This is a really excellent novel set in contemporary England. The core of the story is a complicated mother-daughter relationship but it is much more: the use of a private language and a river creature and supplemental characters. The timeline is an interesting feature of the story telling. Johnson’s writing reminds me of Sarah Winman, so high praise.
Author: AJ
Affinity – Sarah Waters
This is an early book of Ms. Waters (1999). The setting is England in 1873-74. Margaret Prior, a 29 year-old woman with a troubled past decides to preoccupy herself with good deeds by visiting women prisoners in at Millbank, a notoriously dark and evil prison. There she becomes entranced by a spiritualist, Salina Dawes. The story slowly and inexorably become one of obsession and almost possession, and has a cracking good ending. This book is from a VPL list of “books that broke our hearts”.
Big Sky – Kate Atkinson
Hurray, Ms. Atkinson has written a fourth Jackson Brodie novel, a much anticipated gift to the detective-mystery genre. Brodie is in North Yorkshire and has time to be unusually introspective, often with hilarious internal dialog punctuated by pithy comments (in parentheses) from ex-partner Julia. The first third of the book is all character development, a rich cast of quirky individuals. Indeed, the first crime does not occur until the end of 100 pages. The story does take a gritty look at topical themes, from child abuse to human trafficking. Brodie is a delightful character and this book is a must-read!
Stay With Me – Ayobami Adebayo
This is a powerful story set in Nigeria, 1985-2008. The story centres on a couple, Yejide and Akin, who are struggling with infertility against the background of profound traditional family pressure to have children. A loving relationship is tested by lies and a stunning betrayal. What will we sacrifice for family? The story involves very strong emotions with Nigerian political instability as a constant background force. Very fine writing. This book is also from a VPL list of “books that broke our hearts”.
An American Wife – Tayari Jones
Ms. Jones has written a superb relationship book. Celestial and Roy are newlyweds but Roy is wrongfully imprisoned and so goes to jail for 5 years. In Roy’s absence, Celestial’s relationship with Andre, a lifelong friend, is strengthened. So this is about a 3-way relationship with one of the participants, Roy, absent in prison for much of the story. The resolution to this complicated story is breathtaking.
The Island of Sea Women – Lisa See
A detailed account of a friendship between two Korean women who are part of a woman’s diving collective (Haenyo) on a Korean island. The story begins in 1938, then progresses through the Japanese occupation prior to and during World War II. Their friendship is ruptured by an act of atrocity; the post-war years leading to the Korean War are filled with hardships. The latter part of the book is a poignant recalling of broken trust and how difficult it is to achieve reconciliation and grant forgiveness. This is a profound story of women who are powerful in the sea but overcome by extreme forces on land. The history of Korea, especially the post-war chaos, makes for a powerful book.
The Silence of the Girls – Pat Barker
A re-telling of the Iliad from the point of view of Briseus, the daughter of the King of Lyrnessus who is awarded to Achilles as a trophy. The best part of this book is the portrayal of the ensuing 9-year Trojan War as the folly of men, waging war because of a mis-guided sense of honour usually manifesting as petulance. Achilles is especially blood-thirsty, driven by a rage and compulsion to kill. The savagery of war is described wonderfully by the author of the Regeneration Trilogy, a masterful treatment of war and its collateral damage.
Death at La Fenice – Donna Leon
In my comments of The Temptation of Forgiveness (May 2018), it was noted this was the 27th Inspector Brunetti book. Death at La Fenice is the first, written in 1992. This origin story is notable for its initial definition of Brunetti as a crime investigator: he works alone without computers or fancy forensics, he listens and thinks. His warm loving family life is featured here as in all the Leon books; there is a simply glorious account of a Monopoly game with his wife and children. Thanks Amy, for this delightful read.
Smoke – Dan Vyleta
Sometimes speculative fiction creates entire new fantastical worlds. In other examples, like this book, a paradoxical provocation is introduced to a familiar world, in this case England about a century ago. The novel aspect in this story is that evil in thought or deed is manifested by the emanation of smoke from bodies. This produces a class distinction or separation; the upper class aristocrats and gentry generally do not smoke but the lower working classes are drenched in smoke that becomes a dense soot. So London becomes a particularly dark place. The protagonists are three young people exposed to lies, secrets and increasing violence and treachery. The crucial issues: rich versus poor, political differences, right versus wrong, love versus lust, and lots of guilt. This is very fine writing, reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s best stories.
What David Read 