Pearl

Pearl by Tabitha King (1988)

Pearl Dickenson inherits a piece of property in Nodd's Ridge, Maine from a great-uncle she has never met. Rather than selling it off, she moves there to settle down. She is biracial and beautiful and her novelty turns heads. She takes over a diner from a local and makes it her own, putting most of her energy into running the business. When she's not at work she is dividing her time between two men, becoming ever more deeply embroiled in her complicated love triangle.

Pearl was making a pretty big mess of her life and seemed completely unconcerned about deceiving two decent men. This is a small town; the heartbreak she may cause won't just go away. Although I never completely sympathized with her, I became quite drawn into her situation and very concerned about which guy she would end up with (if, indeed, she ended up with either after she two-timed them both.) David, a poet with a tragic past, is romantic and passionate. In fact, his passions are so strong they sometimes border on violence, enough to make me a bit uncomfortable with a couple of the sex scenes. Still, he is emotionally fragile and basically a decent person who was just screwed up because of his experiences. Pearl's other flame is Reuben, a single father of two, one of whom was Pearl's employee. Karen is a high school dropout with an older boyfriend and a hot body she likes to show off - basically every father's nightmare. Reuben feels helpless to control Karen, but desperate to make sure his ex-wife (and her preacher husband) don't get custody. He hadn't dated since his marriage and doesn't have especially high self-esteem, but was definitely the front-runner in this race in terms of a potentially stable long-term relationship.

The third person narration stayed fairly distant, and I quickly became frustrated not knowing what was going on in Pearl's head. As she conducted her affairs with both Reuben and David it seems like she had to know what a horrible situation she was creating and that she would eventually be found out. But I only know what she said and did, and had few clues to her motivations. It was also hard to understand why she gave up her life to move to this town and start over, and I didn't feel like it was ever adequately explained. Nor the reason why she got a Master's in Library Science but wanted to own a diner. Her career transition remained mysterious. She wasn't the most convincing out-of-stater either, seamlessly transitioning to this town without even the tiniest complaint of the weather, the distance to nearby towns, or even the most mundane observation to illustrate the fact that she was from someplace else. I grew up in Maine and have met a lot of people who came from other states and believe me, the transition would be noticeable.

I'm conflicted about the way race is treated in the novel. When it came up, as it did when certain characters hurled epithets at Pearl, it was glossed over easily. She would laugh them off and explain that she didn't have time to fret over how other people thought. On the one hand, I sort of gave her props for not bogging herself down in other people's bigotry issues. On the other hand though, what the hell? You are moving to a place where everybody else is white and some people are giving you shit for not being white and that's all you have to say about it? Which brings me to the very interesting subject of authors writing about characters of a different race. This could be an entire blog post (and perhaps it will be.)  In short, I think that part of writing fiction is creating characters who are not you - that is why it's fiction - but there is still something a little discomfiting about white authors creating main characters who are not white. I kind of wonder why King made Pearl biracial at all, because it didn't add a whole lot to the story.

On a lighter note, I found it pretty hilarious that there were references to a character from The Shining, the classic horror novel by Tabitha King's husband Stephen. Pearl learned to cook from one Dick Halloran who worked at her stepfather's diner in the Florida Keys in the winter, but in summer cooked at the infamous Overlook Hotel. (There was also a passing reference to Cujo, but it was the 80s and any mention of dogs at that time conjured up images of that particular rabid canine.)

This sounds fairly complainy, but honestly I enjoyed reading this novel. Pearl isn't the first woman to appear outwardly successful while mucking up her personal life and overall I found whole story quite satisfying. It took me a while to get into, but then I became immersed in the lives of everyone in this small town, and it felt a bit like reading Richard Russo or Stewart O'Nan. Small town stories have great appeal, and I especially like stories about women moving somewhere and making new lives for themselves, fixing up a house or starting a business. Overall a satisfying read.

