2007 TBR Challenge Wrap Up

Take a walk with me. When you enter my house, a long hallway stretches out before you, leading into the living room. If you make a left at the turn in the wall, head straight through to the back hallway and make another left, you will come upon two doors. The door to the right is the door you are looking for. Let me get the door for you. You will be met with a sight that will make your heart skip a beat or two. Remember to breathe. And no, it has nothing to do with the monkey swinging from his stick on the ceiling. If you are not a booklover, I expect you might run screaming from the room and out of the house onto the street and into oncoming traffic. If you are a booklover, however, you are most likely to let out a sigh of pure contentment and make your way further into the room for a closer look. You have entered my TBR room. Books line the shelves, quite a few stacked on top of those, and overflow from boxes and bags laying on the floor. Occasionally you will find me sitting in the middle of the room, breathing in the bookish smells and admiring my collection. Although, there are times I prefer to go in and get out as quickly as possible for fear of being grabbed by one of the more aggressive books. This is not one of those times.

When I first heard mention of the MizB's 2007 TBR Challenge, I knew I would join in. My very first challenge! And how perfect! A way to clear some shelf space or at least maybe empty a box. Unfortunately it was not quite that simple. As the year progressed, I discovered that even though I was clearing out some of the older books that had been languishing on my shelves, books that had been ever so patient for their turn, newer books were rapidly taking their place. I was recently asked how many books go in for every one that comes out. I dare not say. I really do not want to know. Neither does my husband, thank you very much.

Still, the 2007 TBR Challenge was a fantastic idea and a much appreciated one. Books I had been longing to read but that had gotten lost in the shuffle were suddenly getting my full attention. I even cleared a spot on my desk here at the computer for the year's challenge books. As the year passed I watched the books shrink as books were read, swell as books were added as a result of new challenges, and shrink again. My cat is relieved to finally have his high space back, let me tell you. He wasn't pleased at all when I first starting adding books to the shelf last January.

Besides clearing out some of the older books on my shelves, this was the challenge that can be credited with setting free the challenge monster that has been hibernating inside of me. I went from one to three to fifteen challenges by the end of this year. It's wild. It has been a fun experience, albeit stressful on occasion, but overall worthwhile and one I do not at all regret.

The goal of the challenge was to read one book that had been sitting on the TBR shelf for at least six months at the beginning of the challenge per month. I was able to read all twelve of my choices, along with one alternate.

TBR Challenge Books:
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (04/2005)
Emma by Jane Austen (07/2005)
April Witch by Majgull Axelsson (10/2004)
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert (01/2006)
Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg (12/2005)
The Ghost Writer by John Harwood (06/2005)
In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes(04/2006)
Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos (10/2005)
Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi (01/2006)
Atonement by Ian McEwan (01/2005)
Sula by Toni Morrison (12/2004)
The Mysteries by Lisa Tuttle (06/2005)

Alternates:
Pope Joan by Donna W Cross
The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley [read]
The Golems of Gotham by Thane Rosenbaum
Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate

This was an amazing year of reading. Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos and Moloka'i by Alan Brennert were among my favorites. Ian McEwan's Atonement and John Harwood's Ghost Writer following close behind. I have no regrets in my selections for the challenge, finding each one a worthwhile book to read. Myla Goldberg's Wickett's Remedy probably charmed me the least of them all, but even that was enjoyable in its own right.

For now, My three remaining alternates will return to their place in my TBR room, but there moment will come. It is just a matter of time.

Thank you, MizB for introducing me to reading challenges and hosting the TBR Challenge. I look forward to another year of great reading.

The Mysteries by Lisa Tuttle

The Mysteries by Lisa Tuttle
Bantam, 2005
Fantasy, 321 pgs

Completed: 12/26/2007
Rating: (Good +)

First Sentence: The strangest memory of my childhood concerns my father’s disappearance.

Reason for Reading: This is my final selection for the TBR Challenge and the 2nds Challenge.

From the Publisher: Ever since his father disappeared when he was nine years old, Ian Kennedy has had a penchant for stories about missing people–and a knack for finding them. Now he’s a private investigator with an impressive track record. But when a woman enters his London office and asks him to find her lost daughter, Ian faces a case he fears he cannot solve–and one he knows he must.

Laura Lensky’s stunning twenty-one-year-old daughter, Peri, has been missing for over two years–a lifetime, under the circumstances. But when Ian learns the details of her disappearance, he discovers eerie parallels to an obscure Celtic myth–and to the haunting case that launched his career, an early success he’s never fully been able to explain. Though Ian suspects Peri may have chosen to vanish, his curiosity leads him to take on the search. Soon he finds himself drawing not only from the mysteries that have preoccupied his adulthood, but from the fables and folklore that pervaded his youth. What follows is a journey that takes Ian and those who care for Peri into the Highlands of Scotland, as the unknowns of the past and present merge in the case–and in their lives.

Comments: I first came across this book in a publisher’s newsletter two years ago and was intrigued by the premise and so scooped up a copy of the book quickly. But as often happens with my books, it sat on the shelf awhile, until the right moment came to give it a whirl. I actually ended up reading another of the author’s books first, Silver Bough, earlier this year.

As with Silver Bough, Lisa Tuttle eases the reader into the more fantastical elements of The Mysteries slowly. She weaves Celtic myth into her tale seamlessly, creating an intriguing and eerie story. The Mysteries is a fantasy novel and a mystery all rolled into one. Bit by bit, the author brings the pieces of the puzzle together, never failing to leave the reader in wonder and sometimes even in awe.

The characterizations seemed somehow murky at times with even the protagonist not being quite fully fleshed out. And yet, it seemed sort of fitting given the story. The fairies and their kin always seemed to lurk just beyond the mist or in the dark, and the author, even in when writing about the “real” world, was able to capture that sort of atmosphere, as if the two were not all that different, and yet still worlds apart.

I know so little about Celtic folklore, and yet Lisa Tuttle’s novels never fail to entice me and make me wish I knew more. The Mysteries did not captivate me quite as much as Silver Bough did; however, I definitely plan to read more by this author.

Favorite Parts: I especially enjoyed going back in time with Ian as he remembered his first visit to Scotland and his search for Amy. I took a liking to the character of Fred, and wanted to know more about her.

My second favorite part of the novel was when Laura and Ian are on their own, searching for Peri. Laura’s bag begins to move and what emerges was unexpected and yet so fitting. Everything that happened in the novel had a reason, even if the reason was not always clear.

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley
Grosset & Dunlap, 1919
Mystery; 289 pgs

Completed: 12/22/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: If you are ever in Brooklyn, that borough of superb sunsets and magnificent vistas of husband-propelled baby-carriages, it is to be hoped you may chance upon a quiet by-street where there is a very remarkable bookshop.

Reason for Reading: This book came recommended by a friend several years ago. I have an ancient copy of the book, cover tattered and falling apart, which I found on E-Bay after having no luck finding a new copy online or in the stores.

This is my 1910’s selection for the Reading Through the Decades Challenge and my 5th Selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: If ever there was a book meant for booklovers, especially one who enjoys a mystery, a touch of romance and eccentric characters, this is it. Christopher Morley’s The Haunted Bookshop was a pleasure to read.

The Haunted Bookshop is actually the sequel to another of Christopher Morley’s novels, one called Parnassus on Wheels. I have yet to lay my hands on a copy of that particular book, sad to say. Having not read the previous book, I had no trouble following along or getting to know the characters. This is very much a stand-alone novel, however.

