go back in time to the 80s, when I was a child, my friends and I were addicted to a television cartoon from Japan. Manga-style, with girls with pink hair and boys with purple hair, who flew in space and were fighter pilots. Can't remember the series name, but I wrote extra episodes for my friends and myself, because we couldn't wait for the next week's episode to come around. But as an adult -- I had just completed my Masters' thesis in translation, which was on the translation of romance fiction, a surprisingly under-studied area given the massive amount of translation done on romance novels, particularly category romance novels. Having studied the structure of those novels as part of my thesis, I thought I'd give writing one a go. It was called Chequered Love. My heroine was a race engineer, just hired on to a Formula 1 team, and my hero was a Formula 1 racing driver. There was intrigue, disputes over car modifications, and ultimately, declarations of love. :) I submitted it, and received a very nice letter back saying while my writing was good, and I obviously had a flare for writing sensual love scenes, the plot would not appeal to their readership. But please to submit something else to them in the future. And that is probably more than you really wanted to know! :)

Do you have any writing rituals or routines?

I like quiet when I write. And I usually switch off my internet connection, so I'm not even tempted to look. But other than that, not really. I write all over the house. At my desk, on my bed, on the couch, and if it isn't too hot (I live in Western Australia), outside on the veranda.

Was Daughter of the Sky the original title of your book?

It was, although it took some time for me to think of it. I had planned the book for some time, done a lot of work in preparation, and still didn't have a title. It bothered me, but nothing I thought of worked, so it was called New Book or something like that until I was a couple of chapters in to actually writing it, and Elizabeth says she is a daughter of the sky, and it was like the heavens opened and the hallelujah chorus rang out, and I renamed the file Daughter of the Sky right then and there.

As you were writing Daughter of the Sky, was there a particular scene or character that surprised you?

The scene at the river, where Elizabeth goes to wash, and sees Lindani, and while they are talking, Jack arrives. That scene could have gone so many different ways, and I just let it come, without over-thinking it. I loved it because there were so many layers to it. Not one of them, Elizabeth, Jack or Lindani, knew the true motives of the others. Everyone is operating on incorrect assumptions and cultural misunderstanding.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

I love baking. I try to walk for about an hour every morning. I walk my kids to school, and then keep going. It clears my head, even if I don't think over my current work, although I often do. I also love reading. That probably goes without saying, but I read a lot.

Read any good books recently?

I've just finished the copy edits for a book that is coming out in October, Banquet of Lies, and while I'm in copy edit mode, I find it incredibly difficult to read uncritically. I've started and put aside three books in the last two days, but about a week ago, I read a book called Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was recommended to me when I was asking around for sci-fi recommendations, and it didn't disappoint.

Thanks for having me, Audra!

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My thanks to Ms. Diener for her time and thoughtful answers. Learn more about her and her books at her website and connect with her on Twitter.

GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer one ready a copy of Daughter of the Sky (paperback or eBook, winner's choice). To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US and international readers, ends 5/3.

Mailbox Monday, April 22

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:17:00 +0000

Hosted in April by Mari @ MariReads, here's my Mailbox Monday for the last few weeks. Such a lovely distraction getting all these fabulous books -- I don't know where to start! To learn more about a title, click and it will open in a new tab/window.

What did you get this week?

For Review

Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:18:00 +0000

It's feeling pretty celebratory here in Boston although I know everyone is heartbroken over the additional loss of life. Grateful it is all over and there is a suspect in custody.

I'm also excited to get back to books and blogging -- and share this week's giveaway winners!

The winner of The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones is ... Jennifer M.!

The winner of Like Chaff in the Wind is ... Ann (summergal05)!

Congrats to the winners! Folks have been emailed and have until the end of day Tuesday to get back to me. If you didn't win, be sure to check out my open giveaways.

I'd also be grateful if you checked out some of the reviews from this week if you haven't already -- I hadn't had the focus to be online and promote things (for which I feel terrible!).

