In which I summarize and review all of the books I read in July, 2018.
Welcome to my first wrap-up! I'm excited to share my thoughts on my reading progress this month (and there's lots of progress for me to share in the summer months), so let's dive into the books!
Top-Rated Book of the Month: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (5 stars)
"Aunty Ifeoma...looked up and said Papa-Nnukwu was not a heathen but a traditionalist, that sometimes what was different was just as good as what was familiar, that when Papa-Nnukwu did his itu-nzu, his declaration of innocence, in the morning, it was the same as our saying the rosary."
I had read two of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's essays before, but this was my first foray into her fiction works. This book was a beautiful read, centered around teenaged Kambili and her family. Led by her autocratic father, the family is under strict pressure to be perfect: academically, socially, and in their Catholic faith. His stringency puts a strain on Kambili's family from the beginning, but when she and her brother go to spend time with their aunt and grandfather, they are exposed to a more relaxed way of life and worship and rituals of the old gods, their beliefs are challenged and they are able to grow - but how will that growth affect their family?
Stunning, yet simple prose, competing religious ideologies, and incredibly complex characters made this book my favorite read of the month. It's certainly not an easy read; readers should be aware of the elements of domestic abuse from the beginning. Even with the horrors that Kambili and her families suffer, their discovery that faiths, however different, are often very similar was what I found most beautiful. The family relationships felt very real, too. I cannot gush about this book enough, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves.
Now into the rest of the books I read this month:
Affinity by Sarah Waters (3 stars)
Summary: Margaret Prior, recovering from a deep bout of depression and a suicide attempt, decides to focus on good works by becoming a visitor at London's Millbank Prison. In her visits, she is particularly drawn to Selina Dawes, an imprisoned spiritualist. She is initially skeptical of Selina's abilities as a medium, but as she spends more time with Selina, she finds herself in a jailbreak plot, a potential haunting, and a love affair!
I've read and loved other books by Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith being my favorites. Although Affinity contains intriguing characters and wonderful individual scenes, its overarching plot didn't have the same level of suspense that I've grown used to from her writing. It was good, just not rave-worthy.
Circe by Madeline Miller (4 stars)
"'Witches are not so delicate,' I said."
Summary: This novel follows the full life of Circe, the witch featured in a scene in The Odyssey. Readers learn about Circe's origins in the house of Helios, why she was exiled to her island, how she met Odysseus, and what happened once Odysseus leaves her to continue on his journey.
I loved The Song of Achilles, and Miller's second book did not disappoint. I remembered Circe's brief appearance in Odysseus' journey home from studying The Odyssey in high school, so I was intrigued by a novel that claimed to elaborate on her life. What I did not realize was how much Circe was involved in major events throughout Greek mythology. She experiences the tensions between the Olympian gods and the Titans as a child, knows exactly how Scylla transformed into the man-eating monster that terrified sailors, meets Prometheus, Daedalus, Icarus, the Minotaur, Ariadne, Medea, Jason, and, of course, Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus. In addition to the scenic tour of Greek mythology, Miller creates a deeply feminist narrative and explores the complexity of being a woman in control of her own life in a world where the rules are made by men. I would highly recommend both of Miller's novels to anyone, regardless of their knowledge of Greek mythology (although a passing knowledge adds an extra layer of depth to Circe's adventures).
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (3.5 stars)
Summary: Rachel Chu is happily dating fellow professor Nick Young...until he invites her to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. What happens next is a whirlwind of sightseeing and parties among Singapore's elite, in which Rachel is being judged under a microscope. Can her relationship with Nick survive the scrutiny, or will she bend under his family's relentless pressure?
I have to admit, I was drawn to this book after I saw the trailer for the upcoming film. I've always wanted to travel to Asia, but I tend to chicken out at the last minute (thanks, shellfish and nut allergies). Thankfully, books give you the opportunity to travel without buying a plane ticket! That said, I loved the rich descriptions of Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia that Kwan included, as well as the many descriptions of the food. In fact, this book inspired me to try Singaporean Noodles at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco! (If you haven't tried Singaporean Noodles yet, you should. They're delicious). On the other hand, I had issues with some of the characters, particularly Nick. He seemed very naïve to me, especially in the way he handled many of the problems he and Rachel encounter on their trip, many of which he created in the first place! This ineptitude decreased his romantic appeal for me. It looks as though these flaws have been amended for the film, for which I'm grateful. On the other hand, the film looks to have decreased Rachel's capability to handle herself in traditional Asian society (i.e. bowing, speaking Mandarin, etc.), which really annoys me. Maybe I'll do a film versus book review in a few weeks? Overall, a fun read, but with some problem spots.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (3.5 stars)
Summary: Bod (short for Nobody Owens) has been brought up by ghosts in a London graveyard. As if this isn't enough for him to deal with as he grows up, he slowly learns why he lives in the graveyard - he is being hunted by a mysterious murderer!
Let it be known that I adore Neil Gaiman. Even in such a grim context as this novel, he manages to work in some marvelously clever jokes. He also left the reader some thought-provoking questions towards the end, particularly about using female characters as 'bait'. Even with all of those high points, though, it didn't grab me as much as some of his other works. It may have been the fact that it was aimed at younger readers, and thus didn't explore some of its plot points as deeply as I would have liked. It was still a very enjoyable, albeit quick, read.