Instructions for a Heatwave

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell (2013)

One morning Gretta Riordan's husband goes out to get the paper and doesn't return. Her children then gather at her house for the first time in years to offer support and try to get to the bottom of their father's disappearance. Michael Francis is married with children of his own, but his marriage is precarious. Aoife returns from New York where she is desperately trying to manage a job and a relationship, while protecting a lifelong secret she won't be able to hide for much longer. Monica, the favorite, is in her second marriage and disliked by her stepdaughters. She and Aoife haven't spoken since a terrible fight three years before. Despite all their troubles the children come together to search for clues in their father's disappearance, all during the worst heatwave Britain had seen for years.

Set in 1976, the family doesn't have the benefit of the internet or cell phones so the clues come slowly. This great for the reader, who can now bask in O'Farrell's gorgeous prose while soaking up all the back stories in this fascinating and troubled family.

Everybody in this novel has secrets and those secrets destroy bits of their lives. The biggest of all, of course, is the one that makes Robert Riordan leave home that day. What was most fascinating, I think, was the way that this family (and many families) talk to each other, or don't. Important stories remain untold, certain situations unexplained. It's probably common, but here it is elevated to something quite artful.

It's not hard to see why their communication is so poor. When Robert first goes missing, Gretta calls one of her kids and starts prattling on about the key to the shed being missing. She off-handedly mentions that if she had any idea where Robert was, she'd have the key, and that's how her family learns that their father is gone. But Gretta isn't a scatterbrain; she's an Irish Catholic mother, stern and quick to judge, just maybe taking a few too many prescription drugs.

While I enjoyed most of the characters, my favorite by far is Aoife. Her situation is precarious and while her family saw her as kind of a mess, she is in fact doing a remarkable job of hiding the fact that she can't read. (This comes up very early in the book so is not a spoiler.) She has made a life for herself far from her family, working for a photographer she greatly admires, and is in a fledging relationship. But all could be lost if her secret is found out. Aoife is vulnerable and misunderstood and I just loved her.

Have I mentioned that Maggie O'Farrell is brilliant? I may have in my reviews of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox and The Hand That First Held Mine. She comes up with a great idea for a story, usually involving family secrets, and then tells it with beautiful language, multi-dimensional characters and a strong atmosphere. She's been around for a while but only now finally gaining popularity in the US, and it is completely deserving. If you haven't tried her books yet, you're in for a treat!

Sunday Knitting

It's been a while since I shared the first picture of my Amish Broom Corn Sock, but I've now finished the pair.

I kind of like how the striping looks, especially on the heel. I'm not personally a big fan of high-contrast colorways, but these socks are for Eric and he picked out the yarn.

They were quite simple and straightforward. I had some trouble initially because the yarn is a little thicker than I expected for sock yarn, but once I restarted on size 1.5 needles with fewer stitches it went quite smoothly. There's not a lot to say about these. I'm hoping that now I'll turn to my other unfinished projects rather than immediately casting on for something new, as I'm always tempted to do the moment I finished a project.

The Book of Blood and Shadow

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman (2012)

To escape the halls of Chapman Prep, Nora Kane takes a job as research assistant at the nearby university along with her best friend Chris and his college roommate Max. The job: translating letters that the professor (known as The Hoff) believes will help unlock the secrets of the mysterious Voynich manuscript. Just as their work begins to yield clues, Chris is murdered and Max goes missing. The only witness is Chris's girlfriend Adriane, who is in such shock she cannot remember anything from that night. Reeling from the tragedy, Nora and Adriane are determined to find out who killed Chris and embark on a dangerous journey to Prague. Not knowing what to believe or who to trust, the two young women investigate secret societies, dark conspiracies, and rumors of a machine that will talk to God.

In summary, this novel is sort of like The Da Vinci Code, but well-written and starring teenagers. But in this case, the fun, fast-paced story of mystery and intrigue contains a layered plot and complex characters.