Roger Mifflin is an eccentric bookseller who owns and runs Parnassus At Home, otherwise known as the Haunted Bookshop. One day while Roger is running the shop alone, his wife off on an adventure in Boston, an advertising salesman wanders into the store and makes a pitch hoping to land a new account. Aubrey Gilbert is young and eager, but Roger is adamant that he does just fine with the word of mouth advertising his loyal customers provide him. Just the same, the two strike up a friendship.

The bookseller and his wife Helen had previously agreed to take in a nineteen-year-old girl at the request of her wealthy father. Mr. Chapman fears his daughter has taken in too many frivolous ideas, and he believes she is in need of a serious reality check. He thinks that working and living at the second hand bookshop is just what the young woman needs. Titania is a delightful and lovely young woman who turns many heads and yet is friendly and eager to begin this new enterprise.

Just before Titania’s arrival, a man comes to the shop looking for a particular book that Roger is sure he once had on his shelf. The book, however, is missing. When the book reappears later on, Roger couldn’t be more puzzled. Thus begins a mystery full of danger and intrigue. Aubrey is determined to uncover whatever nefarious plot there may be, fearing that the beautiful Titania may be at the greatest risk.

I was most taken in by Roger Mifflin and his obvious love for books as well as his job. While he is a bit of a book snob, it was hard to hold that against a man who understands the hold a book can have on a reader. Although not a prominent character, Helen is definitely a presence in the book. She is down to earth and sensible while Titania is sprightly in her youth. It is really Aubrey who carries the forward motion of the story, however, ever tenacious in his pursuits.

Christopher Morley has written a charming novel that is full of humor, while at the same time it is quite exciting. Set at the end of World War I, talk of peace and the politics of the war place this book more firmly in history as do the events that unfold with each turned page. I definitely plan to continue in my search for a copy of the prequel to this novel and perhaps venture onto some of the authors other writings. It was a pleasure to spend time with him and his characters.

Favorite Parts: I loved how Roger put together Bock’s kennel—a booklover’s haven for a dog.

The term librocubicularist, which refers to a person who is fond of reading in bed (a word completely made up by the author).

Cringe worthy quote: “He knew his disadvantages in literary conversation, for he had gone to an excellent college where glee clubs and theatricals had left him little time for reading. But still he was a lover of good books, though he knew them chiefly by hearsay.” [pg 16]

In response to the assumption that working in a bookstore is tranquil: “’Living in a bookshop is like living in a warehouse of explosives. Those shelves are ranked with the most furious combustibles in the world—the brains of men.’” [pg 19]

“’I tell you, books are the depositories of the human spirit, which is the only thing in the world that endures.’” [pg 50]

“’Did you ever notice how books track you down and hunt you out? They follow you like the hound in Francis Thompson’s poem. They know their quarry!’” [pg 132]
and
“’ It’s one of the uncanniest things I know to watch a real book on its career. It follows you and follows you and drives you into a corner and makes you read it.’” [pg 132]

Miscellaneous: We went to see The Kite Runner today, which was playing a little closer to home than expected. There are several other movies I am anxious still to see before the year is out. Atonement, Sweeney Todd, Juno, and Charlie Wilson's War are all on our list. I do not know if we will get to them all, but we will put in a good effort.

In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes

In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
Femmes Fatales, 1947
Suspense/Thriller; 250 pgs

Completed: 12/21/2007
Rating: (Good +)

First Sentence: It was good standing there on the promontory overlooking the evening sea, the fog lifting itself like gauzy veils to touch his face.

Reason for Reading: I am sure this book was recommended by one of the author’s I heard speak at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in 2006, however, I forgot to write it down. I do know that I walked away from the festival that April with a copy of the book, both my husband and I interested in reading it.

This is my 11th selection for the TBR Challenge, my 1940’selection for the Reading Through the Decades Challenge and my 4th selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: In A Lonely Place is purported as author Dorothy B. Hughes best novel, a hardboiled noir set in postwar Los Angeles. Dix Steele is cocky and sure of himself as the novel begins. Although written in third person, the author never strays from the main character’s point of view as the world and the events in the novel filter solely through his viewpoint. He makes for an interesting protagonist, although never a likeable one. It is obvious from the first page he does not think much of women. Instead, sharp-eyed psychologist Sylvia Nicolai and the fiery Laurel Gray, who knows exactly what she wants and goes after it without hesitation, are the two characters who stand out and demand respect from readers. Dix falls hard for the beautiful Laurel Gray, a woman unlike any other he has come across before. She may just be his match and what follows is not at all what Dix could have anticipated.

Sylvia’s husband is none other than Detective Nicolai, Dix’s best friend. His latest case is tracking down a killer known as the Strangler who has left a string of female victims in his wake. Dix takes particular interest in the investigation.

For those who do not care for reading violent scenes, the novel is not at all graphic and instead is more psychological in its approach. Dorothy B. Hughes capably builds suspense and wonder throughout her novel. I cannot say that this particular novel stands out above some of the other serial killer novels of its kind I have read. Although cold and calculated, the killer was never really frightening as a character. Perhaps that in part was because the author did paint the killer as a somewhat sympathetic person. The murderer was smart, no doubt, but overconfidence and rationalization never failed to make the killer seem less so.

In A Lonely Place was an entertaining novel and also made for interesting reading as a period piece. Dorothy B. Hughes’ novel stepped outside of the lines during its day, offering up strong willed and intelligent women and challenging the societal notion that women shared the blame in their victimization. Dorothy B. Hughes certainly earned the high praise her book has received.

Favorite Part: Sylvia’s character most intrigued me, and I almost wish the author could have shone a light on her a little more. However, the novel would not have been quite so effective otherwise.

Miscellaneous: In A Lonely Place may be better known for the 1950 movie version starring Humphrey Bogart as Dix Steele. As often happens, movies are not exact reflections of the books they are based on, and, in this case, the movie definitely takes the story in a different direction than the novel takes the reader.

Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi

Song of the Cuckoo Bird by Amulya Malladi
Ballantine Books, 2006
Fiction; 372 pgs

Completed: 12/16/2007
Rating: (Good +)

First Sentence: They took strips of coconut leaves and made dolls with them.

Reason for Reading: Amulya Malladi is one of my favorite authors and so there was no question that I would eventually read Song of the Cuckoo Bird. This is my 10th selection for the TBR Challenge.

From the Publisher: A sweeping epic set in southern India, where a group of outcasts create a family while holding tight to their dreams.

Barely a month after she is promised in marriage, eleven-year-old orphan Kokila comes to Tella Meda, an ashram by the Bay of Bengal. Once there, she makes a courageous yet foolish choice that alters the fabric of her life: Instead of becoming a wife and mother, youthful passion drives Kokila to remain at the ashram.

Through the years, Kokila revisits her decision as she struggles to make her mark in a country where untethered souls like hers merely slip through the cracks. But standing by her conviction, she makes a home in Tella Meda alongside other strong yet deeply flawed women. Sometimes they are her friends, sometimes they are her enemies, but always they are her family.

Like Isabel Allende, Amulya Malladi crafts complex characters in deeply atmospheric settings that transport readers through different eras, locales, and sensibilities. Careening from the 1940s to the present day, Song of the Cuckoo Bird chronicles India’s tumultuous history as generations of a makeshift family seek comfort and joy in unlikely places–and from unlikely hearts.

Comments: Song of the Cuckoo Bird is not just Kokila's story. It is the story of many of the residents and visitors of Tella Meda.

