In yet another edge-of-your-seat suspense novel, Fielding keeps the reader guessing until the very last pages. Marcy Taggart is the grieving mother of Devon, who disappeared in Georgian Bay two years before, and the daughter of a manic-depressive who took her own life when Marcy was fifteen. When her marriage to uptight orthodontist Peter (who appears as a character only in Marcy's mind and on the telephone) falls apart, Marcy decides to travel to Ireland, their second honeymoon destination, on her own. While enjoying a cup of tea in a busy pub in Cork with Vic Sorvino, a fellow traveler, Marcy glimpses a girl who looks like Devon on the street outside, and thus begins a series of heart-wrenching gut twisting adventures as Maggie follows lead after lead trying to find Devon, whom she now believes is alive.
There are a lot of questions in this novel: Is Maggie even sane, or is she losing her grip as her husband and sister believe? Who in her life can actually be trusted? Can she trust her own eyes or her feelings for Vic and Liam? Will she find Devon alive or is she deluding herself completely?
There were times during this novel where I doubted Maggie's grip on reality. Her overwhelming guilt over her mother's suicide and her perception of her own inadequate parenting drive her life and most of her actions. In fact, a great deal of the dialog in the book takes place in Maggie's head as she replays old conversations and conflicts, lending credence to the idea that this "psychological" thriller might include more than a touch of "psycho." Some of Maggie's conclusions and actions seem a little far-fetched to me, but as a mother perhaps on the brink of a breakdown she is amazingly rational and perceptive at times. This is a real page turner. I couldn't put it down once I started it. It was definitely more intriguing than the Oscars broadcast!
BIBLIOPHILY
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
THE OUTER BANKS HOUSE (Diann Ducharme)
Ducharme's first novel will appeal to fans of historical fiction and to young adults. Its powerful sense of place and unusual perspective on post-Civil War life and attitudes in the South make it difficult to put down.
During the summer of 1868, Abigail Sinclair is the 17-year-old daughter of a North Carolina plantation owner nearly ruined by the Civil War. Despite his financial difficulties, Abby's father builds a cottage on the beach at Nag's Head with the intention that his family will summer their, benefiting from the sea air. After hiring illiterate "banker" Benjamin Whimble as his fishing guide he enlists his older daughter, Abby, to teach Ben to read and to write. In return for the lessons and for helping Ben to procure a job at Cape Hatteras, which will enable Ben and his father to give up the hard life as fishermen, Mr. Sinclair asks Ben to find a freed slave, Elijah Africa, rumored to be a preacher on Roanoke Island, now a colony of former slaves. Elijah is accused of murdering his former owners and needs to be brought to justice, according to Mr. Sinclair. He can be identified by the letter "B" branded on his shoulder.
The story is told from the perspective of Abigail and Ben in alternating clusters of chapters. Abigial is mesmerized by the sea and the sand and, eventually, by Ben. She is sympathetic to the bankers (natives of the Outer Banks) and to the freed slaves who crave education. One of the most memorable and telling moments in the novel is when Abby and her former wet nurse, now family maid, Winnie, are being introduced to members of the Roanoke colony. Winnie corrects Abby's belief that "Winnie" is her given name and reveals that she is actually "Asha." Winnifred is the name given to her by Abby's mother when she was purchased as a slave to work in the plantation house and Abby is shocked to realize that she had never given a thought to where Winnie came from or what she was called. This was a true "coming of age" moment for Abby, a young woman of intelligence and compassion who finds her true self on the Outer Banks.
We have all read stories about the Civil War and its aftermath. Ducharme creates what feels like a fresh, first-hand perspective on the attitudes of former slave owners, their families, and freed slaves. I think that this is one of the shining attributes of "young adult" novels, meaning novels with main characters in their teens. Youth is more open to new ideas and new persepctives and I like what is presented here.
During the summer of 1868, Abigail Sinclair is the 17-year-old daughter of a North Carolina plantation owner nearly ruined by the Civil War. Despite his financial difficulties, Abby's father builds a cottage on the beach at Nag's Head with the intention that his family will summer their, benefiting from the sea air. After hiring illiterate "banker" Benjamin Whimble as his fishing guide he enlists his older daughter, Abby, to teach Ben to read and to write. In return for the lessons and for helping Ben to procure a job at Cape Hatteras, which will enable Ben and his father to give up the hard life as fishermen, Mr. Sinclair asks Ben to find a freed slave, Elijah Africa, rumored to be a preacher on Roanoke Island, now a colony of former slaves. Elijah is accused of murdering his former owners and needs to be brought to justice, according to Mr. Sinclair. He can be identified by the letter "B" branded on his shoulder.
