The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw
by Henry James
Penguin Books, 2010. 120 pgs. Fiction

A young woman is hired to be the governess of two orphaned children who are under their uncle’s care, out on a country estate. Upon hiring the governess, the uncle, who lives in London, informs the governess that he does not want to be bothered with any details about the children’s concerns and to handle them on her own. Puzzled about that stipulation but determined to do her best, she sets out and realizes she couldn’t ask for better children and a better situation, until she starts seeing ghosts.

I had some hopes that the slow beginning might be setting a stage for a creepy story, but it fell flat. Many readers will find that the governess’ first-person narration actually hinders the story; a major theme is her own mental state, and some readers will find the ambiguity of the reliability of the narrator to be irritating. The only thing going for the book was that it was short.

KK

Yesterday's Dead

Yesterday's Dead
By Pat Bourke
Second Story Press, c2012. 256 pgs. Young Adult

Meredith has dreamed of becoming a teacher, but her family's financial troubles force her to accept a position as a servant. With a stern butler who never seems to think she is capable of doing anything right, the snotty daughter of the family she serves determined to constantly insult her, and being away from her mother and sister, Meredith's situation is incredibly difficult. And the Spanish Influenza comes to Toronto and as all of the adults in the household are either ill themselves or working at the hospital to help the masses of sick people, Meredith's responsibilities become nearly unbearable, as she worries if everyone she cares about will be struck ill--and if any of them will survive.

I enjoyed the chance to take a look at the Spanish Influenza epidemic, but didn't care as much for the character development. It's interesting look at a historical event but not the most engaging story. Still, historical fiction fans should find something they like about the book, even if they don't love everything.

AE

Rachel's Secret

Rachel's Secret
By Shelly Sanders
Second Story Press, 2012. 248 pgs. Young Adult

Rachel is a Jewish girl living in Russia in 1903. When her Christian friend Mikhail is killed, there's an uproar in the community, with many of Christians claiming that the Jews were responsible for the murder in order to use the blood in their rituals. Rachel, who actually saw the murder and knows who is guilty, is terrified that if she comes forward, she and her family will all be at risk. As anti-Jewish sentiments ran wild in their city, Rachel forms an unlikely friendship with Sergei, a Christian boy whose father, chief of police, seems content to let violence erupt against the Jews.

Based on actual events, this is a worthy piece of historical fiction as it shows an important piece of history, as well as delivering messages about prejudice, propaganda, and friendship. Sometimes the writing seemed somewhat awkward, such as in a scene where Sergei lectures his father about doing nothing to do stop the pogrom, but overall, it's one that any conscientious reader looking to learn more about history should read.

AE

Istanbul Passage

Istanbul Passage
by Joseph Kanon
Simon & Schuster, 2012. 404 pgs. Mystery

Shortly after World War II, Leon Bauer, an on and off odd-jobs man and courier for the Allied War effort in Istanbul is asked to pick up an incoming defector, a valuable "asset" who has information of importance to the West. A routine assignment. But then someone starts shooting and when the assailant becomes known, everything changes. Leon must hide a man accused of despicable things, with no idea where to send him next. Soon the Turkish secret police, the Russians, and the Americans are searching for "Alexei", a man accused of despicable acts,  and Leon feels honor bound to hide him without knowing why. Reminiscent of John le Carre's morally ambiguous espionage novels, Istanbul Passage is an intellectual and ethical puzzle.  What to do when only two bad choices present themselves: leave his essentially comatose wife for another woman? let Alexei be taken when the enormity of his amorality and probable crimes becomes known? must someone be betrayed? All of Leon's inner turmoil and outer dangers play out against the extraordinary backdrop of Istanbul which functions more as the central character of the book than as merely the setting. Rich in action, characterizations, and moral dilemmas, Istanbul Passage is atmospheric and memorable.  (Small objection:  Leon's love interest seems unworthy of him--a bit of a whiny drag, and their one sex scene is gratuitous.)

