Quick Book Review: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Rating: 4/5
Number of pages: 256 (my Dutch edition)
First published: 2012
Genre: science fiction, apocalypse
I got this book: from the library (Dutch edition: Wij waren hier).

I love books in which the world is no longer as we know it (post-apocalyptic or dystopian novels). In The Age of Miracles, the reader is present when the changes start: the rotation of the earth is slowing down, with as a result that the days become longer. First only about an hour is added to the day, but slowly but surely, the days become extremely long, up to 60 hours or more.

Julia is a twelve-year old who lives with her parents and has a secret crush on a boy from school, Seth Moreno. The story is told by an older Julia, looking back on her youth. The slowing of the earth has all kinds of effects. For instance, crops won’t grow because they spend too long in the sun (longer days) or too long in the dark (longer nights). Some people become ill with a new illness, related to the changing situation.

The main effect is, that most people follow the government’s instruction and continue living a 24-hour schedule. This schedule is no longer related to the rotation of the earth, so in the middle of the night it can be completely light, whereas on another day, it can be dark, or nearly dawn. A dissident group of people want to live by the “real time” day and try to stay awake while it is light, sleeping when it is dark. Soon, they are being discriminated against by the majority.

The book explores the further effects on the lives of people as the earth’s rotation slows more and more. I found this all very believable, although I was surprised how well society seemed to continue as before. Julia gets a little closer to her heart-throb Seth, but there wasn’t too much of a plot to the story.

The story ends in the “current” time, but the reader doesn’t get a good insight in what the situation is then, how the living conditions have changed compared to the time before the slowing. I loved reading the story until I got to the end and felt a little cheated. What now?

I very much liked the way this book explored a “What if” situation that no one could put right again. They had to adapt to the situation as well as they could. Only the ending was unsatisfactory to me, because the reader still doesn’t know what will happen to humanity according to the scenario in the book.

Book Review: Without Mercy by Renate Dorrestein

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very good!)
Number of pages: 256
First published: 2001
Genre: contemporary fiction
I got this book: from the library (Dutch)

Renate Dorrestein is a Dutch author, one of my favorites. Without Mercy has been translated into English which is why you can find my review of it below. And there’s another reason… (see further below).

This author has written almost 20 novels since 1983 and I’ve read at least half of them. This one was new for me (although it’s from 2001).

Without Mercy: What it is about

From amazon.com: “Reminiscent of Andre Dubus’s critically acclaimed In the Bedroom and Joyce Carol Oates’s We Were the Mulvaneys, Renate Dorrestein’s new novel explores the undercurrents of married life and the world of today’s teenagers.

“Perfect” was the word both for Phinus and Franka Vermeer’s marriage and their teenage son, Jem, but in the wake of his senseless murder, grief drives a wedge between them. Determined to resurrect the joy they once knew, the couple embarks on a weekend in the country to mend their fraying relationship. Their marital troubles, however, run deeper than they realize. Suspenseful, tragic, and strangely touching, Without Mercy portrays the preciousness of everyday happiness.”

Without Mercy: What I thought

When Phinus (a very un-Dutch name, I’ve never heard of it before) and Franka go away for a quiet weekend to work on their marriage, their past comes along with them. There is a lot left unsaid that they should have discussed years ago, and on this trip they start to realise this.

The story is built up really well. Intermixed with the “adventures” on their weekend out (they run into some troublesome teenagers) are the events that happened in the past. It becomes clear how their marriage has run into trouble and why Phinus feels guilty about the death of their son. The different ways Franka and Phinus mourn means they cannot share their grief.

The book is about marriage, delinquent teenagers, violence by and towards teenagers, grief. It sounds awful! But it’s really well-written and there isn’t a great deal of actual blood. The ending is… hopeful.

Extra: In a few days’ time you can win your own copy of this book! I’ve got an English translation to give away.