There is Ramanandam Sastri whose proclamation that his daughter Charvi is touched by the gods would dictate the rest of her life. People would flock to her for counsel and healing, her status as guru and goddess well known throughout the community. There is the loyal and faithful Subhadra, a surrogate mother to Kokila and her best friend, the outcast Chetana, the daughter of a prostitute. Then there is also the bitter, traditional widow who resents her life and strikes out at those who are different. Kokila herself is a bright woman, responsible and thoughtful. Her own life is not an easy one. The sacrifice of her marriage early one sets her up for a lonely life. And yet, she rarely complains, accepting her fate while at the same time seeking to make the best of what she does have and moving forward.

These are just a fraction of the cast of characters that walk through the pages of Amulya Malladi’s book. She paints them each with a careful brush, touching on their lives and offering the reader a look into their every day life and a glimpse into their thoughts and relationships. And yet the writing seemed a bit dry at times; the events in the novel unfold, time passes, and yet it is as if these events are being laid out for the reader in a matter of fact way rather than drawing the reader completely in. It was impossible not to come to care for the characters, however, and to feel invested in their individual stories, all of which were weaved so intricately together.

Life ebbs and flows in Tella Meda as Kokila and Chetana grow from girls into women, each coming into their own and facing the consequences of their own decisions. Song of the Cuckoo Bird is a novel that spans through 50 years of India’s history up until the modern day. As in real life, occasionally the events of the outside world influence life inside the ashram while other times they go by completely unnoticed. Amulya Malladi provides a timeline at the beginning of each chapter to set the stage for the chapter ahead, grounding the story in reality. She is effective in her use of historical facts and the cultural issues surrounding the country and the time period as well.

Because of the type of place Tella Meda is, readers are introduced to all sorts of societal outcasts, seeing more clearly the prejudices and injustices in general society. And yet it is also within this setting, that acceptance and the cultural richness are found.

Favorite Part: When television comes to the ashram. Charvi is reluctant to allow it into her home, but she finally relents at the insistence of so many of the other residents in the home. Of all the historical events that took place throughout the time line of the book, from war to assassinations of popular and powerful figureheads like the Ghandis, it was the television which seemed to bring the greatest change to life in the ashram. Suddenly meals and devotee visits were scheduled around must see television programs.

I also liked how the novel came full circle in the end. I always feel a sense of satisfaction when an author is able to accomplish that successfully.

For more information about the author and her books, visit the author's website. In my search for the website address, I also discovered Amulya Malladi has a blog you might want to check out.

Miscellaneous: Today was my unit Christmas lunch, and delicious food was had by all. It was nice to get away from the office for a couple of hours and just unwind. Our Secret Santa gift exchange went over well. Everyone left happy and full. I even received some unexpected gifts (including a Borders gift card)!

All of my holiday shopping is complete. Don't tell Riley, but I bought him a jingle bell collar for Christmas. I wonder who will feel tortured the most: him or my husband? One thing I find hard to do in the final stretch before the big day is not buying anything else. I am always tempted to get "one last item" even when I know it is completely unnecessary and probably unwise in consideration of my bank account. Does anyone else have this problem?

Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos

Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
Grove Press, 2004
Fiction; 371 pgs

Completed: 09/10/2007
Rating: (Outstanding)


First Sentence: While the woman sleeps and dreams of all that breaks, come into the house of many rooms.

Reason for Reading: This is my 9th selection for the TBR Challenge, my third selection for the Saturday Review of Books Challenge (whose review by 3M encouraged me to read this one sooner than I might have otherwise), and 1st for the Unread Authors Challenge.

From the Publisher: Broken for You is the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. Stephanie Kallos' debut novel is a work of infinite charm, wit and heart. It is also a glorious homage to the beauty of broken things. When we meet septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, she is living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company. Enter Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away and Margaret opens her house to the younger woman. This launches a series of unanticipated events, leading Margaret to discover a way to redeem her cursed past, and Wanda to learn the true purpose of her cross-country journey. Both funny and heartbreaking, Broken for You is a testament to the saving graces of surrogate families and shows how far the tiniest repair jobs can go in righting the world's wrongs.

Comments: Settling in at the repair shop to wait for my husband’s car, I admit to not being too enthused about my choice of book for the day. I really was more in the mood for something with a quicker pace, perhaps something more edgy and suspenseful. And yet, from the very beginning, I was drawn into the novel, Broken for You, transported to Seattle, Washington and the home of the elderly Margaret Hughes and swept up in an unconventional and moving story about friendship, redemption, and love.

Stephanie Kallos has written a well-crafted novel that weaves multiple tales, bringing them together in the end in such a way as to make the story even more meaningful. Her cast of colorful characters is at the heart of the story. They are an unlikely bunch brought together by circumstance and chance, each one playing an important role in the life of the other. Margaret is an eccentric elderly woman who has isolated herself for years as a penance for her past. Margaret’s boarder, Wanda comes across as strong and capable and yet her emotional ups and downs reveal a more fragile side to her. Wanda is chasing her past in hopes of finding something that was lost to her so long ago.

Not only are readers introduced to Wanda and Margaret, but also to several other unforgettable characters. There is M.J. Striker, whose own trials mirror both Wanda’s and Margaret’s but in different ways. He has given up so much of actual living as a sort of penance for past sins as he seeks for the one thing that meant most to him all those years before. Then there is Troy who had once traveled a similar path as Wanda, only to find that sometimes the answers you seek are not the answers you most need to find. I cannot leave out Gus, the hotel valet at the Hotel Orléans, where Margaret had honeymooned many years before. His spirit and zest for life was a much-needed addition in Margaret’s life. There is also Susan, the registered nurse, and Bruce the chef, both of whom are healing from broken hearts. And then there is Irma Kosminsky who is perhaps my most favorite character next to Margaret herself. Irma is so full of life and hope. Despite all she’d suffered in her past, losing both her first husband and child during the Holocaust, she had been able to find happiness in the present and encouraged those around her to live life rather than stew in it and let it pass by.

Stephanie Kallos’ takes a risk in varying her narrative as she does, following both Wanda and Margaret and later M.J. Striker, and occasionally switching to the second person slightly reminiscent of Michael Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White only with a different twist. She also adds in dream sequences, which I think enhanced the story, adding more dimension to the characters and the overall effect of the novel.

Broken for You is a work of art all in it’s own. The characters, each of them broken in some way, are brought together the way the pieces used to create mosaic art might be joined together, the result being something of beauty and meaning.

Questions: I would be lying if I said I did not have questions upon finishing the book. There were a couple of characters that were not as fleshed out as the rest, whose story interested me and left me wondering in the end—not so much about their fate, but about the choices they had made. Despite this, I still came away from the book feeling awed and very much satisfied.

Favorite Parts: There are so many! This book was full of wonderful moments. I think perhaps my most favorite scene is near the beginning of the book when Margaret goes to the café and has a conversation with the waitress, otherwise known as the Nose Ring Girl. The reader in me let out a silent cry of glee (I didn’t want to scare the poor guy behind the counter at the shop!). I’m not sure I can adequately explain why—sometimes the “voice” the author uses to tell his or her story resonates inside my mind—it’s a perfect fit, so to speak. It was like this for me with Broken for You, nearly every step of the way.

Another of the scenes that stands out for me was when Margaret coaxes Wanda outside to smash Margaret’s wedding dinner set. It was an insane moment, but one that proved to be what the two women most needed to do in that moment. It was a new beginning for both women.