LW

Keep Holding On

Keep Holding On
By Susane Colasanti
Viking, 2012. 202 pgs. Young Adult

Noelle's entire life is pretty much miserable. With her mother working a minimum wage  job, they're living on food stamps and barely able to pay their rent, never have enough to eat, and can't afford the sort of clothes that the rest of the kids at Noelle's school can afford. Her mother constantly complains about how Noelle ruined her life, and the kids at school aren't any better, having dropped her when her family's financial troubles started. For years, she's been bullied and teased, with only one friend standing by her. Now her secret crush Julian seems to be interested in her, but Noelle doesn't think she's good enough for him and is content to keep making out with her "boyfriend" Matt, who refuses to be seen in public with her. However, when tragedy strikes, Noelle decides enough is enough.

Colasanti has tackled an important topic here and this book is one that both those who are being bullied and those who do the bullying should read. She takes readers inside the pain and humiliation and hopelessness that Noelle, and anyone being bullied, feels, which would hopefully lead bullies to rethink their actions. But she also shows how Noelle chooses to rise above the bullying, which is an inspirational message for anyone being bullied.I thought the romance angle was actually a little weak, since we didn't really see much of the developing relationship between Julian and Noelle, but I recommend putting this one in the hands of just about any teen that you could get to read it.


AE

Bring Up the Bodies

Bring Up the Bodies
by Hilary Mantel
Henry Holt & Co., 2012, 410 pgs. Fiction


I liked this book, the sequel to Wolf Hall, though it wasn't as good as the first. The story was less complex, which is both good and bad. Good insofar as it was easier to follow but bad as it made the story less interesting. People who were frustrated with Wolf Hall will find this one easier to read. Also, it lacked some of the fascinating interplay of characters, such as the relationship between Cromwell and Cardinal Wolsey. And of course, for anyone who knows the history, the ending came as no surprise.

Fans of Wolf Hall will enjoy this book as well. For those who had mixed feelings about Wolf Hall, I would suggest you give this one a go as it is an easier read. For anyone who hated Wolf Hall, I could not recommend this book as the sequel is too similar to the first volume.

On the whole, a decent read. I look forward to the third and final volume. Let's hope it doesn't take another three years wait.

Just Send Me Word

Just Send Me Word:  A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag
by Orlando Figes
Henry Holt, 2012.  329 pgs. Nonfiction.

Lev Mishchenko and Svetlana Ivanova met at university, fell in love, and might have gone on to marriage, a family, a happy life together, except that World War II intervened.  Lev's days as a soldier were cut short when he was captured by the Germans. During his time in the Reich's prisoner of war camp he was asked to translate for the Germans. When he returned home, he was charged with treason and sent to the Pechora labor camp in the Arctic Gulag. Five years after Lev had last seen Sveta, he received a letter from her, beginning a remarkable correspondence that is not only the only known real-time record of life in Stalin's labor camps, but forms the basis of an extraordinary story of love and loyalty. From 1946 to 1954, 1500 letters passed between the two, thanks to the kindly interventions of Lev's friends in and near the prison camps. Sveta even managed short and perilous visits, taking unauthorized extensions to work tours to visit Pechora for a few hours of guard-supervised time with Lev. Just Send Me Word  is a beautiful, terrible narrative of two people desperately in love with each other but kept apart by the cruelties of their time and place in the world. During Lev's darkest days, he sees in a dream, or a vision himself turning to look behind him, where he sees Sveta dressed in white, kneeling to help a young girl with her dress. Four times he has the dream and at long last, it comes true.

LW

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink
By Stephanie Kate Strohm
Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 204 pgs. Young Adult

Libby Kelting is a "historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd."  She's off for the summer to work at Camden Harbor, a Living History Museum in Maine where the staff dress up in late 1700's apparel and work at various trades and crafts from that time period.  Unfortunately, her summer isn't exactly going the way she hoped when she meets her roommate who takes an instant dislike to her, and a local reporter who likes to make fun of her just because she fell into a barrel the first time she met him.  Plus, it appears that there is a ghost haunting Camden harbor.  But at least it's sure to be an unforgettable summer.

This is a fun read that falls somewhere into the YA chick-lit category.  Libby is a likable character with a good sense of humor who carries the story along even if things get a bit cliche at times.  A very entertaining read that you don't have to take too seriously - perfect for summer. 

