We that are Left by Clare Clark

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 464

Source: Publisher

Genres: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Publication date: October 13th, 2015

Read on: 1st to 12th of November, 2015

I was contacted by the publisher and offered a copy of this book for review. My opinions are my own and haven't been influenced in anyway by them

Thoughts: When I first received the e-mail from the publisher offering me to read this book, they compared it to Downtown Abbey. Now, I have never actually watched the series (cue gasp), but as you probably know by now, I do love a good Historical Fiction novel, so I accepted. I was happy I did.

The book opens in 1920, giving us an idea of what’s to come. But the real story starts in 1910 and follows for the most part the lives of Jessica and Phyllis Melville, two sisters that couldn’t be more different, and that of Oskar Grunewald, a shy, quiet boy that just might change both their faiths. Jessica, the youngest of the sisters, is more than happy with her privileged life, and sees working as a fun endeavour, something to do before finding herself a good husband. Phyllis on the other hand would be called “down to earth”, she wants to see the world, be independent and doesn’t care about going through hardships as long as she can achieve her goals. Oskar just loves numbers and is through this love that he will get to go to university. The three lives keep crossing through the years and as kids turn into adults, passions flare up, love gets a chance and secrets get uncovered.

Clare Clark has a great prose; captivating and she sure knows how to build the environment around her characters. All through the book, whether the scene was taking place in Ellunghurst or in London, the atmosphere created was impeccable. From description of the scenery to everyone’s clothes Clark takes her time to set you in England during the 1910s. The main characters were all interesting in their own way, from the spoiled Jessica, to the stubborn Phyllis, none of the characters was perfect, but they were all exciting to get to know better.

That said, at several points I felt like the whole story was taking too long to develop. Some of the side stories (I feel) didn’t really give enough to the whole body, at least not enough for the amount of time spend in them. For example, and avoiding spoilers, the whole ordeal with the medium, I felt that part could’ve been removed and still get the point across on Eleanor’s character.

I enjoyed the idea of knowing where the story was going to end, but not how we got there. This is a perfect example where is not the destination, but the way there that matters. I knowing what I know about Downtown Abbey, I do believe that people who love the series are the perfect target for this story.

A Rogue by Any other Name by Sarah MacLean

Format: eBook

Pages: 386

Source: Library (OverDrive)

Genres: Romance

Publisher: Avon

Publication date: February 28th 2012

Read on: July 5th to 7th

Thoughts: One of the items for the Read Harder Challenge is to read a Romance novel. Now, I've only read 4 romance novels, including this one and I will admit, based on the other ones I've tried I was a bit hesitant about this part of the challenge. I decided to go for a Sarah MacLean since the creators of the challenge (the people from BookRiot) talk wonders about this series. I will say I was not disappointed by their recommendation but I probably I won't be visiting the genre any time soon.

A Rogue tells the story Penelope, the eldest sister of her family who was once engaged, but whose betrothed left her for another woman, basically tainting her name; and of Michael Lawler, a.k.a the Marques of Bourne, the rogue in our story, who lost his family wealth in a card game and it's looking for revenge. (chanchanchaaaaaaan)

Things I appreciated in the story: The epoch descriptions seemed well researched; the characters had fluid conversations and didn't seem forced (like the other romances I've tried); the sex scenes were actually exiting and not overly pushed for shock. I liked Penelope, while she has to remain a "lady" of her time; she is strong and will voice her opinions more often than not. She is not a pushover basically. Michael got on my nerves quite often, what with his martyr, nobody gets me tone. But he does get redeemed, I mean, it is a romance novel after all.

But as it happens with this genre (for me) it gets too predictable too soon. It was a fast read and I would even say fun at times. But when I already know what's coming 3 chapters ahead I find myself skimming the book, just not grabbed by it.

I would say if you want to start reading Romance, this one is probably a good place to start. Not a lot of clichés and, at least in my case, the sec scenes didn't get me rolling my eyes. 

 

This is your life, Harriet Chance by Jonathan Evison

Format: eGalley

Pages: 304

Series: NA

Source: NetGalley

Genres: General Fiction

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Publication date: Expected on September 8, 2015

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Algonquin Books for the book.

