Bookshelf July – Sept 2021

Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee

At its heart, this is a novel about the bond between sisters, but the storyline encompasses issues of severe mental illness, cultural identity, immigration, poverty, loyalty vs. obligation, and more. Any of those could grow into a novel, so it is a complicated, heavy read. The relationship between Miranda and younger sister Lucia anchors the book; Lucia’s mental illness impacts every character. In the end, I found it to be more sad than beautiful.

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

I came across this book in the collection of my late friend Mary, who shared my taste in reading. The protagonist (also Mary) is a woman who has lost her young daughter to a sudden, severe illness and is lost in her grief. Her mother, with whom she has a difficult relationship, recommends knitting, with the tutelage of Big Alice. While Mary finds the knitting therapeutic, even more so is the growing friendships with other members of the weekly Knitting Circle, each of whom has her own story and struggle. It’s a lovely book about the bonds of women’s friendships.

• However, 2 things bothered me – things I might not have noticed in a different time. First was when Mary visited the home of one of her knitting friends for a lesson and was uncomfortable because of the “rough neighborhood,” specifically mentioning the black teenager wearing a hoodie across the street. Ouch. Second, was the stereotyped gay man who occasionally joined the circle and whose partner was dying of AIDS, though the novel was published in 2007, not the 1980’s. As a gay friend once said, “Gay men die of other things.”

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

A solid read about the impact of secrets on a family and community. The novel follows three families in a community, whose lives intersect primarily through a school. As the plot unwinds, every major character has a secret, but “the husband’s secret” ties them all together, with devastating results. I like that the story lines are not cleanly tied with a pretty bow, either. While this is a great suspense book, the epilogue is particularly insightful regarding paths not taken. 

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

For me, this is one of those books I couldn’t put down and didn’t want to end. Set primarily in India, it’s a beautifully written, heartfelt novel about mothers and children (particularly daughters), loss and longing, cultural differences, adoption, and the way families shape us. It is both heartbreaking and affirming, with an ending that feels authentic and rich. I wrote about Gowda’s The Shape of Family in an earlier post, and she’s 2 for 2.

Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut

It’s been many years since I read Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five, and I had forgotten how dense his writing could be. Galapagos is an odd foretelling of the future, written in 1985 about “a million years from now.” It’s an interesting and sarcastic/witty take on society, the over-sized human brain, the fall-out of war, and evolution. Everyone should probably read Vonnegut at least once in their life, but once may be enough.

Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Do two wrongs make a right? What is justice? This novel is told by Veronica, a teen who discovers her two younger sisters murdered in the yard, the killer still there. Clearly, this traumatic event shakes and reshapes the family. Questions of faith, mental illness, compassion, and redemption fill every page. While the premise is dark, Veronica travels an emotional and compelling journey, and I couldn’t help but root for her. The writing is rich and strong from start through epilogue.

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

No, I have not read any of his novels; but my daughter likes his work, so I picked up this collection of short stories from a used bookstore. His writing is good, but the content is a bit odd for me. Most of the stories involve ghost stories or supernatural events. Some aren’t even about humans. Honestly, it’s not my style.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

For a book I picked up for $1, it was surprisingly good. I’d read the author’s novel In Five Years so was willing to give it a try. The premise is the five people, living or dead, you would most like to have at a dinner party. Sabrina’s choices show up for her birthday dinner and lead us through memories, regrets, and things needing to be said. A mentor, a parent, a lover, a best friend, and Audrey Hepburn for good measure. And yes, it all makes sense and is not as *heavy* as it may sound.

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Looking for a change of pace, I turned to Dan Brown. True to form, this novel is fast-paced and kept me guessing til the end. Also typical of a Dan Brown thriller, the mystery involved a lot of scientific information beyond my ken, but the politics and intrigue made it hard to put down.

What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons

The novel’s protagonist is a mixed race only child, whose parents are educated and upper middle class. Her story explores her discomfort and the feeling she doesn’t fit anywhere, as her friendships and relationships cross racial and class boundaries. The bigger picture though is Thandi’s relationship with her parents and her mother’s long illness and death while Thandi is in college. I found those sections to be beautiful and heartbreaking, particularly since Thandi’s father is unable to express much in the way of emotion or support. Other sections of the novel were a bit disjointed to me.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Set from 70-77 C.E., this novel covers the time surrounding the fall of Jerusalem and the lives of 4 extraordinary women whose lives intersect. I’ll admit I’m not a big reader of historical or mystical fiction, and this book is both (and a commitment at 500 pages). But Hoffman’s strong writing and the deep character development reeled me in. Themes of spirituality, sexuality, motherhood, grief, and resilience make for a compelling read and explain why this is one of Hoffman’s best-known works. (H/T to the late Mary Toothman, in whose collection I discovered this book.)

The Editor by Steven Rowley

In his second novel, Rowley cements his skill as a writer of both depth and whimsy. (His first, Lily and the Octopus, is a must for dog-lovers, and even I liked it.) Set in the early 1990’s The Editor explores the protagonist’s relationship with his mother through an unusual plot device – his interactions with the woman editor who chose to shepherd his manuscript to publication. That editor is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It makes for delightful and sometimes profound fiction, with a satisfyingly warm ending.

The Speed of Light by Elissa Grossell Dickey

This debut novel covers a lot of ground and defies easy categorization. Simone is a young career woman when she’s diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune condition that will likely impede her mobility at some point. Around the same time, she meets an appealing man, a knight in shining armor type, who could be “the one.” The anxiety about how her disease will affect the relationship is a constant, but this is more than a romance novel. There is also Simone’s best friend and co-worker, who happens to be in a committed lesbian relationship. Issues of acceptance and community progressiveness are raised. Then, throw in a workplace active shooter incident to drive changes for all the characters. It works, and I enjoyed these likeable characters and rooted for them.

The Book of Dreams by Nina George

A book of longing and loneliness and love, and how they are bound in the space between life and death. Nina George’s writing is beautiful and often lyrical as she explores the connection between four characters brought together through tragic circumstances. The questions of what could have been and what will be drive the story.

"Reading is a Conversation. All books talk, but a good book listens as well." -- Mark Haddon

Comment below if you have thoughts or other recommendations.