BHG

The House I Loved

The House I Loved
By Tatiana de Rosnay
St. Martin’s Press, 2012. 222 pgs. Fiction

Tatiana de Rosnay’s new novel reveals another less familiar period in Paris’s history. Her first novel ‘Sarah’s Key’ gave us a heartbreaking look at Nazi occupied France and now we travel further back to the 1860s when whole neighborhoods were razed to make way for a new ‘modern’ city. Rose Bazelet, the narrator, is a widow living in one of the homes facing demolition. ‘The House I Loved’ is basically a love letter to both her departed husband and his family home where they shared their lives.

I did not love this book. I’m not even sure I liked it. There were times when the history was interesting enough to make up for Rose’s sentimental recollections, but not for long and not often. The conclusion seemed overly dramatic and insanely frustrating as Rose refuses to let go of the past.

CZ

The Cove

The Cove

By Ron Rash

Ecco, 2012.  255 pgs.  Fiction

Laurel Shelton has spent her entire life in a secluded cove deep in the Appalachians of North Carolina.  Her family has a history of bad luck that ostracizes them from neighboring families, and an unfortunate birthmark makes her especially suspect.  Her only surviving relative, her brother Hank, seems to have escaped the family curse, partially due to losing an arm while fighting in the still bloody battlefields of World War I. Then enters a mute stranger who may save Laurel from the solitary life she believes she is fated to live.

The ugliness of deep prejudice is a major theme in this beautifully written novel.  Laurel’s life includes so little kindness that readers can’t help but desperately want her to find love, acceptance, and if at all possible, escape from the life she was born to.  The home front of World War I provides a fascinating backdrop and historical details that many people may not be aware of.  ‘The Cove’ is heartbreaking but somehow still hopeful and a pure delight to read.

CZ

The Selection

The Selection
By Kiera Cass
HarperTeen, 2012. 327 pgs. Young Adult

"The Selection" is a competition between 35 randomly chosen women from the kingdom to compete for the heart of Prince Maxon and the future position of queen.  Any girl would be thrilled to have the opportunity, except for America Singer, who has already found the love of her life.  So when America is chosen for The Selection, she leaves for the palace expecting to be rejected immediately.  However, after meeting Prince Maxon and forming an instant friendship, American starts to question the future she had planned for herself.

After a slow beginning, I couldn't help staying up late to finish this.  However, this isn't a flawless book, and if you expect a higher quality of writing from your books, you may want to pass this by.  But for a quick, easy dystopian read, this can be entertaining.  This is the first in a series.

BHG

The Garner Files

The Garner Files
By James Garner
Simon & Schuster, 2011. 273 pgs. Biography

James Garner--known for his iconic roles in television and film- Maverick, The Rockford Files, The Great Escape, and Support Your Local Sheriff to name just a few--brings his career to light in this pleasant memoir. It reads as if you are having a chat with Garner on a Saturday afternoon over lunch. In fact, you enjoy the stories so much you don’t realize until the end that he really didn’t share about his personal life after he became a star. While that is typical of Garner, always a private man, what you do get out the memoir is the character of the man who stands up for what he believes is right, even if it means going against the studio. Although he fell into acting because he needed a job, he is still going strong fifty years later. Minus the chapter on golfing (I’m just not as enthusiastic about the sport as Garner), I enjoyed every minute of the book and would recommend it for any classic television or film fan.

KK

The Snow Child

The Snow Child
By Eowyn Ivey
Little, Brown and Co., 2012. 389 pgs. Fiction

Jack and Mabel are a childless couple who move to Alaska in the 1920's to try to start a new life for themselves. They grow apart as Jack struggles to turn their farm into something that can sustain them and Mabel is left in the cabin all day with a crushing loneliness that she can't escape. On the first snow fall of the winter they unexpectedly find themselves building a beautiful little snow girl together in the yard. The next morning the snow girl is destroyed, the mittens and scarf are gone and a lone pair of footprints leads into the woods. Soon they start seeing a little girl darting among the trees with a red fox. Mabel remembers a Russian fairy tale that her father used to tell her as a girl about a childless old couple and a snow child.