First impression

It's rare that I get to review books this far ahead from their publishing date, but I was lucky enough to be accepted for This is Your Life, Harriet Chance. Since it's not the final version I will not use any quotes. The reason why I asked for this book was that it had a blurb by Maria Semple, author of Where'd You go, Bernadette, a book I enjoyed. This and the description: an old woman, going on an adventure while confronting her past and her present. I am very happy I asked for the book even if it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. It has a darker tone than Bernadette and while this is not a bad thing, I came to the book with a different expectation. But I grew fond of Harriet and fell for the jumping in time narrative.

Final thoughts

As I mentioned, while the book did remind me of Semple's book, probably with the narrative style, this one had for me way less funny sides while keeping a dark humor. The author jumps in time with Harriet, so you can see her as a newborn, a teenager, a newlywed but almost never in a linear narrative. Harriet will be in her cruise cabin at 79 and the next chapter will be a flashback of her first office party in her early 20s.

For most of the book, the reader is kept in the dark about Harriet's past, only getting tiny glimpses that she herself is revisiting. Some things (big things that I won't give away, because spoilers) will be revealed at the same time for the reader and Harriet and so her tone changes a bit, she no longer sounds impassive, like just remembering, but much more emotional.

I kept debating whether this was a 3 or a 4 for me. You see, it was a good read, a fast read, with a lot of things going on but not on a messy way. However, I finally settled for a 3 because I was left with the sensation that something was missing from the end of the story, something that would round up the whole thing better. I hate saying this type of things, because it can sound like I think I could've done better, and that's not what I mean. I can't say what is that thing that feels missing for me, I can only tell you that's the case.

I would definitely recommend this book to others, mostly people who liked the style of Where'd you go, Bernadette and people who enjoy slowly getting to know the main character, by little pieces. 

Hausfrau: A Novel by Jill Alexander Essbaum

Format: eGalley

Pages: 336

Series: NA

Source: NetGalley

Genres: General Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher: Random House

Publication date: March 24, 2015

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Random House for the book.

First impression

So many people were talking about this one, so when I saw it on NetGally (and also look at the cover, so gorgeous) I immediately asked for it. Jill Alexander Essbaum has a very captivating style that makes you want to keep reading; makes you want to know what happens next. In that sense, the book was great. The plot was interesting too as well as the setting. But (and you knew there was a but coming) I did not enjoy the main character one bit. I am perfectly ok with unlikable characters, Gone Girl being a perfect example of this, where both Nick and Amy are completely unlikable, but they are enjoyable. I found myself wanting the story to be told from someone else’s perspective, other than Anna’s and that’s what made this a 3/5 book for me.

Final thoughts

Anna Benz is a housewife (a Hausfrau) in Switzerland. She has the “perfect” life, a handsome and successful husband, 3 loving, healthy, beautiful kids, a house…but she is bored. She hasn’t adapted to her new environment, and has fallen in a tedious routine, that she tries to break by going to German classes (suggested by her therapist). But is not good. The only thing that seems to take Anna out of her stupor is lovers: she collects lovers.

The writing in this novel is simple beautiful and enticing. That is what kept me going. The author builds a rhythm that grabs you and takes all along, wanting to know more, walking through the disorganized thoughts of Anna’s head. As you read, you find yourself in the busy days in Zurich, in the train, in her walks. The building of the environment is so well done.

But then I just couldn’t enjoy Anna. Is not that she is unlikable (she is, but that is not the problem) or that she seems sad and selfish most of the time. No, a character doesn’t have to upbeat or even likable for me to enjoy the reading. It was just that, I could not enjoy getting in Anna’s skin. I would found myself jumping to paragraphs where other were being depicted, or even the angle was posed on the situation itself, but no on Anna.

I can definitely see myself reading more by the author, again, she has a wonderful narrative. I would recommend this one to several of my friends actually, there is something beyond Anna that makes me want other people around me to read it so I can discuss it even more. 

