Book Review - Talking to the Dead; Helen Dunmore

 

Talking to the Dead; Helen Dunmore

Little Brown & Company - 1997

 Nina and Isabel (Izzy) are sisters; Nina is a freelance photographer who lives in London and Isabel and her husband Richard live in the country.   As the story begins Isabel has just given birth to a son Antony and, after a difficult birth Nina is on her way to spend some time with Izzy and help her out.  Isabel's current state of mind is fragile and, she seems uninterested in bonding with her baby.  She has also asked her husband to sleep downstairs.  Except for visits from her gay friend Edward whom Isabel feels comfortable confiding in, she prefers to spend most of her time alone. She smokes but she rarely eats and motherhood seems to have her focused on an event from the past.

When Nina sees her newborn nephew she can't believe how much he resembles how she remembers baby Colin, the brother who died when she was just 4 and Isabel was 7.  The sisters talk about the death of Colin and the reader is made to wonder if his death was cot (crib) death or something much darker that occurred.

Talking to the Dead is a most unusual and mysterious sort of story.  Isabel seems physically and mentally ill and, she has lost interest in her husband as well.  There is an uncomfortable feel to the story, it is full of tension and raw emotion.  The reader can't help but wonder whether something tragic is about to happen. In contrast to the darker mood there was the beautiful setting: the sea, flower gardens and fruit trees and good food to be enjoyed. At times the story is quite sensual.  I loved the writing style and now and then I found this book very difficult to put down.  I was satisfied with the ending but, some readers might not feel the same way.  

This book has sat on my book shelves far too long. I'm so happy that I finally decided to read it.

Rating - 4/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Talking to the Dead; Helen Dunmore

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. This one has been sitting on my shelves for over 15 years and, it has the loveliest jacket and the book itself is petite in size.

Talking to the Dead; Helen Dunmore

Little Brown & Company - 1996

Prologue

"THE NEWER GRAVES lie full in the sun, beyond the shadow of the church and yew tree. Two of them are covered in plastic-wrapped flowers and raw earth; these graves won't have stones for a while yet, because they must wait for the earth to settle.

There are a lot of things you need to learn when someone dies, and you have to learn fast, from people who are paid to teach you.  They come up with hushed, serious faces and ask questions.  If you don't say anything right away, they just wait.  It's their job.  There were two of them standing there, noting down the requirements.  One glanced at the other, and they gleamed with satisfaction at phrasing it all so well.  But they were much too professional to smile."

What do you think - read more or pass?

Book Reviews - Matrix; Lauren Groff - My One Square Inch of Alaska; Sharon Short and Reckless Girls; Rachel Hawkins

Hope everyone who celebrated Christmas had a wonderful day. We had an inch of the snow of Christmas Eve which looked so pretty and then freezing rain came on Christmas to crust over the snow. Fortunately, the kids, spouses and granddaughters were able to come for dinner and presents.  It was a beautiful day for us and it felt much more relaxed for me in the meal preparation department compared to all the side dishes and prep involved at Thanksgiving. I kept it simple:  fruit plate, chicken parmesan, pasta, salad, rolls, pistachio cake and (4) different kinds of Christmas cookies (we are a dessert family.)  Note to self: make fewer cookies next year.  Yes,  I overcooked and all went home with a care package.  Everyone loved their gifts - all is good.

We all seemed healthy - time will tell - everyone was fully vaccinated, including the girls and all adults boosted as well.  

Reading - I finished what will be my last (3) books of 2021 (quick reviews below). I started Winter Solstice, Rosamunde Pilcher but, I am not enjoying the audio version so I stopped listening and ordered a print copy to arrive during the week.  This week I hope to work on 2021 stats and favorite reads of 2021....stay tuned.

Do you have in New Years Eve plans? We had early dinner plans at a nice restaurant but, we most likely will cancel with the raging virus once again.

Matrix; Lauren Groff

Penguin Audio - 2021 

8 hours 51 min. - Adjoa Andoh - narrator _excellent

(audio download provided at no charge by the published)

The setting for this historical fiction story is a 12th century rundown abbey in England. It's a feminist novel that is all about women, sisterhood and the power of friendship and community and there's a bit of sex among women as well.