This novel covers a large span of time so many of the day to day happenings are left out but then great detail is given to the sights and smells of the wilderness. It was a good balance. There was also the element of the Russian fairy tale woven into the story that created just a little touch of magic and mystery. I really enjoyed this novel which surprised me because the plot is fairly slow and the whole book has a sad feel to it. The authors language and descriptions are beautiful. There aren't many characters, but it is fascinating to watch them evolve over the years. This is one of those stories that will stay with me for a long time.

AL

Ripper

Ripper
By Amy Carol Reeves
Flux, 2012. 343 pgs. Young Adult

After her mother's death in 1888, Abbie Sharp is sent to live with her grandmother in an upscale London neighborhood. She is bored with all the proper things her grandmother expects her to do so her grandmother suggests that she volunteer at Whitechapel Hospital for one week in order to better appreciate her new life of luxury. The plan backfires when Abbie discovers a true passion for helping all the less fortunate women and children at the hospital and decides to spend more time there. Her work at the hospital becomes more dangerous when Jack the Ripper starts brutally murdering former patients.

Abbie is a tough heroine who doesn't cringe away from the realities of the medical field. She is street tough from the years she spent in Ireland and can hold her own. That being said, I had a hard time believing that she could be alone on the streets of London as much as she was, especially for this time period. There is a paranormal element brought into this novel that added to the creepiness. Because of the description of some of the medical procedures, the brutality of the murders and some language I would recommend this novel to older teens and adults.

AL

The Invaders

The Invaders
By John Flanagan
Philomel, 2012. 429 pgs. Young Adult

In the second book of the Brotherband series, Hal and his crew, the Herons, have set out after the ruthless pirate Zavac, who stole the Skandians' treasured artifact, the Andomal. If they can get the artifact back, they may actually be able to redeem themselves and show their faces in Skandia again some day. While the boys have successfully completed their brotherband training, they are still young and need to learn how to work together, use their skills and ingenuity, and hope luck is on their side as they hunt down the pirates.

The more I read of John Flanagan, the more I like him. I didn't always care about the details of the battles or the ship terms, but the book still moved really quickly. This is an easy recommendation--fans of adventure, humor, and general awesomeness should definitely check out this series.

AE

Civilization

Civilization: The West and the Rest
By Niall Ferguson
Penguin Press, 2011. 402 pgs. Nonfiction

In ‘Civilization’, Niall Ferguson attempts to answer the question of why the West has dominated the world over the past five or six centuries. He provides what he feels are six key strengths the West enjoyed. One of these strengths was the fierce competitiveness held between all the small countries that make up Europe. Another was the development of the Protestant work ethic that encouraged the building of industry and wealth. These ideas are carefully presented with entertaining examples and enlightening explanations.

This is a further development to Jared Diamond’s ‘Guns, Germs, and Steel’. However, Diamond’s scope was much bigger encompassing the history of all Earth’s civilizations and focuses more on how the Earth’s resources shaped the survival of those civilizations while Ferguson’s theories are more about the cultural resources that aided in the West’s rise and potential fall. This is a very intriguing work providing readers with both a history of where we have been and a warning about where we may be headed.

CZ

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
By Laini Taylor
Little, Brown, 2011. 418 pgs. Young Adult

Karou is not exactly your average teenager. She goes to an art school in Prague, but her artwork, sketches of monsters that everyone assumes are just from her imagination, is actually a reflection of the only family she has ever known. Brimstone, a chimaerae wishmonger who collects teeth, has raised her from the time she was a child, and while she sometimes resents that he won't explain who Karou is or what exactly he does with those teeth. Akivia is an angel soldier whose job pits him against the chimaera, but when his latest mission brings him into contact with Karou, who while seemingly human also has traits of the chimaera, he sets out to find out who she is.

This one started out a little slow for me, but once Karou and Akivia run into each other, things picked up really quickly and the book was completely gripping from that point on. I couldn't wait to see how things would play out, and when the book ended, I definitely wasn't ready for it to be over and now am eagerly awaiting the sequel. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator quite a bit.

AE