As For Me and My House by Ross Sinclair

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 221

Series: NA

Source: Library

Genres: Canadian Literature

Publisher: New Canadian Library (Penguin Random House Canada)

Publication date: January 1st 1989 (first published in 1941)

First impression

On my "quest" to read more Canadian Literature I joined the Hello Hemlock book club and this was the first pick of 2015. Being the first time I read anything from the author I had no idea what to expect. What I found was a very raw, rather bleak image of Saskatchewan in the 1940s. This is not a bad thing mind you, I feel like the author managed to translate not only the coldness of the weather but the coldness of the people in his story. However, the story being told by the wife (she remains nameless all through the book) I was sad, albeit not surprised, to have it told in a submissive, almost weak voice that had let go of all desires and dreams.

It's a woman's way, I suppose, to keep on trying to subdue a man, to bind him to her, and it's a man's way to keep on just as determined to be free

Final thoughts

While I enjoyed the experience given by this story I did not enjoy the story itself, nor did I like the narrator. Our narrator was (in my opinion) the image of "her time" almost to the dot. Left her dreams of being a musician behind, bends to her husband's decisions even if she doesn't agree with them, and puts her down quite often. The book was originally published in the early 1940s, so I would think that she is a product of the woman image back then and the construction of a character that is meant to be sorrowful and heartbroken. As I mentioned, I haven't read anything else from Ross so I can't be sure if that's the way he always depicted women, but this fragile type of female character was pretty common for a long time, particularly when the author was male.

The narrator is a complex one, that I have to admit, but I just felt sad every time she would talk about herself. A couple of time she would try to take a stand, to afterwards either feel guilty, or just bend to others whims. Towards the end she sort of becomes determined, but for all the wrong reasons.

What did I enjoyed about the experience was mostly related to the landscape described by the author. It was very immersive; I could easily feel the emptiness of the landscape, the loneliness of the small town and more than the physical landscape, it is easy to understand the "feel" of the town: the lack any culture other than the one related to the Protestant church, the pettiness of some of the characters and off course, the dependence on appearances in such a small enclave as this small town is portrayed.

The part I probably liked the most is the cultural critique, namely: In the car, Paul said thoughtfully that that was the worst penalty inflicted by education, the way it separates you from the people who are really close to you, among whom you would otherwise belong. I chose this quote because it is something that, as any grad student has probably felt, the more specialized you become on one subject, the highest the risk to isolate yourself of other people whom, in other situation, you would enjoy immensely.

I guess I can see why this is one of the mandatory reads for many schools here in Canada. I can also see why so many readers found it heavy to read and ultimately not engaging, or boring even. I am not sure who I would recommend this book, other than to others like me that would like to learn a bit more of Canadian Literature.

Solo en Berlín (Every Man Dies Alone) by Hans Fallada

Format: Paperback

Pages: 575

Series: NA

Source: Own

Genres: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Maeva

Publication date: June 2011 (Originally published in 1947 as Jeder stirbt für sich allein)

First impression

Set on Germany on the early 1940s and based on a true story, the author tells the story of the Quangels, a middle aged couple who lose their only child to war. Both were part of the Nazi party as workers but with this shock coming to their lives makes them question the whole regime. It is how they start writing post cards with anti fascist messages, questioning the Fuhrer and his actions and dropping them in places with high traffic in the hopes that their questioning might expand. The book also tells the story of their neighbours: a member of the SS forces, a Jewish widow, a pathetic tattletale with too much greed and even their post lady, who is tired of her drunken husband.

The book was actually written during the war, first published in 1946, which gave it a lot of realistic tones both in the characters and in the events going on. Unfortunately, I believe there was a lot lost in translation, particularly in the dialogues which made it hard for me to fully enjoy the read. I could feel all the important messages and nuances, but they felt buried under the effect of translation.

Final thoughts

Several members of my family read this book and fairly enjoyed it. I was not one of them. The main characters where very well constructed both as individuals and as a couple. When the book was describing what they would do and their thoughts I would be engrossed and amazed at them...but then the dialogues would come and somehow they speech seemed forced or even fake. I feel the need to point out here that the version I was reading was a translation in Spanish from Spain (or Castilian if you prefer) so my brain couldn't overlook the expressions used and the sentence construction so different from my own. Sadly, this carried all through the book and I would find myself wanting to put the book down or even wanting to skip the dialogues.