Daughter of the Sky by Michelle Diener

noreply@blogger.com (Audra) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:22:00 +0000

Title: Daughter of the Sky
Author: Michelle Diener

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 19th Century / South Africa / Zulus / Anglo-Zulu War / Cross-Dressing / British Army / Cross-Cultural / Romance)
Publisher/Publication Date: Self published (2013)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Rating: Loved, especially as it was gripping enough to get my mind off the Boston Marathon bombings on Monday.
Did I finish?: I read this in one day -- about six hours.
One-sentence summary: Englishwoman Elizabeth Jones was raised by South African Zulus after surviving a shipwreck, and when British troops threaten the Zulu, she infiltrates the army by disguising herself as a soldier.
Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: On one hand, I do -- very pretty! -- but on the other hand, I don't think it sets the novel up well. Young, long-haired white girl with indigenous weapon is hardly our heroine, who -- while young -- crops her hair and uses a rifle.

First line: Lindani didn't run from anything, even a monster in the sea.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy -- the ebook is $3.99 and wonderfully fun for those who like historical romances in a non-traditional setting.

Why did I get this book?: I'm rather obsessed with fiction set in Africa.

Review: I was a bit apprehensive when I got this book: with a white heroine proudly emblazoned on the cover and a premise set during the 19th century Anglo-Zulu War in South Africa, I was afraid it would be White Man's Burden meets The Power of One. (And I say this as someone who loves The Power of One, but let's be real, it's problematic.) Instead, this is a lovely historical romance with a bold heroine living in two worlds, belonging to neither, and a fascinating armchair escape to an era and locale rarely seen in historical fiction.

Set in 1878 in the eastern coastal region of what is now South Africa, the story follows Elizabeth Jones, a white Englishwoman who was washed up on the coast at fourteen when her ship wrecked. Taken in by the local Zulu tribe, she is raised alongside them, her rescuer Lindani virtually a brother to her. Now twenty, Elizabeth and her Zulu family watch in horror as the British army masses against them, clearly bent on war. At the behest of the Zulu king, Elizabeth crops her hair short and dons stolen British uniforms to infiltrate the army and report back to the Zulu what the British plan.

Through a tiny bit of helpful coincidence (which I forgive, because otherwise, things would have progressed way too slowly), Elizabeth ends up masquerading as a batman (a personal servant) to Captain Jack Burdell. Jack is a seasoned soldier and a gentleman farmer, recently disillusioned with army life, a sentiment that grows when he reads his father's journals and finds his father felt the same way.

Fairly quickly, Jack sees through Elizabeth's disguise, but buys her cover story, and the two fight off their sexual interest. Elizabeth, who witnessed the British Army at their worst as a child, finds herself softening toward the soldiers around her, less convinced she wants to be party to anyone's annihilation, Zulu or British. As the story marches (literally) toward battle, Elizabeth has to learn who to trust and what world she wants to live in -- and of course, what the cost of that choice will be.

While the romance is straight-forward, I so loved Diener's acknowledgment of the hypocrisy of the mores and values held by Victorian British. In one scene, when Jack learns Elizabeth dressed in traditional Zulu fashion -- that is, topless -- all her life, he is aghast. For a moment, his sexual desire for her dissipates as he makes the erroneous leap that she was ravaged by the Zulu. Her semi-nudity, he's convinced, was sexually explicit -- whereas the reality, as Elizabeth points out, is that no Zulu stared at her breasts the way Jack stared at them. The repressed Victorians are the savage ones here.

Diener's premise, while seemingly far-fetched, is based on some historical tidbits, including the real-life survival story of a ship-wrecked child adopted by locals as well as the fact that after the battle of Isandlwana, survivors were questioned as to whether they had seen a woman on the battlefield. (As Diener writes, why would anyone ask that question?, and I agree!) Every chapter opens with a historical quote from the Zulu or British from this time, prescient and heartbreaking, and there's a glossary of Zulu phrases as well as an extensive bibliography.

I raced through this book in a day, following the Boston Marathon bombings and it was just the read I needed. Easily losing myself in the story, it had a romance I was rooting for and a larger historical arc that was tense and fascinating. (Being unfamiliar with the Battle of Isandlwana, I raced to the end to see how it resolved.) Fans of unique historical settings will enjoy this, as well as anyone who hankers for a historical romance that is spicy, a little complicated, and very bittersweet.

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GIVEAWAY!

I'm thrilled to offer one ready a copy of Daughter of the Sky (paperback or eBook, winner's choice). To enter, fill out this brief form. Open to US and international readers, ends 5/3. See my interview with Michelle Diener for another chance to enter!