Nora is not your typical high school student. She separates her life into two eras: Before Dead Brother and After Dead Brother. BDB she was a pretty typical kid in a pretty typical family. Then her brother got drunk, stole a car, and ran into a tree killing himself and his passenger. Her family destroyed, Nora lost herself in the one thing she always excelled at: Latin. It was her proficiency in the language that led her to Chapman Prep and then to the research assistant job. Her role was translating letters from Elizabeth Weston, the stepdaughter of a man named Edward Kelley who was associated with the manuscript. The Hoff was pretty convinced that Elizabeth's letters were insignificant (she was just a teenage girl, after all) but Nora became convinced otherwise, and became consumed by the letters and felt a strong connection with Elizabeth Weston.

The other characters were also well-developed and intriguing. Nora has an unlikely partner in Adriane, who is far less serious but can surprisingly rise to the occasion when needed. Adriane is a recognizable teenager, unpredictable and somewhat of an enigma. She can be hard to figure out because she hasn't figured herself out yet. Nora's boyfriend Max is the primary suspect in Chris's murder, and Nora is convinced of his innocence from the start. But clearly he is somehow involved, and the twists and turns of the plot keeps Nora and Adriane guessing. When Chris's cousin Eli appears to help them solve the mystery, he also is a wild card in terms of his loyalties. The characters were all played off each other quite expertly, only deepening the mysteries of the story.

More sophisticated and descriptive than a lot of writing for young adults, Wasserman's style adds to the atmosphere that is so important to the novel. Here's a passage describing a cemetery:

"Here the worn, chipped, dented, tired graves were crammed together, sagging at alarming angles, their inscriptions mostly worn away. A few clusters of three, even four stones leaned on one another, as if the ground beneath them had mercifully shifted to allow for the comfort of contact."

At the same time, it's not all so serious as to be unbelievable. Nora and Adriane are sarcastic and funny at times, and even when I wasn't sure how much I liked them (especially Adriane) I did like spending time with them on their adventure.

The plot revolves around the Voynich manuscript, which is a real book of unclear origin written in a language nobody has been able to decipher, accompanied by strange illustrations. Many theories abound about its authenticity and meaning and after finishing the novel I immediately began to read all about it. The book has been scanned and you can view it here. It's worth taking a look for the illustrations alone. I liked that the story weaves in a real-world mystery, and reading this you accidentally learn about steganography, and the difference between a code and cipher. Educational!

I hadn't even heard of The Book of Blood and Shadow until I received it as a gift and I'm surprised it isn't more well-known. There are few young adult mystery/thriller novels that aren't paranormal and that alone would make it unique. But elevating it even more is the sophisticated plot and characters, with writing that really helps immerse the reader in the world. It was great fun to read!

Persuasion

Persuasion by Jane Austen (1817), narrated by Juliet Stevenson 

Eight years ago Anne Elliot was engaged to Frederick Wentworth, but broke it off because her friend Lady Russell disapproved. She has regretted it ever since. Anne's family in the meantime has come into financial difficulties, and they are forced to leave Kellynch Hall and rent it out. When the new tenants arrive, it turns out the wife is none other than Captain Wentworth's sister, and soon Wentworth himself returns to the area. But there are many single ladies also hoping to make a good marriage and Captain Wentworth seems to pay little attention to Anne. After waiting so long, will Anne finally be united with the man she loves, or is it time to finally give up all hope and move on?

I liked Anne Elliot as much for her vulnerabilities as for her strengths. Like Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennet, she would not settle for a man just because he was interested in her if she was unable to respect him. But when it came to the man she really did love, her insecurities came to the fore. Already 27, Anne knew she was past her prime (!) and not as attractive as she once was. Yet she felt she was still essentially the same (probably much like my 40-year-old self is convinced I'm just the same as when I was 25.) Every time she was around Captain Wentworth she tried to gauge his reaction to her and to the other, younger women around them. She wasn't pining away pathetically; she just knew that ending their relationship so many years ago was a bad choice and hoped he knew that too.