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (3 stars)
Summary: Alosa, captain of an all-female pirate crew, is captured by a rival ship. Little do they know, though, that she wanted to be captured by them! She has been sent on an undercover mission to recover an ancient map. While she uses every espionage trick in her repertoire, she runs into an inconvenient problem: her growing feelings for the annoyingly attractive first mate.
This was another average read for me. The characters were amusing, the plot was a rollicking adventure (though you could spot the homages to Pirates of the Caribbean everywhere.*), and the fantasy element was quite fun. That being said, the writing style didn't work for me. The dialogue and jargon the characters used seemed to careen between trying to be historically accurate or "pirate-y" and that of a modern young adult. It was also just plain clunky in places, particularly with regards to Alosa's insistence on describing every item of clothing someone is wearing individually. Those descriptions were so basic, it almost reminded me of some of my middle-school-students' writing. That problem seemed to clear up as the plot picked up speed, which led me to my middle-of-the-road three-star review.
*Don't get me wrong, I love the Pirates of the Caribbean films. I don't want to read a reiteration of them, though.
Disobedience by Naomi Alderman (4 stars)
Summary: When the Rav of a small Orthodox Jewish community outside of London dies, the community gathers to mourn him. His death also prompts his estranged daughter, Ronit, to return to that community. As she revisits her past, she must also explore the consequences of her past and her absence - including her former relationship with Esther, who is now married to her cousin, Rabbi Dovid.
Again, I discovered this book because of the trailer for the film. I am intrigued by any book that explores homosexuality in strict religious communities, and the quiet power of the film spoke well of the book. It did not disappoint. The relationship that Ronit, Esther, and Dovid all have with their faith and their roles in the community are complex and explored in wonderful detail. Each chapter opens with a quote from Jewish scripture, as well as a description of an Orthodox tradition, which in turn relates to the plot events that follow in the chapter. The ending, although a bit vague, is somehow still satisfying. I can't compare it to The Power, which I know is Alderman's more widely-read book, but I would suggest that this novel is just as hype-worthy.
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore (4 stars)
Summary: This book explores the real lawsuits filed by the female employees of three American radium-dial companies in the early twentieth century. While radium was being touted as the new must-have beauty product and wonder drug, young women in three different states were discovering its killer effects. Their deaths sparked a twenty-year quest for legal justice, which meant fighting an uphill battle against sexism, industrial abuse of workers, coverups, and scientific ignorance.
Nonfiction is tricky for me; it has to have a good narrative flow for me to really enjoy it. Kate Moore had that narrative flow exactly right (I think her time working on the play These Shining Lives helped her achieve that goal). The injustices all of these women faced truly outraged and terrified me. That outrage and terror hit home even more when I read that one of the companies involved in these events was based in Waterbury, Connecticut (which is only half an hour away from my hometown, and the town where I went to graduate school). Again, I hesitate to call this book an enjoyable read, given the awful bone deterioration the women went through, but it was very well-done, and covers a time in American history that everyone should know about.
The Stranger from the Sea by Winston Graham (4 stars)
Summary: This is the eighth Poldark novel, so I will try to summarize it without giving away huge spoilers for the first seven books.
Big changes come to the Poldark household after Jeremy rescues a sailor from the sea. While following original characters like Ross, Demelza, Dwight, Caroline, and George Warleggan, this novel also begins to follow the second generation's hopes and dreams and their effect on nineteenth-century Cornwall.
Given the shift towards the second generation that happens in this novel, I was a little hesitant going into it. I adore the first seven books, and I didn't want to lose any of those characters or the charm of the first half of the series. Luckily, this book is still on par with its predecessors. The original characters that I know and love are still there and have not changed drastically with age. For example, I still said "You're a pig and an idiot, George Warleggan," out loud to the book towards the end of Book I. Graham glances at the Industrial Revolution through the eyes of Jeremy, which makes it much more understandable for laypeople. It was wonderful to escape to Nampara again, and I can't wait for the next book or Season 4 of the television show to go back once more.
Bizarre Romance by Audrey Niffenegger and Eddie Campbell (2 stars)
Summary: A series of short stories centered around weird relationships by husband-and-wife team Audrey Niffenegger (author) and Eddie Campbell (illustrator). From a pre-nuptial caveat that deeply unsettles the bride to a man hiring a brigade of supernatural exterminators, these stories explore the gain and loss of love in a variety of strange scenarios.
I read the first short story in the library and loved it! I loved The Time Traveler's Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry, too, so it seemed necessary to check out the rest of the collection. Unfortunately, many of the other short stories didn't appeal to me. They became too bizarre with no obvious theme to extract from them. It felt as though they were being strange for the sake of being strange. So, while "Thursdays Six to Eight P.M.", "The Composite Boyfriend", and "Jakob Wywialowski and the Angels" were great, the rest of the collection fell flat.
"And on that bombshell, it's time to end" this blog post (as I would say if I were Jeremy Clarkson). Honestly, it feels like a bit of a downer to end on a two-star review, but I'm currently reading two behemoths of the book world, so I'm hoping to start my August Wrap-Up on a high note. If you have any recommendations for me based on these reviews, I'd love to hear them. I'll be back next week with another post, but until then, happy reading!