Near the end of the book, readers are drawn into a dream sequence as Margaret and her Thanksgiving guests go for a hot air balloon ride. The way the scene played out, the richness of the moment and the step back into reality once the dream was over was a very moving and poignant moment in the book.

For more information about the author, check out her website.

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2003
Fiction; 389 pgs

Completed: 08/11/2007
Rating: (Outstanding)


First Sentence: Later, when memory was all she had to sustain her, she would come to cherish it: Old Honolulu as it was then, as it would never be again.

Reason for Reading: This is my 8th selection for the TBR Challenge. I wish I could remember where I first heard about this book. It had been sitting on my shelf since January of 2006.

Comments: I lived in Hawai’i for a short time during my childhood. My father had been stationed there. Although my memories are vague and few because of my young age at the time, one of the things that most stands out is the Hawaiian language. I grew up hearing bits and pieces of the Hawaiian language even long after my family left Hawai’i. My mother still signs her Christmas letter with the Hawaiian Christmas and New Year’s greeting (Mele Kalikimaka, Hau'oli Makahiki Hou). Hawai’i will always hold a special place in my heart and in my memory because it was once a place I called home, for however short a period of time in the scheme of my life. Moloka’i gave me the chance to revisit that time in my life.

But even with the reawakening of that part of my life, the novel itself is set outside of my own experiences. My knowledge of Hawaiian history is small, sad to say. Moloka’i was once feared for its powerful sorcerers and in history would become even more famous for being the home of a leper colony. During the mid-1800’s and into the early to mid-1900’s, people diagnosed with leprosy, what later would be more accurately labeled as Hansen’s Disease, were forced into a sort of exile or quarantine where they would live out the rest of their lives and die. When the first “lepers” were left on the island they were completely on their own. They had to find their own shelter and food. Make do with what nature had to offer them. Alan Brennert’s novel takes place after the island has been settled for some time, aid that was brought to the island by the Catholic Church through the guidance of Father Damien.

In Alan Brennert’s novel, a six-year-old Rachel is like every young girl her age. She adores her sea faring father and dreams of traveling the world like him someday; she treasures her doll collection, plays with her friends, and engages in occasional sibling rivalry. In a fight with her sister, her mother discovers a blemish on her skin, one that strikes fear in her mother’s heart. Seeking natural and native remedies, Dorothy Kalama does what she can to try and find a cure for her daughter in the hopes her daughter’s illness is not what she suspects it may be. When nothing works, Rachel must hide the signs of illness in fear of being discovered and sent away.

In a heartbreaking moment when the truth comes out, Rachel is torn from her family and forced into isolation with others suffering from the same illness. When the doctor determines that her illness is neither improving nor likely to improve, seven-year-old Rachel finds herself on a boat headed for Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i. Her only comfort is in knowing that her Uncle Pono, also suffering from leprosy, will be waiting for her.

Moloka’i is not a happy story. Nor is it a completely sad one. Even in the direst of moments, when grief is at its greatest and things appear that they cannot possibly get any worse, there is always hope. The spirit of the sufferers on the island contributes to that for while depression and anger at their situations ebb and flow like the tide, they still have lives to lead—and that is exactly what they do. They live. They love, marry, dance, sing, worship, work, and play. While for many, life is cut short, for others it is long lived. Those with the disease show the scars and deformations of the disease, but it does not stop them from living their lives as best they can. And yet, Moloka’i, like in other parts of the world, has its share of violence and crime, its share of hate and discrimination. Their faith and the faith of those around them was tested time and time again.

Sister Catherine who spent a good deal of her life working with the sufferers on Moloka’i stumbles over her belief in God, constantly asking why God would give a child leprosy, much less take them at such a young age. And yet many of the Catholic nuns, including Sister Catherine, and priests gave aid and comfort to so many on the island. For Haleola, a kahuna, her faith in Hawaiian tradition helped her stay strong, as well provided much needed guidance and assurance to those around her, including Rachel. Both Catherine and Haleola play a large part in Rachel’s life as mother figures, each of them offering her support and guidance.

Rachel’s story and that of the many of the other characters in the book are fictional, however, there is truth in them as well. The author drew from real life accounts and people to create his story, lending it an authenticity that makes it even more heart wrenching. The novel spans several decades, beginning in 1891 and ending in 1970. Throughout that time, Hawai’i went through several changes: the loss of a king, the usurpation of a queen, annexation, the marvel of the moving picture show, automobiles, airplanes, the attack on Pearl Harbor, a deadly Tsunami, and medical advances. These are among the more well known influences that were experienced and shared by the settlers on Moloka’i just as they were around the world. In many ways it was harder for them because they were isolated and cut off from their friends and families.

Society itself held great contempt for those with leprosy. Families who had loved ones diagnosed with the disease went into hiding or cut old ties and built new lives, sometimes completely denying their sick relative. Some families took great pains to hide the illness when it was discovered that a loved one may suffer from it, going into hiding or sending the family member away hoping they would not be found out. Even after medical advances proved that Hansen’s Disease was not the threat it was once believed to be, people still shied away from and discriminated against those who once had suffered from the illness.

Alan Brennert has written a heart wrenching and poignant novel. The novel is complex in nature and tackles many issues, including unexpected ones in such a way as to make Rachel’s story even more compelling. Her struggles were many and yet she continued to have hope and demonstrated courage and strength throughout her experiences. Her pain and suffering became my own as I read Moloka’i. I grieved with her, rode the surf with her, and felt her anguish and hope. While the cultural aspects and the setting may have touched me in a personal way, Alan Brennert’s novel touched me in an even deeper way. Moloka’i is an unforgettable story, and one I think everyone should read.

Favorite Part: I liked how the author weaved in the historical anchors to the story, offering a stronger sense of time and place. The Hawaiian folklore offered a looking into the traditions and beliefs of Hawaiian culture that also held significance in the novel, both for the story itself and the characters. At one point in the novel, Rachel is telling the story of Maui to a group of children, and their eagerness to listen was just as intense as mine whenever a story like that was told throughout the novel.

One of my favorite scenes from the book in particular was when Rachel treats the doctor examining her at Kalihi to a taste of what she is experiencing. The exam got rather personal and, lashing out, she made sure he felt some of her discomfort.

Another of my favorite parts of the novel is after the death of someone very dear to Rachel. She is terribly sad and Haleola talks with her about the spirits of their ancestors:

“’Our ‘aumākua often look after us here on earth. Some take the form of sharks, and if a descendant is drowning in the sea, the shark may offer up its fin to pull them to shore. Other spirits become owls, fish, lizards, whatever permits them to watch over their families.’

‘There is an old prayer: ‘Aumākua of the night, watch over your offspring, enfold them in the belt of light.’”

That night as Rachel is trying to sleep, she hears and sees an owl outside, which brings her great comfort:

“Rachel smiled, somehow no longer afraid, and went back to bed: surrounded by darkness yet enfolded in light.”

I had other favorite moments, mostly happy ones which unfortunately would offer too much of a spoiler to disclose here.

Most Heartbreaking Scene: As I read the novel, my heart broke in several places. It seemed that just as a little light would shine down on Rachel and those around her, it would be blighted out by a darker event. It wasn’t always like that, but most of the way through the book, it was.

I had to stop reading when I reached the part of the book about mothers on the island having to be separated from their children at birth. While the child could remain on the island for a year and parents could visit the infant, it was behind a glass window, no touching allowed. Imagine hearing your baby crying and seeing the child in obvious discomfort and not being able to hold the child, comfort the child. After a year, the infants were sent to live with healthy relatives off the island or adopted out. It was common for healthy family members to refuse the child out of fear for their own health and because of stigma in society they fought to avoid. For those of you who have read the book, you can probably guess which part of the book I mean.