Marie is the illegitimate daughter of the royal court. At 17, she is tall skinny and unattractive and, she is deemed "not marriage material" by Queen Eleanor, who Marie deeply loves.  She is sent away to an impoverished abbey and, the work that needs to be done there is almost insurmountable.  Marie, although not all that religious is devoted, smart, strong and industrious but, don't cross her as she can be mean as well.

Initially, I thought this book might not be for me but, because I've had good luck with the author in the past, I decided to give it a try. I was very happy I did.  If you are into audio books, I highly recommend the audio read by: Adjoa Andoh, a new narrator to me.  She made this book feel like a theatrical performance at times by giving each character a distinct voice. 

I loved the way the women banded together to get things done whether it be farming, baking, building, weaving and even writing. A group of engaged, committed women shut off from the outside world building a life and making things better.  This feminist historical book is worth reading is you like historical fiction at its finest and a character driven story.  Rating - 4.5/5 stars

My One Square Inch of Alaska; Sharon Short

Plume Books - 2013

(print edition - my shelves)

Donna Lane has a lot on her plate; she's about to graduate high school but, she's also a mother figure to her younger brother Will.  Their mother took off when they were young and their father drinks a bit too much.  Donna has dreams of her own but, it's her brother she is most concerned with. 

Brother Will is obsessed with collecting enough cereal box tops for a chance to win a contest - "one square inch of Alaska."  Will is also obsessed with protecting and giving a better life to a neglected, mute, Siberian Husky that lives nearby. When Will is diagnosed with childhood leukemia - (it's the 1950's-60s) and recovery is not looking very good for Will,  Donna is determined to make her brother's dream come true.

This book sat on my shelves far too long and I'm so happy that I finally got to read it.  It's a story that started slightly slow and at times seemed geared more to the YA genre but, oh my did it ever stir up many emotions as I read - such a good story - worth reading.  Rating - 4/5 stars

Reckless Girls; Rachel Hawkins

Macmillan Audio - January - 2022

7 hours - 43 min - Barrie Kreinik - Narrator - very good

(Audio download provided at no charge by publisher and NetGalley)

Lux and Nico are a young couple in need of a change after an unfulfilling job and personal tragedy.  The two find what seems like the perfect opportunity to get away and change things up.  The couple is hired to sail two friends Brittney and Amma to the remote island of Meroe in the South Pacific.  Expecting to be there alone they are surprised to find another boat there as well.  Soon (4) becomes (6) as Jake and Eliza, who appear to be not only wealthy but quite interesting and welcoming as well.  Before long the reality of their isolation sets in as does a feeling of desperation. Soon (6) become (4) and the reader is left wondering who to trust and whether there is someone else lurking in the remote jungle?

This was one of those thrillers that started out slow and I began to think this might not be for me. Barrie Kreinik is a great narrator though so I persisted. Soon as we begin to get insight into each character's secrets and past the story became more interesting.  I began to get the feeling that one or more of the players could not be trusted.  I loved the remote island setting. The story of told from the POV of Lux in the present and flashbacks to the past of all of the characters as well. The short chapters and the way the story was told held my interest once it got going. My suspicions proved correct yet I still wondered a bit about motivation when all was said and done.  Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Book Review - The Nightingale; Kristin Hannah

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  The Nightingale; Kristin Hannah

PUBLISHER:  St. Martins

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2015 

GENRE: Fiction / Historical / WWII

FORMAT:  print LENGTH:  pp. 567

SOURCE:  my shelves

SETTING(s):  France (1939 - 1945)

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A powerful story of two very different sisters and how their lives were impacted during WWII.

BRIEF REVIEW:   The Nightingale,  begins in 1998 Oregon with an elderly, unnamed woman sorting through papers and reflecting on her younger days as a young woman during the war.

Vianne and Isabelle are sisters whose lives take different paths after their mother died. Vianne, significantly older, marries Antoine and the couple and their young daughter Sophie move to the French countryside of Carriveau.  Isabelle had attended boarding school and when old enough to go it alone, the fearless, rebellious and independent Isabelle moves to Paris.  