There is much more romantic intrigue than just the non-relationship between Anne and Captain Wentworth. A friend of Elizabeth Elliot's is trying to insinuate herself into the good favor of their widowed father. The intriguing Captain Benwick is still mourning the death of his fiance. Anne's cousin William Elliot also returned after years of estrangement, and was clearly seeking out a love interest. In addition to Anne, eligible young ladies included those of the family that Anne's sister Mary married into, the Musgroves. There were enough characters of both sexes to keep me wondering who would end up with whom, without getting everybody confused.

I can't figure out what is so satisfying about Jane Austen's books (of which I have only read two so far.)  I love being immersed in this world, though I certainly wouldn't want to live it. The social obligations alone would do me in, but the utter boredom that these people must feel sometimes could not be borne, I don't think. None of them have jobs or careers, and the young women occupy themselves only with gossip and the hopes of someday being married and having children, presumably just to give them something to do. How could they stand it? And yet. To have so few responsibilities, so much time to think, seems positively luxurious sometimes.

This was a difficult book to listen to, though not through the fault of the wonderful narrator, Juliet Stevenson. Austen's sentence constructions can be tough to follow out loud, but it was so good that I didn't mind skipping back to listening to bits of it over again when needed. I did that a lot. I also grabbed a paperback copy from the library and read parts of it after listening to make sure I didn't miss anything. I might read this again, or listen to it again. I don't know what it is about Jane Austen that bears so much repetition, but I likely won't grow tired of this story just as I haven't grown tired of the BBC production of Pride & Prejudice which, despite the 5-hour length, I have watched over and over again. I will look for this narrator again, especially if I decide to listen to another of Austen's books.

I'll certainly be consuming more of her work in some form or another. Austen fans, which title do you recommend I try next?

Tiny Beautiful Things

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (2012)

Before Cheryl Strayed became famous with her memoir Wild, she wrote an advice column for The Rumpus. The best of those columns, plus some never-before-published columns, were brought together in this collection of questions followed by eloquent essays. The book is arranged in five parts, I assume thematically, though I can't quite identify the themes. But it doesn't matter.

I will admit that I was a bit put off by the first column, when she began answering a relationship question with a story about her dead mother. Oh, I thought, this is all about you, is it? I got over that pretty quickly. Strayed may take a slightly circuitous route to get to her response, but it makes for a beautiful essay.

Her advice is insightful and compassionate, and even when the asker is obviously at fault she will jibe them in the most affectionate way: "I love the way you wrote to me with your searching, scared, knuckleheaded, nonchalant, withholding dudelio heart on full display." ("Dudelio" is a dude-related word she made up just for this person.) Strayed gets you, no matter who you are, because she has also made huge mistakes and has learned from them and is now ready to impart that wisdom. She can also be funny. She begins one response with "I'd rather be sodomized by a plastic lawn flamingo than vote for a Republican, but as I consider your situation, I can't help but quote the former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld..."

She's also not afraid to take a hard-line stance when she needs to. She told a gay guy to get out of his fundamentalist Christian parents' house rather than pretend he was straight, and she advised a woman with an abusive older brother to stop seeing him despite the hurt it would cause her parents. She explains why with a deeply persuasive clarity. She is fond of boundaries. "Boundaries teach people how to treat you, and they teach you how to respect yourself."

Some of the questions she received were unanswerable. The most heart-wrenching was from a man whose son, an only child, had been killed by a drunk driver four years earlier. His letter was in the form of a list because he found it so difficult to compose an actual letter, and it didn't even have a real question because he knew his problem was unsolvable. He wanted his son back, and could not have his son back. How can one even respond to such a thing? With eloquence and grace in this case. Strayed rose to the challenge and penned a beautiful, sympathetic response - also in the form of a list - in which she commends the man's strength in making it this far and somehow manages to speak in an uplifting way of all the things his son has yet to teach him. It was truly amazing.  