Miscellaneous: Anjin and I watched Stardust and Bourne Ultimatum this weekend. We enjoyed both. Stardust varied from the book, sometimes in major ways, although the story was basically the same. Taking the movie for itself, it was a very entertaining movie, well worth seeing. Of course the book is better, if you must compare. Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings captured my thoughts precisely on his blog and he does a much better job of expressing himself than I ever could.

I have been a fan of the Bourne movies since the first one came out and Bourne Ultimatum did not disappoint. It was action packed and went so fast that it was over before I knew it. I love watching Matt Damon in action and those car chase scenes were exciting and cringe worthy. This third movie overlaps with the second one in a couple of places. making me glad my husband and I watched the first two movies again earlier in the week.

I found the third season of The Wire on sale Friday, and so I am sure Anjin and I will be watching that soon. I can hardly wait!

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
Harcourt, 2004
Fiction (Horror); 369 pgs

Completed: 07/18/2007
Rating: (Very Good +)

First Sentence: I first saw the photograph on a hot January afternoon in my mother’s bedroom.

Reason for Reading: This is my 7th selection for the TBR Challenge. My friend Jody read this one back in April, and I had been holding on to an e-mail with her thoughts upon finishing it--I figured I had kept her waiting long enough to share my own.

Comments: The Ghost Writer is one of those novels for which I am afraid to say almost anything for fear of spoiling the story. The story builds on itself with each passing page, weaving a complex and captivating story, each thread having a possible deeper purpose in how the story will eventually play out.

A typical curious young boy, Gerard Freeman, goes searching in his mother’s drawers while she’s away. Her reaction when he discovers a photograph of an unknown woman is extreme and not at all what he expected. Whereas before that moment Gerard was entertained by his mother’s stories of her childhood in the countryside of Staplefield, England, some of the few times his overly anxious mother ever seemed happy, after he heard no more. A wall had built up between him and his mother, one he did not understand and could not breach even into adulthood. And yet Gerard’s curiosity to know his mother’s roots takes him in directions he never could have anticipated.

Joining him on his journey in search of answers to the past is Gerard’s long time pen pal, Alice Jessell, who Gerard began writing to when he was thirteen years old. Their relationship is a unique one. Alice, living in England, is wheelchair bound thanks to an accident that killed her parents. Although Gerard wants to meet her, he is forced to keep his distance at Alice’s insistence. She would rather meet Gerard standing on her own two feet, an event that might never happen. Through letters the two fall in love, sharing their lives with each other in words.

There is also the elderly Abigail Hamish who may have answers Gerard seeks. Her willingness to help Gerard in his quest open many doors for him that might have otherwise been closed.

My favorite piece of the book is the ghost stories written by his great grandmother, Viola Hatherley. It just so happened I seemed to approach these sections just as I was settling into bed for a little reading before falling asleep. While I had no nightmares, the themes of my dreams those nights were quite interesting.

I was most fascinated by the character of Viola, Gerard’s great grandmother. She seemed to having a starring role despite her so few appearances in the novel itself. Through her stories, I felt a better understanding of her, perhaps more so than most of the other characters.

For the most part, the characters do not stand out in such a way as to attract a lot of affection from the reader; however, they are quite interesting in their own ways. Gerard is not an especially warm person and yet I was drawn into his story, came to care about him and cheer him on. Gerard is more the vehicle used to tell the story, the characters taking a backseat to the story itself.

The literary references throughout the novel will give a few well-read readers a thrill. Think Henry James, Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens for starters.

Nightmare inducing is not how I would describe this book; eerie, yes. It is in fact . . . haunting. The author pieces together the story in all its various forms, adding new dimensions right up until the very end. The format of the book, which has been described as choppy by some, did not come across that way to me. Each chapter and section flowed smoothly into the next. There were a couple of moments when I groaned out loud because I wanted to know more, but I also understand that the author needed to take me in another direction for a little while. I was fascinated and entranced once the story got moving. I admit to having doubts at the beginning as the story began to unfold. It was with Viola’s first ghost story that I became glued to the book. There was no looking back from there.

Note about the Author: John Harwood in a discussion of his book at Readerville:

Plotting the book: I knew from the beginning that there would be a 20th century narrative framing the ghost stories, but Viola Hatherley came first. I discovered a great freedom in writing in her voice and had finished several stories including ‘The Gift of Flight’ before I began work on what became Gerard’s. So the book grew around the Viola stories; I made a rule for myself that once I’d finished a Viola story, I wasn’t allowed to change it to suit the mystery plot. The book had to adapt to the stories, and so G’s narrative gradually evolved around them.

Sula by Toni Morrison

Sula by Toni Morrison
Plume, 1973
Fiction; 174 pgs

Completed: 06/26/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: In that place, where they tore the nightshade and blackberry patches from their roots to make room for the Medallion City Golf Course, there was once a neighborhood.

Reason for Reading: It has been years since I read my first Toni Morrison book, The Bluest Eye. Sula was a gift from my parents, and although I had every intention of getting to it, it sat on my TBR shelf for 2 ½ years. It became one of my choices for the TBR Challenge because I felt it was time I got to it. This is my 6th selection for the TBR Challenge and my 7th for the Reading Through the Decades Challenge.

Comments: The novel Sula paints a vivid picture of a black neighborhood known as Bottom even though it is set high in the hills of Medallion, Ohio. Toni Morrison's writing is beautiful. She captures a moment, a person, and a mood so eloquently, sometimes with imagery and at other times quite bluntly. Sula is rich in complexity, satire and all the while tragic.

Sula is one of those novels that inspires analysis and discussion, and it is no wonder it is a favorite as required reading for literature courses in the United States. The novel weaves several different themes throughout the story, including that of racism, motherhood, friendship, and values.

Racism was rampant during the time period the book is set, beginning in 1919 and ending in 1965. As Nel travels by train with her mother, Helene Wright, from Ohio to New Orleans to visit Helene's dying grandmother, I was struck by the contrast between the train stations the further south the two traveled. Although segregated, the train stations at the beginning of their journey had restroom facilities for everyone. By the time Nel and Helene drew closer to their destination, the facilities for blacks were non-existent. Instead, they were expected to go out in a field. Other hints of racism were sprinkled throughout the novel, impossible to ignore.

The contrast between the lifestyles of the two friends, Nel and Sula, is extreme. Nel comes from a strict and proper upbringing, raised by a mother who was traditional. Sula had a much different childhood, living with her matriarchal grandmother who was strong and eccentric. Sula's own mother was loose with her child just as she was with the men. Nel and Sula's attraction to each other seemed natural, despite their differences. They had similar natures, both seeking escape from their own realities and finding in each other the part of themselves that they desired most to be like.

Even with the years of separation after Sula disappeared from Medallion, upon her return the two women picked up their friendship where they had left off. They settled into each other’s lives and hearts as if nothing had changed. And yet it had. Nel was married with children. She had adopted a similar life to that of her mother, a more traditional lifestyle. Sula wanted no part of that kind of life, enjoying her independence, and not wanting to have to rely on anyone or have anyone rely on her, a lesson she learned early in life. This would ultimately cause a rift between the two friends and tear their friendship apart.