I also felt, that while the secondary characters gave extra perspectives of the war itself, there were too many of them and while the author certainly tried to give a deeper view of all of them some of them felt (to me) like a half baked idea. You can argue that books as LOTR have tons of secondary characters, and off course you would be right, but they are treated as secondary characters all along, and hence if their story ends, it doesn't feel like someone just turned off a switch all of the sudden. With Fallada's secondary characters, the feeling was that they might actually become main characters so when their parts were over I was left with an unfulfilled feeling.

The other thing that made it hard for me to engage was the pacing of the book; the first ¾ of the book felt extremely slow, while I will admit that there was a lot of build up, but more than once I considered DNF because I could not get fully engaged. My family encouraged me to continue and it is true that when I arrived to the last part of the book, the rhythm certainly picked up but it still felt a little too late.

One thing that set this book apart from other war books I've read is the keen eye Fallada had to describe human's nature, not just in the extremes moments but everyday situations.

The book was put together by the author in 24 days, a bit before his dead at age 81. It is considered to one of the first anti-Nazi novel, and it is particular not only by the fact that it is based on real facts, but because it was written by a German author, right after the war. All of this is still remarkable. However I can't in all honestly say that the book gave me more than I was expected and to a point it was limit to what I thought it would be. I would recommend this book to people that enjoy war stories with a very realistic (and sad I have to add) feel.

The Isolation Door by Anish Majumdar

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the book. The expected publishing date is November 25.

First impression

The first novel of this author, inspired by her owns experience with a mother with schizophrenia, the book’s description really felt like what I was looking for; something different, a drama and even better, one inspired by real events. While in this sense the story certainly gives you a unique point of view it felt to me that there was a lack of flow, and certain event just felt abrupt and some characters were underdeveloped, even though they would at first seem quite relevant. I think this are all “problems” due to the fact that it is a first novel but the potential is definitely there and I believe we will have more news from Mr. Majumdar.

Final thoughts

Neil Kappor is the main voice in this story; at 23 he is just starting drama school and he is trying to start this new life without the influence that her mother’s schizophrenia has had on anything else. He doesn’t count with the full support of his father, a university professor, who is afraid that going into drama school will only affect Neil in negative way and even push him to be develop the same illness as his wife. Neil will go to school determined to show him different and in this path he will also fall in love with Emily. As the story advances Neil will have to learn that everybody has problems in their lives and that hiding them doesn’t solve them.

The book started great, very touching and compelling. However, as Neil goes to school and meets new people and gets into “the college life” it began to feel like any other story about a boy getting to college. At certain points it even felt like the schizophrenia story was forgotten. And then you have Emily and the other “friends” Neil gets. They all seemed so messed up and yet could be oh so very boring and predictable. While I believe the idea was to exactly show that everyone has something to deal with, throwing a bunch of broken characters but only showing the cracks seemed superfluous and at times unnecessary. I would’ve preferred less characters and more development of the main ones. I barely got to know the father, or Auntie or for that matter Neil or his mother.

I haven’t been exposed directly to someone with a mental illness such as schizophrenia; when I approached the book I was not expecting to learn about the illness, but rather what it is to live with it or with someone with it. Unfortunately by the end of the book I didn’t get that. Very little family dynamics, only presented as memories, and even then they were very sporadic. I wish we would’ve had chapters about the mother, before and during her stay at the hospital, which by the way, seemed terrifying.

Towards the end it read more like a coming of age story, which is not bad, but again, I approached the book expecting it to be more about the mental illness and less about Neil finding himself through drama school. I would’ve also liked a bit more of the Bengali culture.

Three Daughters: A novel by Consuelo Saah Baehr

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the book. The expected publishing date is November 25.

First impression

When I first saw this on NetGalley it grabbed my attention almost immediately; beginning with the gorgeous cover and then reading that it was a three generation saga of Palestinian women. I had to read it!. I have to admit that when I saw it was 720 pages I was a bit overwhelmed, but I was so interested in the story I told myself to just start reading. While I am happy I did, after finishing it I still feel the book could've been considerably shorter.