I just loved reading this book, and I couldn't help but think of Ann Patchett. They both write exquisitely perfect sentences and have beautiful, wise insights that they manage to capture on the page eloquently. (Why aren't I as smart and amazing as these women? How does one get there?) Of course, it wasn't written entirely by Cheryl Strayed - it was also written by the many lost and confused and bewildered and hurting people in an astounding array of difficult situations. They were the inspirations for each one of Strayed's pieces of writing.

I loved Wild and still think about it and recommend it and will likely read it again. Tiny Beautiful Things is different because it's not one story, but many stories, and for that reason it may not stick with me quite the same way. But I will remember it and I will recommend it. I will also eagerly await Cheryl Strayed's next work of nonfiction.

The Best of All Possible Worlds

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord (2013)

The Sadiri are suddenly a people without a planet, much of their population destroyed in an attack. Now they are on Cygnus Beta, embarking on a journey around the planet to visit groups they may share genetic similarities with in the hopes of finding potential mates for the large number of male survivors, thus ensuring the future of their race. Grace Delarua, a government liaison with a talent for languages, accompanies them on their journey around her planet as they visit various cultural groups to learn more about them.

I read so many great reviews of this book, and desperately wanted to like it as I desperately want to like all science fiction that ends up disappointing me (see: The Windup Girl, for example). I loved the idea of this story, and although I mostly enjoyed reading it, it felt rather cold and distant. The narrator could have been any of dozens of characters I've read before. Though her conversational style seemed promising early on, she was simply not very well developed, nor were the other characters.

Specific aspects of the story that I found kind of fascinating went unexplored. One character, Lian, is described as being "gender neutral" which "may or may not mean that Lian is asexual, though many of those who are registered as gender-neutral are indeed so." The significance of this declaration is never explained, though it seems to negate the possibility of a romantic relationship. Why? And how many people declare themselves gender neutral? Late in the story, Grace's mother confesses to a possible relationship with a married woman, and Grace asks "Are you sure she's interested in you or is it both of them?" Are three-person relationships a thing on Cygnus Beta? I will never know because none of this was explained. Perhaps this just isn't supposed to be what the book is about, but there is a romance taking shape throughout the novel and the journey is very much about finding mates for people, so I think my criticisms here are relevant. I want to know more about the gender/relationship landscape of this planet.

As for that romance, it felt flat for me. Although it was easy to see Grace and Dllenahkh's friendship solidify through the story, there was no romantic/sexual tension whatsoever. I don't even know if she was attracted to him; in fact, his appearance and her initial reaction to meeting him was never described, so early on I wouldn't have known if he was even a potential love interest. Few of the characters were described physically and it was tough to picture them. I only know they were "shades of brown" and some of them had hair that shimmered. (As an aside, that white woman has no place being on this book cover.) Dllenahkh was fairly Vulcan-like in his interactions and Grace rather standoffish herself, so that was not exactly a recipe for a hot romance.

Despite how all of this sounds, I still liked the book, just not as much as I wanted to or could have. Many great elements were present: different cultures, psionic abilities, a fairly conversational narration (some reviewers disliked that the narrator occasionally addressed the reader directly, but I didn't mind). This was not a struggle to read - I flew through it pretty quickly and liked it well enough while I was reading it. It just left me unfulfilled.

I am frustrated by my apparent inability to enjoy science fiction. I want to read books about space travel and alien races and technologies that don't exist (yet) and the descriptions of some of these books sound fantastic. But when I sit down and try to read them I struggle. I want them all to be The Sparrow or Losers in Space but mostly they are just so damn clinical and totally void of personality and emotion. It makes it hard to care what happens. Am I just reading the wrong stuff? Or is this just how the bulk of science fiction is written? Please enlighten me, or tell me what I should be reading instead.