Arizona’s first graphic novel is autobiographical, prompted by the death of her estranged father from a drug overdose. Her surprising designation as next-of-kin meant having to make a dramatic decision about organ donation. This leads to a somewhat obsessive analysis of the ethics of organ donation. Are brain-dead addicts after an overdose serving as a supply of a valuable resource, namely organs? Is there an imbalance between those giving organs and the recipients? This is a moving and often irreverent exploration of grief and family – highly recommended.
Category: Genre
The Keeper – Tana French
Ms. French is a superb crime writer of some excellent police procedural stories. This third and final book in the Cal Hooper trilogy is entirely different. First, there are only two deaths in this story about a village in West Ireland, one at the beginning and one at the end of a 489-page book. The context is the village; casual dialog reveals subtle conversational codes. And most of the violence comes from rumours, generational grudges and power struggles. A compelling question: what is justice? Finally, the last 8 pages are … perfect.
Taipei Story – R.F. Kuang
Rebecca Kuang is an extraordinary author, in part because each of her novels uses different genres. In this book, Lily Chen is a Chinese-American Yale student who decides to spend a summer in Taipei in an intensive language program to improve her Chinese. Now, Lily is a young woman experiencing culture shock for the first time, and she makes some epic mistakes. Her program is difficult and her roommate is super annoying. And then mid-program she experiences a personal tragedy, the death of her maternal grandfather (Gonggong) in China which results in a profound identity crisis. Thus, the story is intensely introspective, all about belonging. Some of the writing is transcendent, like attending a piano concert. Overall, an amazing coming-of-age novel about self-discovery and understanding.
The Black Wolf – Louise Penny
This 20th Gamache novel is a direct sequel to The Grey Wolf. Inspector Gamache with a very small group of trusted investigators works to foil more dastardly plots in what must be a covert operation. Trust no-one! There are police moles, crooked politicians, the Montreal mob, and a great deal of misdirection. So, in short, totally entertaining.
Camino Ghosts – John Grisham
First, a confession: I have never read a Grisham novel, despite his being one of the best-selling authors in the world! So, this randomly chosen novel describes a classic legal battle. On the one side is Lovely Jackson, a Black woman claiming ownership of an island settled and inhabited by ship-wrecked African slaves in 1760. And on the other side is a despicable corporate developer who wants to build a resort and casino on the island. This classic David-Goliath battle comes to a satisfying conclusion because there is no last-minute revelation at the end of the book. So, a very entertaining read.
The Things We Never Say – Elizabeth Strout
Let me make something perfectly clear: this is a great book, high praise for the author of Olive Kitteridge and other literary masterpieces. The story is often profoundly simple, and there are descriptions of exquisite small events that will take your breath away. Artie is a 57-year-old married high-school history teacher with one son. What happens when he learns a family secret? Has he been living a lie? What does Artie do with this knowledge? Thus, the story becomes a meditation on sadness, loneliness and yes, melancholy; in other words, this is a moving exploration of what it is to be human. And finally, the book title is perfect!
The Book Of Lost Hours – Hayley Gelfuso
This imaginative book is a fine example of speculative fiction, and thus hard to describe. Imagine a reality where past and present memories are stored in books, in libraries in the “time space”. Timekeepers are tasked with the collection and storage of memories. But what if some memories are considered dangerous? What if individuals can alter time and erase memories, and what if some of these individuals work for nefarious government agencies to alter history? And in fact, this book is also a thriller, with a very complicated love story – highly recommended.
Cat’s Eye – Margaret Atwood
This 1988 novel may be Atwood’s most autobiographical story. Most notably, this is a story about women. Elaine is a painter in her 50s who returns to Toronto for a retrospective art show. What follows are reflections on her life. Perhaps the best section describes her childhood, ages 8-15, and the pervasive influence of mean girls who play on Elaine’s insecurity and her need to please. The cruelty is subtle, stressing Elaine’s imperfections. And there are secrets and shifting alliances. These girlhood traumas persist into adult life, so this is a powerful coming-of-age novel, a must read book.
Whistler – Ann Patchett
Simply put, this is a fantastic book. Daphne, a 53-year-old married woman, has a chance encounter with Eddie in an art museum; Eddie was briefly her step-dad when she was 9 years old (so 44 years ago). This is a superb relationship story, of the choices that people make and the choices that are made for them. There is a quiet simplicity to Patchett’s storytelling that remind me of Anne Tyler (high praise) There is transcendent writing about memory, and even lying as an act of kindness. This is one of Patchett’s best books about loss and enduring love – highly recommended. Thanks Amy, for this book.