Book Review: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Rating: 5/5 (Very good!)
Number of pages: 448
First published: 2012
Genre: contemporary fiction
I got this book: from Harper Publishers in return for a review

I’m a fan of Barbara Kingsolver. I think I’ve read more or less all of her novels. Most people rave about The Poisonwood Bible but my favorite is Prodigal Summer and I also love the books with Taylor and Turtle: The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven.

Flight Behavior is, like Prodigal Summer, a story about a woman on a farm, not feeling at home with her in-laws and about nature and the environment. I expected to enjoy this, and I indeed did.

Flight Behavior: What it is about

From the publishers: “Dellarobia Turnbow is a restless farm wife who gave up her own plans when she accidentally became pregnant at seventeen. Now, after a decade of domestic disharmony on a failing farm, she has settled for permanent disappointment but seeks momentary escape through an obsessive flirtation with a younger man. As she hikes up a mountain road behind her house to a secret tryst, she encounters a shocking sight: a silent, forested valley filled with what looks like a lake of fire.

She can only understand it as a cautionary miracle, but it sparks a raft of other explanations from scientists, religious leaders, and the media. The bewildering emergency draws rural farmers into unexpected acquaintance with urbane journalists, opportunists, sightseers, and a striking biologist with his own stake in the outcome. As the community lines up to judge the woman and her miracle, Dellarobia confronts her family, her church, her town, and a larger world, in a flight toward truth that could undo all she has ever believed.

Flight Behavior takes on one of the most contentious subjects of our time: climate change.”

Flight Behavior: What I thought

What I didn’t like: Dellarobia’s name. My apologies to all Dellarobia’s in the world, what a name. I think the name stopped me from becoming completely attached to the main character which otherwise I might have done. On the other hand, not just her name, but also her life was very different from mine.

There were many things to like about the book, though. For instance, Dellarobia was cheated out of college because of falling pregnant at 17. However, during the novel, it becomes clear she’s pretty clever and it was wonderful to see how she starts to believe in herself as the story progresses. Her attraction to Ovid, the African-American researcher, was very well explored. It was interesting that in this predominantly white population, Ovid was exotic more because of his academic title per sé than his skin color or the conjunction of the two.

I enjoyed learning more about global warming. Kingsolver’s “miracle” was fictitious but a well-researched and easy to follow possible effect of global warming. I liked how this was explained. For instance, the”miracle” happening was comparable to waking up one morning and finding your eye had moved to the side of your head. That hits home!

The best part is when Dellarobia is asked about her carbon footprint and how to reduce it. Now, remember she’s living a poor life. This example makes it so clear how different Dellarobia’s life and environment is compared to that of the people who think up these kinds of policies.

“Number One. Bring your own Tupperware to a restaurant for leftovers, as often as possible.”
[Dellarobia] “I have not eaten in a restaurant for over two years.”
[...]
“Okay,” he said. “Try to reduce the intake of red meat in your diet.”
[Dellarobia] “Are you crazy? I’m trying to increase our intake of red meat.”

While the reader was, at the same time as Dellarobia, educated about reducing their carbon footprint, it never felt (here nor elsewhere in the book) that the information was forced on the reader.

Very nicely written, with lots of beautiful descriptions. The novel is very rich in terms of location and history. The characters are firmly anchored in time and place and it felt as if Kingsolver has simply allowed us a look at Dellarobia’s life and town for the duration of the book.

Extra: Other books I’ve read by Barbara Kingsolver are: The Bean Trees, Animal Dreams, Pigs in Heaven, The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, and The Lacuna.

Book Review: Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer

November is German Literature Month, organised by Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and Lizzy’s Literary Life. I’m participating with a book that I won from Lizzy in a giveaway last month. I really enjoyed this book!

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Rating: 4/5
Number of pages: 282
First published: 2006 (German edition: Gut gegen Nordwind, this English translation 2011)
Genre: contemporary fiction
I got this book: from a giveaway by Lizzy via Beauty is a Sleeping Cat as part of the German Literature Month

Because November is German Literature Month, Beauty is a Sleeping Cat organised a giveaway of German books translated to English, back in October. I entered and won Love Virtually. And I liked the sight of it so much, that I read it almost straight away, well in time for German Lit Month.