I am in awe at how gifted a writer Toni Morrison is. She captured the essence of the era, the town, the neighborhood and her characters in all their complexity. Sula is the most complex of all of the characters. She fights against tradition, setting her own path. Unlike her grandmother who was a respected woman in the community and her mother who, while a free spirit herself, had a complacency about her that endeared people to her, Sula instead earned their wrath. Her confidence and arrogance seemed to spurn others in the community. Yet there is a naivety in Sula, buried deep down and difficult to see.

Sula is not a novel that should be rushed through (which is unfortunately what I did); there is a deeper meaning behind so many of the events that take place within the novel. The imagery and symbolism make this book a literature course gold mine. I read this novel for the sheer pleasure of it, not as a scholarly endeavor, and as you can see, my thoughts about the book reflect that. Overall, I enjoyed the novel and perhaps will one day reread it and appreciate it even more.

Favorite Part: The writing itself is one of the best parts of this novel. I cannot stress that enough.

Aside from that, one of my favorite characters was Shadrack, who readers are introduced to almost immediately. He is a war veteran who had been greatly affected by the war, watching those around him die. He is an eccentric character, not one that ignites warm and fuzzy feelings, but is an enigma. He walks through town with a cowbell every January 3rd, the day he has designated as National Suicide Day. While the townsfolk shake their heads in disgust and wonder, the day takes on a special significance even to them, although perhaps not with the same intent that Shadrack had in mind.

The story of how the 3 Deweys came about is another favorite part for me. The three boys were orphans that Eva Peace, Sula’s grandmother, took in, each unrelated and looking nothing alike and yet no one could tell them apart. They were an interesting set of characters, although relatively minor.

Note about the Author: Although not a personal website for the author, Anniina has set up a website that includes a bibliography of all of Toni Morrison’s work as well as links to interviews with the author and biographies. Take a look!

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Atonement by Ian McEwan
Anchor Books, 2001
Fiction; 351 pgs

Started: 05/07/2007
Completed: 05/19/2007
Rating: (Very Good +)

First Sentence: The play—for which Briony had designed the posters, programs, and tickets, constructed the sales booth out of a folding screen tipped on its side, and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper—was written by her in a two-day tempest of composition, causing her to miss a breakfast and a lunch.

Reason for Reading: A couple of years ago, a reading buddy of mine (Christine) recommended I read Atonement. When the TBR Challenge came around, I knew that this was my chance to get to at least twelve of the books that I have been eager to read, however, have not managed to do so. Atonement is my 5th TBR Challenge selection and my 5th selection for the Spring Reading Thing.

Comments: As I first began reading Atonement, I got lost in the author’s prose. Ian McEwan has a way with words. I commented to my husband at one point that the writing was “pretty”, not in any way meant to be an insult, but simply because each sentence flowed through me and had a melodious quality. The author’s writing was not overly indulgent and fit the story well. Not every writer can carry it off. Ian McEwan did.

Although I felt myself pulled into the story by the writing style in the beginning, I soon found myself wishing the story would move a little faster during the first 50 or so pages. The author takes his time introducing the characters and setting the stage, which I later came to appreciate and by the end felt was done exactly right.

It was impossible not to be swept up in the story and the lives of the characters the more I read. I felt the guilt and frustration of so many of the characters as they suffered and survived through the consequences set in motion by the accusation of a 13 year old girl in the summer of 1935. In innocence and misunderstanding, people’s lives are irrevocably changed by the assumptions made.

Set in the English countryside with the threat of war in the air, the characters come to life: Emily and Jack, the parents, distant from one another and from their children, Jack taking advantage of a physical distance that his job allows for and Emily distancing herself with her illness, deluding herself that she is there when her children need her. There is Cecilia, the older sister who is still working out what it is she wants to do in life, wanting to be free of the motherly role she has been cast in and yet afraid still of going out on her own. She is conflicted by her feelings in love and life. Robbie is much more confident, knowing what it is he wants. He is in love, tormented and yet thrilled. He has high hopes for the future and the support of Jack Tallis who has taken him under his wing. Then there is Briony who at 13 still has a child’s innocence and yet is beginning to feel the pull of the adult world that will one day be her own. She often loses herself to her imagination, weaving stories of her own both in writing and in thought.

The cousins, Lola, Jackson and Pierrot, are sent to the Tallis’ home during a tumultuous time in their lives when their parents’ marriage dissolved. They are confused, angry and hurt. Lola, at 15, wants nothing more than to be a part of the grown-up world. The younger twins hate their circumstances and rebel as much as they try to fit in in their own way.

The Tallis brother, Leon, and his friend Marshall enter the scene for a visit. Leon had struck out on his own path, and his presence is highly anticipated by his sisters, who adore him.

As the story unravels, the die is cast. The author takes the reader into France during the Second World War as British troops flee for the coast in hopes of surviving the German invasion. The horrors of war, the desperation and the will to survive are ever present. This was my favorite part of the story with its detail and raw emotion. It is Robbie’s story. As he leads his fellow soldiers to the coast, he recalls the past, the direction his life has taken, and where he will go from there.

Back in England, Briony, now grown, has set out on her own, and in many ways, she is following the path of her estranged sister. She struggles with the weight of the untold truth, now fully understanding the mistakes she has made. Can she atone for her actions? Will there be forgiveness?

With tears filling my eyes, I closed the cover of the novel having reached the end. The characters had become a part of my life for a short while, their suffering and experiences my own. My first experience with Ian McEwan has been a great success. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Favorite Part: I like the way the story ended. It had an irony to it that was quite fitting to the tale from the perspective the story was told. It had symmetry to it, you could say. Do not worry, no spoilers offered here.

For some reason, I was most pulled into the war scenes, the time Robbie spent in France, traveling toward the coast than any other part of the book. It was a time for reflection on Robbie’s part and through that, an unfolding of several events that took place since that fateful night five years before. I could not help but see the contrast in the writing at this point as well. As beautiful a writer as Ian McEwan proved to be in this novel, he still captured the horrors of the war and all that Robbie saw and experienced with great clarity.

Take a look at the the author’s website to learn more about the author and his writings.

Read what Melody has to say:
Melody's Reading Corner

April Witch by Majgull Axelsson

April Witch by Majgull Axelsson
Translated by Linda Schenck
Villard, 2002, English Edition (1st published in Sweden in 1997)
Fiction; 408 pgs

Started: 04/07/2007
Completed: 04/09/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: “Who’s out there?” asks my sister.

Reason for Reading: A friend of mine from The Netherlands first mentioned Majgull Axelsson's April Witch to me, and I was able to find a copy online in October of 2004. Since that time, it has made its home on my To Be Read shelf waiting its turn. When choosing books to read for the TBR Challenge, I tried to select books I have wanted to read above others and yet have not had the chance to get to. April Witch was one of them. It's one of those books that leave me wondering why I waited so long.

4th book for the TBR Challenge and 2nd book selection for the Spring Reading Thing.

Comments: April Witch reminded a little of White Oleander by Janet Fitch and Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, and yet it has a mystical side to it that adds an interesting dimension.

April Witch is a multi-faceted story about four foster sisters, linked together by one woman, Ella Johansson. Desirée, the deformed and crippled daughter who was abandoned to institutional care at birth, has an unusual gift. She is an April witch, one who has a disabled body but a very strong mind. She is able to transport her spirit into other living beings to observe, influence and sometimes control their behavior. All of her life, Desirée has felt unwanted and she struggles to find meaning in her life. With the help of Dr. Hubertsson, with whom Desirée shares a special bond, Desirée unravels her past in search of her own story. Putting to use her special gift, she sets out to discover which of the three foster children her birth mother took in is living the life that she should have had.