Final thoughts

The story begins with the story of Myriam, from 1882 to 1920. She is the first daughter in this trigenerational story. Daughter of Jamilla and Mustafa who happens to be deaf. Her fair skin and reluctance to speak marks her as the odd one, and then when she finally speaks she has a very deep voice, which doesn't help her. She will feel ostracized by her own mother, but she will have the opportunity to go to school learn not only to speak but also to write a bit. She is the first step into improving (to my eyes) the conditions of the women in her clan. Myriam will give birth to 4 kids, the last one being Nadia (the second daughter) who will go even further in her education and way in live, having the last daughter: Nijmeh. I don't want to give anything away, but both Nadia's and Nijmeh's stories are way more than what you might think.

That said, since every daughter in the story was going further, at least education wise, I was expecting this to be more relevant in their outcomes. Don't get me wrong, it did have certain relevance, but inevitably the women in the story seemed to be framed by the man they would marry or get involved with. I though Nadia was going to be a stronger character but then she gets pretty much swayed away and for me it felt like a flickering light going out.

I mentioned that the book could've been shorter. Once again, this is just my opinion. You see, a lot of times the story would go on the branches; several situations would be developed to all of the sudden get closed abruptly. For a book this long there were many sudden changes that at times felt out of nowhere. In the same chapter I would be confronted with side stories that didn't bring that much to the main story, yet will take a big part of the chapter while at the same time there would be a completely change of character that felt random and awkward.

It was certainly a lovely story, and if you are looking for a multigenerational story set in the middle East this would be perfect for you.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

First impression

I got this book for Christmas in 2013 and for some reason or another I didn't get to it until now (Oct 2014). To clarify, I got the book because I asked for it and I was really looking forward to reading it, since I've heard wonderful things about it. As it turns out, it was not my cup of tea. It is the first Western, or Western-like book that I've ever read and I guess it is just not my genre. The writing was witty and it made me laugh a couple of times, but the story itself never got to me in the way I thought it would based on the reviews

Final thoughts

The book was entertaining but I never engaged with any of the characters. More often that I would like to admit I found myself forgetting who was who, and there aren’t even that many characters in the story.

Charlie and Elie Sisters work for the Commodore and their job is fairly simple: to dispose (a.k.a kill) of people who get in his way during the Gold Rush. This time they are ordered to Herman Kermit Warm, only with the knowledge that he took something that didn’t belong to him. They set on their quest, moving across Oregon all the way to San Francisco, dealing with the inclement weather, the dessert, a bad tooth and each other.

Something that I found extremely amusing was the whole ordeal with tooth paste; it was a perfect example of the type of humour the book has. Is just that the funny parts were not enough for me to get grabbed into the story.

The writing was flawless; the description and construction of setting was spot on. But the characters…and is not a “they are not likeable” complaint. They are not, but they are not meant to be. I do not think that characters have to always be likeable; but I do think they have to be engaging, make you want to know what is going with them.

This book was not for me at the end. But I am not the Western type, even in movies. I like Blazing Saddles, but that is the extent of it. If you do enjoy this type of genre, I would say go for it!

Die I will Not by S.K. Rizzolo (John Chase Mistery #3)

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the book. The books is expected to be published on November 4th, 2014

First impression

This happens to me more often that I would like to admit...I start a book and I realized that is part of a series. But I decided to continue with it, because it was a crime book, setting in Georgian London! As it turns out the main story, the murder of a prominent editor could stand alone, but it wasn't as excited as I was hoping for. On the other hand the story of Penelope Wolfe seemed interesting, but unfortunately a lot of back-story was just hinted and so I was at lost there.

Final thoughts

First the things I enjoyed: the setting and description of it was very nice. The author definitely does a wonderful job putting your mind in the Georgian era, not only with fashion descriptions but the streets, situation and even in the dialogues.

I could feel that Penelope is quite a strong character and there are hints to her past, but off course you are supposed to know the nuances of it because you have read the previous books.