Love Virtually: What it is about

From the publishers: “It begins by chance: Leo receives emails in error from an unknown woman called Emmi. Being polite he replies, and Emmi writes back. A few brief exchanges are all it takes to spark a mutual interest in each other, and soon Emmi and Leo are sharing their innermost secrets and longings. The erotic tension simmers, and it seems only a matter of time before they will meet in person. But they keep putting off the moment – the prospect both unsettles and excites them. And, after all, Emmi is happily married. Will their feelings for each other survive the test of a real-life encounter?”

Love Virtually: What I thought

This book was told entirely through emails. I loved that. Whenever something happened in “real” life, the reader had to wait for the emails on the next day, to find out what exactly happened the night or day(s) before.

I thought the format worked really well and the way Leo and Emmi used email seemed very realistic. Only at times, it was maybe too realistic and became a little boring. Leo and Emmi started off very casual but their online relationship soon deepens. They don’t know much about each other at all but they become addicted to receiving each other’s emails.

I loved especially the emails after Leo and Emmi had not met up in the beginning of the book. Later, I found that the story dragged on a bit. The ending was surprising and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

Extra: As a Psycholinguist I was surprised to see that Leo was a Language Psychology professor (a term I haven’t heard of) who was also described as a Psychology of Language professor (yes, that is a term I know, it’s the same as Psycholinguistics) and a Psychology of Linguistics (what???) professor (I blame the translation). He researches BOTH linguistic behavior in emails AND emotion? That are two completely different areas of Psychology and I’m not sure if they even fall under Psychology of Language!

Extra: I read this book for the German Literature Month.

Book Review: The River King by Alice Hoffman

Rating: 3.5/5
Number of pages: 276
First published: 2000
Genre: contemporary fiction
I got this book: for free at a book fair

Alice Hoffman used to be a favorite writer of mine, ten or so years back. Lately, I have not enjoyed her books quite so much, and this is another one (albeit one from 12 years back) that I had some issues with. I did enjoy the story as such, though.

The River King: What it is about

From amazon.com: “For more than a century, the small town of Haddan, Massachusetts, has been divided, as if by a line drawn down the center of Main Street, separating those born and bred in the village from those who attend the prestigious Haddan School. But one October night the two worlds are thrust together due to an inexplicable death, and the town’s divided history is revealed in all its complexity. The lives of everyone involved are unraveled: from Carlin Leander, the fifteen-year-old girl who is as loyal as she is proud, to Betsy Chase, a woman running from her own destiny; from August Pierce, a boy who unexpectedly finds courage in his darkest hour, to Abel Grey, the police officer who refuses to let unspeakable actions–both past and present–slide by without notice.”

The River King: What I thought

Hoffman is a great story teller but that was just what this book was for me: a story, the whole way through. It never became a reality for me; there was always a distance. The story was interesting enough but no character was described in such a way that I identified with them, at most I felt a little affection for them and a hope that things would end well for them.

Almost throughout the whole book there were descriptions about the school, the town, the people and their habits and histories. The introduction of new information never really ended and I never felt I knew the place and people, so I stayed a distant observer.

The story of what happened to Gus was presented by an all-knowing narrator, towards the ending of the book. Although Abel Grey, the police officer, was researching the case, we didn’t get the story from his point of view, his findings or hypotheses, but an all-knowing narrator just gave the whole story away.

Otherwise, the story was fun to read, I love stories about boarding schools and about people in a small town. There was also an element of magical realism, just enough to make it mysterious, but not enough to make the story (very) unbelievable. Also, it was fun to try and explain Gus’ death, and so was the love story between Abel and Betsy, although that was slow-going.

Extra: I read this book for the RIP VII challenge. 