Margareta was abandoned at birth by her own mother, taken in by Ella Johansson. Most of her life Margareta has felt empty inside and continues to search for something to fill that void in her life. Christina was a victim of a horrific physical abuse at the hands of her mother, a young girl shut inside of herself, not trusting anyone when she first comes to Ella's. She now appears to have the perfect life, at least on the surface. And then there is Birgitta, the daughter of a neglectful alcoholic mother. While Margareta and Christina have both found some success in life, one a physicist and the other a physician, it is Birgitta who has fallen the farthest, becoming a drug addict, living her life on and off the streets.

Each of the women carries their own baggage, struggling to come to terms with their pasts, who they are, and the direction their lives have taken. They are full of fear, frustration, bitterness, and need--yet all still maintain some semblance of hope. It is their inner struggles that bring them together and yet also keep them apart. Majgull Axelsson has created authentic characters with very distinct voices and experiences. Their stories creep under the skin and settle there to percolate.

From a social perspective, the novel touches on such issues as socialism, institutionalization, and the child welfare system in Sweden during the 1950's. The latter two topics were especially interesting to me from a professional aspect and ultimately, I did not see many differences in thoughts and theories between Sweden and the United States--at least not on the surface.

There was a scientific thread throughout the novel that concerned me at first. I worried that it would get in the way of my enjoyment of the story, however, that proved not to be the case. Once I got over my initial concern, I was swept into the story and the lives of the characters. What followed was a heart wrenching and insightful novel that I will not soon forget.

Favorite Part: I could probably fill pages with my favorite moments in this novel. The author did such a good job of bringing the characters to life and tackling difficult issues. Some highlights:
I thought the author did a good job of showing the differences in attitudes about the severely disabled during the time that Desirée was a child. There were doctors like Redelius and Zimmerman who saw no hope for growth or learning by someone as disabled as Desirée, and yet there were also doctors like Dr. Preben who took a completely different view, encouraging growth and development in his patients no matter their medical diagnosis.

One of my favorite scenes in the book was the beginning of Desirée’s lessons, when her roommate Elsegard at the crippled children’s home practiced her teaching techniques on Desirée. The other roommates joined in as well. All of this despite Dr. Redelius belief that Desirée’s disabilities were so bad that she was not capable of learning.

There was also a scene in which Elsegard visits Desirée at her apartment when they are adults. It was a significant moment for both women, and showed a softer side to Desirée.

Of the foster sisters’ stories, I was most taken with Christina’s story. It is the one that impacted me the most, although each of the characters’ stories was powerful in their own right. My least favorite character was Birgitta, but not because the author failed to adequately represent her—her anger and bitterness flew out of the pages, and at times I had difficulty empathizing with her because I more often wanted her to wake up and realize she was headed down the wrong path.

Interesting Factoid: The author, in her research, was only able to find one reference to an April witch, and that was through one of her favorite author’s Ray Bradbury’s short story.

The names of the four sisters, Christina, Margareta, Birgitta and Desirée, are also the names of the four sisters of the Swedish king.

Note about the Author: The Swedish author received the 1997 August Prize for April Witch.

Miscellaneous: Our late night action: Some hit the fire hydrant and two giant wooden phone poles outside my house just after midnight this morning. He lost his fender and front driver side tire right where the fire hydrant used to be. He sent the fire hydrant flying about 7 feet into our front yard, water shooting up into the air. We had our own geyser right outside our window. The driver also ended up hitting our neighbor’s car which was parked in the street, his own vehicle coming to a stop about three houses down the street. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg

Wickett’s Remedy by Myla Goldberg
Doubleday, 2005
Fiction (historical); 326 pgs

Started: 03/11/2007
Completed: 03/18/2007
Rating: (Good)


First Sentence: On D Street there was no need for alarm clocks: the drays, ever punctual, were an army storming the gates of sleep.

Where Book Came From: My husband gave me the book as a Christmas gift in 2005.

Reason for Reading: Wickett’s Remedy is my third selection for the 2007 TBR Challenge.

From the Publisher: Wickett's Remedy is an epic but intimate novel about a young Irish-American woman facing down tragedy during the Great Flu epidemic of 1918.

Wickett's Remedy leads us back to Boston in the early part of the 20th century and into the world of Lydia, an Irish-American shop girl yearning for a grander world than the cramped confines of South Boston. She seems to be well on her way to the life she has dreamed of when she marries Henry Wickett, a shy medical student and the scion of a Boston Brahmin family. Soon after their wedding, however, Henry shocks Lydia by quitting medical school and creating a mail-order patent medicine called Wickett's Remedy. And then just as the enterprise is getting off the ground, the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918 begins its deadly sweep across the world, drastically changing their lives.

In a world turned almost unrecognizable by swift and sudden tragedy, Lydia finds herself working as a nurse in an experimental ward dedicated to understanding the raging epidemic, through the use of human subjects.

Meanwhile, we follow the fate of Henry's beloved Wickett's Remedy as his one-time business partner steals the recipe and transforms it into QD Soda, a wildly popular soft drink.

Comments: In 1918 America joined the war in Europe while an epidemic of the Spanish Influenza spread throughout the United States and eventually other parts of the world. Over twenty million people worldwide are believed to have died as a result of the illness. Hospitals were overflowing and doctors and nurses were in short supply. Scientists and medical professionals were perplexed the exact cause of the illness and reasons why it was spreading so rapidly. Attempts to find the answers were made through human experiments, one of which involved testing on American war criminal volunteers on Gallups Island (now named Gallops Island). This type of testing raised all sorts of ethical questions, including for Lydia who at first did not fully understand what she was getting herself into.

Lydia’s inner strength and quiet determination followed her throughout her life. Wickett’s Remedy is her story as well as the story of the eventual fate of the title’s namesake, the actual remedy.

The author uses an interesting technique in telling the two stories: one through narration, following the life of Lydia, and the other through letters and brochures of sorts that offer a glimpse into the fate of Wickett's Remedy itself. The latter comes almost as afterthoughts at the end of each chapter. Occasionally there are entire conversations between unknown characters at the end of chapters, whose purpose becomes clearer as the story unfolds. There is also the occasional newspaper editorial about the Spanish Influenza.

Myla Goldberg finds a balance between the serious and the comedic in her novel, taking a difficult subject and making it easy for readers to digest. It took a short while before the novel really took off, and at first I was confused about the time period shifts in the two stories.

Wickett’s Remedy is quite different in style and story from the author’s first novel, Bee Season, which I read a year and a half ago. However, it is interesting to note that in reviewing my journal entry for Bee Season written so long ago, I find that my general impressions of the books are quite similar: the slow start, the pieces of the story coming together and winning me over, and the questions that remained in the end. I did enjoy Wickett’s Remedy overall.

Favorite Part: I was afraid I would skip over the margin notes (the voices of the dead), and in fact did a couple of times, however, they were perhaps among my favorite part of the story. They added personality to the book and at times comic relief.

Several scenes come to mind when I think of my favorites: Lydia volunteering at the hospital, the interview with Mr. Cory, the hallway discussion with Percy Cole, and the late night encounter on the island.

Character wise, I was quite fond of Lydia’s oldest brother, Mick, and Lydia herself, who proved to a courageous and generous woman. She wasn’t an aggressive person, however pursued what she wanted in a quiet sort of way, which somehow made her seem vulnerable and yet strong. She is someone I would not mind having as a friend if she were a real person.