As German troops move into France and war breaks out Antoine is called to serve and, in the countryside, everything changes for Vianne, a teacher, and daughter Sophie.  As the Germans infiltrate the countryside and one Nazi forces his way into her home, her instincts as protector of her young daughter kick into high gear and she must do what it takes for them survive the ordeal of war.  Meanwhile, Isabelle recovering from a love loss refuses to sit idly by as the brutal Nazi occupation grows, she joins the resistance movement, constantly putting her life at risk with every move she makes.

The strength of this novel, IMO, was not in the way in which it depicts the war, although the second half of the book was darker and more intense.  I still thought the war aspect felt mild in terms of describing the brutality and horror of war.  The author's strength was in the wonderful job she did describing how each sister was affected by war and what they had to endure and the sacrifices they made while the men were called to serve.  The women were often faced with agonizing choices and the utter strength and bravery shown by the sisters and other women made each of them heroes in their own right. 

A story of both survival and loss and ultimately redemption, based in part on a Belgian woman who inspired the role of Isabelle (The Nightingale) in the war effort.  I throughly enjoyed reading this novel and have gained a new appreciation for historical fiction in 2021 - my 9th book in this genre thus far.

RATING:  4.5/5  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

MEMORABLE QUOTES: 

“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

"It's not biology that determines fatherhood. It is love."

Book Review - A Month in the Country; J.L. Carr

TITLE/AUTHOR:  A  Month in the Country,  J.L. Carr

PUBLISHER: NYRB Classics

YEAR PUBLISHED:  1980 / 2000 NYRB

GENRE: Fiction Classics

FORMAT:  print PP/LENGTH: 135 pp

SOURCE: my shelves

SETTING(s):  Oxgodby England

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A quiet yet deeply moving story about the calming effects of a peaceful environment and power of art to heal ones suffering.

BRIEF REVIEW:  In the summer of 1920 Tom Birkin is a WWI veteran suffering the after effects of war. He has taken a job in the country, in the Yorkshire village of Oxgodby, restoring a medieval wall mural of Judgment Day, that had long been covered up in a rural church. The project is funded by a deceased benefactor yet, the Vicar Keach is not very happy to have Birkin there.

Tom spends long days up on the scaffolding and quiet nights sleeping on his thick woolen coat up in the belfry.  The work and atmosphere are calming , helpful in the recovery process having seen the horrors of war. There is also another veteran, Charles Moon who had been hired to work on locating a grave of an excommunicated member of the church.  As Tom's work extends longer than planned, the vicar is not too happy and anxious for him to move on.  His lovely wife Alice, unhappy in what appears to be a loveless marriage enjoys spending time talking with Tom.  There is also the Ellerbeck family who welcomes Tom into their home and brings him food offerings.  So it isn't a surprise that the job seems to be taking more of the summer than anticipated.

Told in the first person this is a short, stunning literary piece, as the author looks back nearly six decades after his "month in the country." I loved the writing and all of the intricate details whether it was of the rural landscape, details of church, the belfry or even the people Tom interacts with.  The setting was so tranquil, I felt calm and peaceful myself reading this one and I wanted it to last longer.  I thought the ending was bittersweet. 

I purchased this one along with a dozen or so other NYRB Classics over the last 5-10 years, such well-written literature and lovely to look at on the shelves as well.  This is the second NYRB I've finished in 2021. Sleepless Nights, Elizabeth Hardwick, is another that I enjoyed. It was my first book of 2021.

RATING: 5/5 stars (Don't Miss It)

MEMORABLE QUOTES: 

"The marvelous thing was coming into this haven of calm water and, for a season, not having to worry my head with anything but uncovering their wall-painting for them.  And, afterwards, perhaps I could make a new start, forget what the war and the rows with Vinny had done to me and begin where I'd left off.  This is what I need,  I thought -- a new start and, afterwards, maybe I won't be a casualty anymore."

"If I'd stayed there, would I always have been happy?  No. I suppose not.  People move away, grow older, die and the bright belief that there will be another marvelous thing around each corner fades. It is now or never, we must snatch at happiness as it flies."

Book Review - Nursing Homes are Murder; Mike Befeler

 

Nursing Homes Are Murder; Mike Befeler

                                                                      Five Star Pub - 2014 

Eighty-year-old Paul Jacobson has been on vacation with his new wife and family in Honolulu when he is asked to go undercover.  The job is to pose as a nursing home resident to help crack a case in a home where a few female residents have been robbed or sexually assaulted during the night.  Paul agrees and his wife Marion is housed in a condo next door to the facility for the interim.