Book Review: Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie

Rating: 4.5/5
Number of pages: 448
First published: September 2012
Genre: contemporary fiction, chick-lit
I got this book: for review from William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins

I read the first book by Catherine McKenzie, Spin, enjoyed it a lot, after which I happily read her second book, Arranged. And so, in a little more than half a year, I’m reading the third book by this author-of-the-one-word-titles! And I’m happy to say: it’s her best yet!

Forgotten: What it is about

What the publisher says: “Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences. After she falls ill and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake, Emma returns home to discover that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead—and that her life has moved on without her.

As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?”

Forgotten: What I thought

I loved this book! The premise of this story was good: Emma has been lost in Africa for 6 months and is presumed dead. So when she comes back home, her apartment has a new tenant, her job has been taken over by her worst rival, and where is her boyfriend?

This is the best and most believable story so far by Catherine McKenzie. I really felt for poor Emma who came back home to nothing (even her bank account was blocked). While I didn’t think she acted enough like a sensible lawyer (she was too human and not quite firm enough for that – sorry, laywers!), she was still a reasonable person that I could relate to.

The writing is easy, but somewhat more mature than in Arranged and Spin. It was nice that the love story wasn’t the main thing in the book; this was definitely about Emma trying to find her life back, rather than a story about people falling in love.

The only slight problem I had with the book (and hence a 4.5 stars rather than 5) is that there was a mystery story, a crime that Emma and her team of lawyers tried to solve, which didn’t feel quite in its place in this book. I felt, while reading, distracted from the main issue (Emma getting her life back) and the crime story seemed a to turn the book into a mystery novel, which it really isn’t and shouldn’t be. The crime story serves a purpose, but that purpose could maybe have been reached with a simpler secondary story.

Having said that, I absolutely loved reading the book!

Book Review: Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

Rating: 4.5/5
Number of pages: 416
First published: 2011 (Canada), this USA edition 2012 (May 15th)
Genre: contemporary fiction, chick-lit
I got this book: for review from William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins

I read the first book by Catherine McKenzie, Spin, a few months ago and enjoyed it a lot, so I was keen to read her next book. Arranged is chick-lit of the kind where the main character is not a complete brain-dead girl who can’t do anything right (the kind of chick-lit that gives chick-lit a bad name). Instead, Anne is a normal person who is looking for a man after being disappointed in her relationships several times. I was very curious about this book, given that the main character uses an arranged marriage service to find her a husband. Could that really work?

Arranged: What it is about

Anne Blythe is in her early thirties and has just dumped her live-in boyfriend because he was cheating on her. When she finds a business card from what she thinks is a dating agency she decides to keep it for later, you never know.

After a few failed dates, Anne believes she will never find someone to share her life with. When her best friend Sarah announces her engagement, Anne decides to try the dating agency. But this turns out to be a arranged marriage agency. They are very expensive, but guarantee they will find her a partner who is a good match, with whom she will have a great marriage.

Half a year later, Anne is in Mexico, and meets her prospective husband Jack on the night before the wedding. It seems all will end well.

Arranged: What I thought

I loved premise of the book and was curious to find out how this would work for Anne. Would she really find a husband this way? Someone who she could actually imagine living with?

What I really liked (but I’m not sure whether that was the book or just suspicious-me) was that during most of the book I kept thinking Anne would be tricked in some way: for instance, maybe the agency was no good and only after her money or the husband she’d get would turn out to be awful after the wedding, etc. That gave a certain suspense to the book which I really enjoyed.

The ending of the book was satisfactory (the sort of ending you’d like to have in a book like this), but it was also rather predictable. It made the story a little cheap, while the beginning of the book was so much more original.

I was doubtful about anyone just taking a business card and trust that the company involved is genuine. Especially given the amount of money she had to pay, I’d think Anne should have researched the company more.

The book is a quick and easy read. I liked Anne, although I didn’t feel much attached to her. Most of the book felt very believable, including the relationship with her friend Sarah, with whom she has a fall-out at some point.

A fun book for chick-lit lovers.