The story is told from the perspective of Abigail and Ben in alternating clusters of chapters. Abigial is mesmerized by the sea and the sand and, eventually, by Ben. She is sympathetic to the bankers (natives of the Outer Banks) and to the freed slaves who crave education. One of the most memorable and telling moments in the novel is when Abby and her former wet nurse, now family maid, Winnie, are being introduced to members of the Roanoke colony. Winnie corrects Abby's belief that "Winnie" is her given name and reveals that she is actually "Asha." Winnifred is the name given to her by Abby's mother when she was purchased as a slave to work in the plantation house and Abby is shocked to realize that she had never given a thought to where Winnie came from or what she was called. This was a true "coming of age" moment for Abby, a young woman of intelligence and compassion who finds her true self on the Outer Banks.
We have all read stories about the Civil War and its aftermath. Ducharme creates what feels like a fresh, first-hand perspective on the attitudes of former slave owners, their families, and freed slaves. I think that this is one of the shining attributes of "young adult" novels, meaning novels with main characters in their teens. Youth is more open to new ideas and new persepctives and I like what is presented here.
Friday, February 18, 2011
AND FURTHERMORE (Judi Dench)
"The whole idea of a group of people coming together and working to one end somehow is very appealing to me. It is the thing I have always wanted to do, and I am lucky enough to be doing it."
Judi Dench's memoir accentuates the positive (to borrow from Johnny Mercer), focusing on her obvious love of family and acting rather than highlighting the tragedies and setbacks in her life. There is no whitewashing here, merely a recognition that with joy comes sorrow, and, with success, disappointment. Not that Dench's life has been marked by any out-of-the ordinary tragedies. In fact, she enjoyed a happy childhood and a successful 30-year marriage to fellow actor Michael Williams, she has a beautiful daughter and beloved grandson, and she has obviously achieved great success in her chosen field. This memoir is not a celebration of Judi Dench's awards and achievements; it is the story of how she evolved into the person and actress she is today as told in her own words to John Miller. Full of anectdotes about fellow actors and directors, Dench's story exudes humor, joy, and courage. There are no scandals, no nasty revelations, no invasions of anyone's privacy. This book is by Judi and about Judi, but without the ego you might expect from a beloved Oscar-winning actress. I would recommend this memoir to any fan of Judi Dench and to anyone who is interested in life in the theater. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Judi Dench's memoir accentuates the positive (to borrow from Johnny Mercer), focusing on her obvious love of family and acting rather than highlighting the tragedies and setbacks in her life. There is no whitewashing here, merely a recognition that with joy comes sorrow, and, with success, disappointment. Not that Dench's life has been marked by any out-of-the ordinary tragedies. In fact, she enjoyed a happy childhood and a successful 30-year marriage to fellow actor Michael Williams, she has a beautiful daughter and beloved grandson, and she has obviously achieved great success in her chosen field. This memoir is not a celebration of Judi Dench's awards and achievements; it is the story of how she evolved into the person and actress she is today as told in her own words to John Miller. Full of anectdotes about fellow actors and directors, Dench's story exudes humor, joy, and courage. There are no scandals, no nasty revelations, no invasions of anyone's privacy. This book is by Judi and about Judi, but without the ego you might expect from a beloved Oscar-winning actress. I would recommend this memoir to any fan of Judi Dench and to anyone who is interested in life in the theater. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
DEATH AT LA FENICE (Donna Leon)
Commissario Guido Brunetti is an Italian treasure with intelligence and insight worthy of Hercule Poirot and the sweetness of a happily married family man. I read that author Donna Fenice came up with the idea for this wonderful series while actually in a conductor's dressing room at La Fenice (pronouned "La Fayneechay") Opera House in Venice. She obviously knows Venice, having lived there for years, and there could be no other setting possible for Brunetti's adventures.
Famed conductor Helmut Wellauer is found dead from apparent cyanide poisoning in his dressing room between acts at La Fenice Opera House in Venice. Was he murdered by the soprano whom he was blackmailing over her same-sex love affair, threatening the loss of her children to her nasty Spanish ex-husband? Or was it his much youger wife of 2 years with whom he shared a supposedly idyllic relationship? Could the perpetrator have been someone from his past who objected to his reported Nazi sympathies or his blatant homophobia? Commisario Guido Brunetti, with the "help" of his inefficient assistants and his egotistical superior, investigates the crime in this first of a very successful series. Leon is a superb writer and Brunetti is one of the most appealing fictional detectives to hit the mystery scene. The twists and turns of this investigation are logical but unexpected. I can't wait to read more of the Brunetti series.
Famed conductor Helmut Wellauer is found dead from apparent cyanide poisoning in his dressing room between acts at La Fenice Opera House in Venice. Was he murdered by the soprano whom he was blackmailing over her same-sex love affair, threatening the loss of her children to her nasty Spanish ex-husband? Or was it his much youger wife of 2 years with whom he shared a supposedly idyllic relationship? Could the perpetrator have been someone from his past who objected to his reported Nazi sympathies or his blatant homophobia? Commisario Guido Brunetti, with the "help" of his inefficient assistants and his egotistical superior, investigates the crime in this first of a very successful series. Leon is a superb writer and Brunetti is one of the most appealing fictional detectives to hit the mystery scene. The twists and turns of this investigation are logical but unexpected. I can't wait to read more of the Brunetti series.