Paul has a great memory by day but, come sundown confusion sets in and he must resort to writing things that happen in a journal.  Paul and his blind, war veteran roommate get along great. As Paul snoops around meeting residents and asking questions, it seems like there are several potential suspects to keep tabs on.

I was in need of a quick read, something totally different pre-election and, this cozy mystery that sat on my shelves for years fit the bill.  I liked the humor, lots of funny things happened even though it was sometimes over done, I liked it. The quirky seniors made me smile. 

I learned afterward that this was a series book (book 6 of a 6 book series with Paul Jacobson as amateur - sleuth). Since I hadn't read anything else by this author,  I wondered what  Paul's job was pre-retirement? I'm guessing he might have been a detective as why would he have been asked to go under cover?  Despite stepping in mid-stream, I still had fun with this one.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Nursing Homes Are Murder; Mike Befeler

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

The week, before our presidential election, I find myself in need of an easy, fun read. My pick is a  book I got at a library sale in 2015 or so.

Nursing Homes are Murder, Mike Befeler

Five Star Publishing - 2015

One

"Deep in contemplation over how much longer my eighty-five year old body and soggy mind would last, I sat on the balcony of our Hibiscus Hotel room overlooking The Honolulu Ala Wai Yatch Harbor.  I felt a surge of gratitude that my limbs moved and my organs did what they were supposed to, but I did have this one little problem--overnight my short-term memory disappeared like a mosquito being zapped in one of those electric traps.  Getting old was a pisser, but I counted my blessings to be here in this tropical paradise with my family."

I chuckled at the intro, and thought this just might be my stress-free reading pick of the week. It is actually part of a series, but I'll try it anyways.

Would you read more or pass?

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Good to a Fault; Marina Endicott

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.  I'm trying to read at least a couple of books from my own shelves each month of 2016 and this one that I had to buy in 2010 called out my name this week :)

Good to a Fault; Marina Endicott

2010 - Harper

1. Left Turn

"Thinking about herself and the state of her soul, Clara Purdy drove to the bank one hot Friday in July.  The other car came from nowhere, speeding through on the yellow, going so fast it was almost safely past when Clara's car caught it.  She was pushing on the brake, a ballot move, graceful--pulling back on the wheel with both arms as she rose, her foot standing on the brake--and then a terrible crash, a painful extended rending sound, when the metals met. The sound kept on longer than you'd expect, Clara thought, having time to think as the cars scrapped sides and changed each other's direction, as the metal ripped open and bent and assumed new shapes."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 

(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest; Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest; Stieg Larsson

Random House Audio - 2010

(Narrated by Simon Vance)

By now I'm sure most of my readers have heard of, read, or saw some of the movies included as part of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.  Although I read the first two books pretty soon after they were released the last one I saved until now, a perfect fit for the RIP X challenge.

Without giving away too much, Book 3 in this series begins with Lisbeth Salander in critical condition in the intensive care unit from a bullet wound to the head.  She's under armed guard and will likely face murder charges once she's out. There are others who would love to see her back to the locked insane asylum that she spent time in a young girl. Her father Alexander Zalachenko, a Soviet intelligence defector is also recovering in the same hospital and each is plotting to kill the other as they convalesce.  Meanwhile,  journalist Mikael Blomqvist continues his investigative work, communicating virtually with Lisbeth and uncovers a vast conspiracy he calls, "The Section"in the process.

The first half of this book moved kind of slow for me, it rehashes the past and sets up the scene for the action which follows.  This installment has more international and political intrigue than the first two books and for the most part it is equally satisfying.  

This trilogy MUST BE read in order for maximum enjoyment. Each book deals with tough subject matter at times -- Lisbeth was abused as a child, confined to an insane asylum at age 12, raped as a young adult, but she remains one tough cookie.  She is bent on revenge now matter how long it takes and the risks involved.  Politics, corruption, sexism, this book has it all.  The author did a terrific job bringing the treads together to a somewhat satisfying conclusion.  As always, Simon Vance did a terrific job given the various characters and dialects.

4/5 stars

(audio and print version)