If I concentrate in the mystery itself, while I cannot say that it was predictable I wasn't grabbed by the story in a way that I would've try to guess beforehand who had committed the murder.

I would probably suggest this to other that really like Georgian set pieces, with the caveat that they should read the previous two books before. Maybe if I had better knowledge of the recurrent characters I would've drifted less often from the book and enjoyed the mystery part a bit more.

Mademoiselle: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History by Rhonda K. Garelick

I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Random House for the book.

First impression 
 
I've always been interested on the lives of women that had somehow (for good or for bad) changed the course of history. Coco Chanel is one of these women. I've already read The Gospel according to Coco Chanel and loved it, so given the opportunity to get to know more of her life beyond the pearls I couldn't let it pass. As I finished reading Mademoiselle I have for certain learn more about the person she was and how she got to the position she ended up, however I was not expecting so much information on the lovers she had and other people around her.

Final thoughts

I really enjoyed the first chapters, where we learn about her childhood, shedding a lot of light on her character as well as her perseverance to become a success. However, as the she grew older and hence started having men in her life, at times it felt like this was the only subject. I understand that being who she was it is hard to separate her life from that of her companions but since I was expecting a bit more of the world around her and no the men around her this came as extra information that, while well researched and interesting at times, would not help me know the character of Chanel better. And then again, when it came to Igor Stravinsky it almost felt like a brushing by for him. All other men got almost full chapters and him? He felt like an extra thought.

With a title such as "The Pulse of History" I was expecting to learn (or re learn at times) about her role during the wars, and in this I was not disappointed. The book shows a whole different Chanel than the elegant, always poised woman I've had in my head for long time. Reading about her being ruthless not only with herself, but everyone around her, particularly with her own family made me see her on a completely different light. I assumed that rising to as much as she did was not easy, and I assumed she had to step on a lot of toes...but man, she was so cruel at times.

The book, as I mentioned, it is very well researched. Unfortunately, since this was only a uncorrected proof the footnotes were not already inserted on the corresponding page, but they are all there, along with a complete bibliography. It also includes a fair amount of graphic information, not only with pictures but documents and other.

The other reason why I gave this book only 3 out of 5 is because several times it felt repetitive and even redundant on its views and anecdotes about Chanel. While I understand that with a nonfiction book is not an option to have plot twists, repeating the same story in several chapters gets boring. 

The Late-Starters Orchestra by Ari. L Goldman

 

I asked and received this book through the LybraryThing Early Reviewers program for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. Thanks to Algonquin Books for the book.

First impression

When I first read the description of this book for some reason I put it in my mind as fiction so when I finally got my copy it was a nice surprise to realize it was indeed a non-fiction part memoir. The author decides to take back his learning of the cello when he is approaching his 60s. It is not the first time he tries the instrument, since he had his first lessons in his 20s, but then for some reason or another wasn't able to continue. This book tells us about his new reconnecting with the instrument, the memories this brings as well as the challenges.

Final thoughts

I started my violin lessons when I was 12, and I was already considered a late starter. I didn't continue after I turn 17 because my last year of high school was busy enough. Reading this memoir made me think that maybe eventually I will take it back.

As I mentioned, we follow the author through his journey of getting back in the saddle with his instrument with speckles of his daily activities, his son's Judah's love for the cello, his past and the reasons why he wanted to do this so wholeheartedly. With a very sincere voice and a very easy to follow prose, the author shows us not only his journey but also those of fellow musicians that he encounters in the different orchestras and courses he takes. He also gives a bit of information on how an orchestra works and the specifications of a learning cello.

The book reminded me of A.J. Jacobs a bit with less of a humoristic view of the situation. Maybe because of this fact I was not fully blown away by the story. It is very sweet to sees his interactions with Judah and how differently they approach the music. I think maybe if I would've read other books from the author before, I would be more used to his family (which is the case for me with Jacobs) and hence I wouldn't feel a lack of info for the other children and his wife.

The book itself is very pretty, with darling illustrations. I would recommend this to anyone like me, that still keeps their instrument in the closet, hoping to one day use it again :)