SEPARATE BEDS (Elizabeth Buchan)
To me, the title Separate Beds screams ROMANCE or CHICK-LIT, but this novel is neither. It is the sometimes heartbreaking story of a married couple, Tom and Annie Nicholson, who have made mistakes as spouses and parents, grown apart, and are now driven to the breaking point when Tom loses his job with the BBC. Five years earlier eldest daughter Mia, twin to son Jake, left the family in anger and disgust, vowing never to see them again. She left in her wake sadness, stress, and a perpetual sense of longing. Tom's unexpected job loss brings the family to the brink of financial disaster and exacerbates the feeling of failure and uncertainty that permeate the family. Without the supplementary financing provided by Tom's salary, his mother is forced to leave her retirement home and move in with the family.When Jake's marriage to the elegant and selfish Jocasta breaks up, he also moves back home along with his year-old daughter, Maisie, and finally accepts that his fine woodworking business is not lucrative enough to support himself and Maisie. Youger sibling Emily, an aspiring writer, has been enjoying the financial support of her parents and is now forced to get a "real" job. At the heart of this novel is Annie, the wife and mother whose best efforts have always seems to have fallen short in the eyes of her family. Forced to again share a room and a bed with Tom, Annie is confronted with memories of happier times and an unexpected sense of desire for her husband and the life that they seem to have lost in the great effort of living.
Elizabeth Buchan is always delightful, a sort of combination of Joanna Trollope and Marcia Willett. If you haven't read any of her novels, I'd recommend that you do.
Elizabeth Buchan is always delightful, a sort of combination of Joanna Trollope and Marcia Willett. If you haven't read any of her novels, I'd recommend that you do.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
LOVE LETTERS (Katie Fforde)
I am laughing as I write this because as I was reading Fforde's latest I was thinking, "Rupert and Fenella! I love British novels with characters named Rupert and Fenella!" Then I had a sense of déja vu and remembered that I had made the same observation while writing about Fforde's previous novel, Wedding Season. At least I am consistent! In fact, Love Letters features a few of the same characters, Rupert, Fenella, and Hugo.
What is most appealing about Fforde is that, instead of the typical "single career girl looking for love and success" chick-lit fare, she offers her readers an entertaining cultural experience and a charming glimpse into British life and attitudes. Yes, there is always a single woman as the main character and yes, she does usually have career issues, but Fforde rarely ventures into the world of Jimmy Choos and shopping sprees. Instead, her female characters are usually innovative entrepreneurs who happen to stumble upon true love during the process of building a business or a career while immersed in pure Britishness.
Laura Horsely is a shy 27-year-old bibliophile who is about to lose her job in a small bookshop because Henry, the owner and a good friend, is retiring. When she is offered the opportunity to organize a literary festival at a stately country manor (owned by Rupert and Fenella!) she reluctantly agrees, concerned about her ability to attract prominent authors like Dermot Flynn, her literary idol, to the event. She and her friend Monica travel to Ireland in an attempt to convince the reclusive and incredibly attractive Flynn, who has not written a new novel in years, to participate in the festival. You can certainly guess what happens next, but you need to read the novel to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Ireland, the literary festival, British academics, life in a financially struggling English manor household, and true, strong friendships formed out of common interests and real affection. You will finish this novel with a smile on your face.
What is most appealing about Fforde is that, instead of the typical "single career girl looking for love and success" chick-lit fare, she offers her readers an entertaining cultural experience and a charming glimpse into British life and attitudes. Yes, there is always a single woman as the main character and yes, she does usually have career issues, but Fforde rarely ventures into the world of Jimmy Choos and shopping sprees. Instead, her female characters are usually innovative entrepreneurs who happen to stumble upon true love during the process of building a business or a career while immersed in pure Britishness.
Laura Horsely is a shy 27-year-old bibliophile who is about to lose her job in a small bookshop because Henry, the owner and a good friend, is retiring. When she is offered the opportunity to organize a literary festival at a stately country manor (owned by Rupert and Fenella!) she reluctantly agrees, concerned about her ability to attract prominent authors like Dermot Flynn, her literary idol, to the event. She and her friend Monica travel to Ireland in an attempt to convince the reclusive and incredibly attractive Flynn, who has not written a new novel in years, to participate in the festival. You can certainly guess what happens next, but you need to read the novel to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Ireland, the literary festival, British academics, life in a financially struggling English manor household, and true, strong friendships formed out of common interests and real affection. You will finish this novel with a smile on your face.
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