Note about the Author: The author, Myla Goldberg, is not only a published author, but also a musician. She plays the banjo and the accordion in the band The Walking Hellos.

Miscellaneous: Anjin and I finally are all caught up with the tv show Heroes. That last episode before the break is a doozy! I hate that I have to wait until near the end of April to see what happens next.

We have three movies waiting to be watched from Netflix: Babel, Mrs. Henderson Presents and Flags of Our Fathers. I am not sure when we will get to them as neither of us seems to be in a movie watching mood these days.

Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief. - from Emma

I begin already to weigh my words & sentences more than I did, & am looking about for a sentiment, an illustration, or a metaphor in every corner of the room. Could my Ideas flow as fast as the rain in the Storecloset it would be charming. – Letter to her sister Cassandra, 1809

Emma by Jane Austen
Dover, 1999 (originally published in 1816)
Fiction; 328 pgs

Started: 02/03/2007
Completed: 02/11/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

Where Book Came From: TBR Shelves (where it has sat since 07/2005, when I went through a “must buy and eventually read” all of Jane Austen’s novels).

Reason for Reading: I had been meaning to read another Jane Austen novel for quite some time. Emma is my 4th selection for the Winter Classics Challenge and my 2nd for the 2007 TBR Challenge.

From the Publisher: Emma is the story of the eponymous Miss Woodhouse who, having lost her close companion Anne Taylor to marriage, sets out on an ill-fated career of match-making in the town of Highbury. Taking as her subject the pretty but dreary Harriet Smith, she manages to cause misunderstandings with every new tactic she employs. Though precious and spoilt, Emma is charming to all around her and so it takes her some time to learn her lesson and profit from spending less time worrying about how other people should live their lives.

Comments: What a delightful read! As much as I protested in the beginning over Emma’s character, her conceit and meddlesome nature, I was quite aware that this was exactly as she was supposed to be and would be what gave the novel it’s purpose. And while I never grew to love Emma, I did eventually find myself liking her as the novel went on. Her zest for life, her kind heart, however misguided at times, and her devotion to her family were what eventually won me over. There were a number of other wonderful characters who stole my heart even more so: the older and gentlemanly Mr. Knightley, the reserved but good natured Jane Fairfax, the chatty Miss Bates, and, of course, Mr. Woodhouse with all his grumbling and concerns about health, just to name a few.

Once I settled myself down to spend quality time with Emma, I was immediately swept away by Jane Austen’s novel. I like her style of writing, a product in part of her times no doubt. Like with Pride and Prejudice, I was transported back to England in the early 1800’s. The culture, atmosphere and the characters all brought to life amongst the pages.

Emma is a comedy of sorts and very much a love story. A perfect novel to read in time for Valentine’s Day, I must say. Upon completion of the novel, I found myself smiling with a little tear at the corner of my eye. Jane Austen is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

Favorite Part: I admit to being immediately smitten with Mr. Knightley. The arguments between Mr. Knightley and Emma were quite entertaining.

Mr. Woodhouse could have been annoying with his complaints and concerns, however, I found him charming. His sympathy towards the former family governess and his daughter Isabella over their marriages brought to mind my own father’s tradition of sending sympathy cards instead of wedding cards to newly married couples.

Miscellaneous: I have a copy of the movie Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow already to watch now that I have finished the novel. I am tempted to run out in this glorious rain to find a copy of Clueless so that I can watch that too. Although I have seen both movies before, it has been a number of years and my memory of them is faltering. I admit that as I read Emma, Alicia Silverstone and Gwyneth Paltrow’s faces popped up in my mind repeatedly.

My lovable dog is doing better. He has regained his full energy even though all his wounds have yet to heal. Thanks to all who expressed their concerns and good wishes!

First TBR Challenge Book: Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Little Brown, 2004
Fiction; 310 pgs

Started: 01/13/2007
Completed: 01/17/2007
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: How lucky were they?

Where Book Came From: I first learned about this book through Pages magazine and suddenly was seeing the title pop up frequently this past year in several different online book groups. I purchased my copy of the book in April of 2005, with every intent of reading it sooner.

Reason for Reading It Now: 1st of my 2007 TBR Challenge selections.

Comments: I made the mistake of reading a synopsis of a follow-up book, One Good Turn, while in the middle of Case Histories. Although the synopsis did not give any of the major plot points away in regards to Case Histories, I did discover a couple of extraneous details that might have been better left unknown until the end. Just the same, it did not take away from my enjoyment of this beautifully crafted novel.

Its praises have been sung by many of my fellow booklovers, but I had no idea what I was in for when I began reading Kate Atkinson’s novel. It rose above my expectations. At times comical, while all the while being serious, the novel had an edge to it that I had not anticipated. It was gritty without quite coming off as such.

Jackson Brodie, formerly a police inspector, earns his living as a private investigator in Cambridge, England. When readers are first introduced to Jackson, he is following a woman whose husband suspects that she is having an affair. It’s a typical sort of case and Jackson finds himself pondering his own life, his 8-year-old daughter and his failed marriage.

When Jackson is asked to look into the disappearance of Olivia Land by her two sisters, Amelia and Julia, he does not see much hope in finding new answers. The two women could not be more different from one another. Amelia is the rather plain and more responsible sister while Julia is a bit more reckless and free living. Olivia, a young child at the time, had disappeared one night 34 years ago never to be seen or heard from again. The discovery of Olivia’s favorite toy, Blue Mouse, among their father’s things after his death, raise questions the sisters want answered.

Then there is Theo Wyre, a father who still has not gotten over the death of his youngest daughter ten years before. Hoping to find some resolution, he hires Jackson Brodie to look into his daughter’s murder. On that fateful day 10 years ago, Laura had been starting a new temporary job at her father’s law office. Her throat was slashed by an unknown assailant in a yellow golf sweater. His identity and whereabouts were never discovered.

Shirley Morrison, the sister of a woman convicted of killing her husband with an axe, comes to Jackson in hopes of discovering the whereabouts of her niece, a child she had promised to take care of but had put into the care of the murdered father’s parents because she knew she couldn’t do it on her own at so young an age.

Kate Atkinson pulls all of these stories together in unexpected ways. Her cast of characters are colorful and yet shadowed by their life experiences, making them even more intriguing. The novel did include some backtracking now and then, the author telling one person’s story and then in the next section going over it from another character’s experience so that no parts of the story were missed. It could have been ackward and confusing, but Kate Atkinson successfully pulled it off.

Overall, I found Case Histories to be a delightful novel. The characters came to life for me right out of the pages and the msysteries involving the characters were captivating. I had a hard time setting this book aside for sleep and to go to work. I cannot help by ask myself why waited so long to read this book. I definitely plan to read more by this author.

Favorite Part: Although it’s not uncommon in novels, parents dragging their children along with them while the work for lack of better options, I have to say that I most enjoyed the way Kate Atkinson included Marlee in on the investigation. I quite enjoyed the interactions between Marlee and her father. I was least impressed with Josie, Marlee’s mother and Jackson’s ex-wife, who annoyed me on a couple of occasions during the novel.

Note about the Author: Kate Atkinson's first novel was Behind the Scenes at the Museum which won the Whitbread Prize in 1995, an unexpected winner over works by Salman Rushdie and Roy Jenkins. Kate Atkinson’s Top Ten list.

Miscellaneous: Thank you to Bookfool for the lovely tote! It arrived in yesterday’s mail. For those curious, it is a William Shakespeare tote from Barnes and Noble. You know, the one I’m always eyeing whenever I’m in the store.