This is the back-story to Rochester’s mad wife in Jane Eyre, a woman trapped in England after a life in the Caribbean. Rochester is revealed as first immature, then manipulative, greedy and deceitful so that his wife Antoinette is driven into madness. The author Rhys’ story is also fascinating.
Category: Location / Setting
Museum Of Extraordinary Things – Alice Hoffman
One of the best features of this book is the setting: New York and more specifically Coney Island in Brooklyn in 1911. The “museum” is really an exhibit of freaks of nature, both living and dead, most faked/manipulated. The Professor character is wonderfully wicked, but love wins out. Part of the story is a mystery, to add to the flavour.
The Girl Who Was Saturday Night – Heather O’Neill
Wonderful storytelling of the remarkable relationship between two siblings, Nouschka and Nicolas, who have grown up without parental love: a physically absent mother and an emotionally absent father. O’Neill captures the francophone world on Montreal in 1995, leading up to the separation vote. The sibling relationship is amazingly close but they are moving in different directions: Nouschka is going forward and Nicolas is stuck in the present/past. Wonderful writing, especially the metaphors!
The Keeper Of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Copenhagen Detective Morck is suffering from PTSD, investigates a cold case of abduction. Not much Danish context but a good thriller with interesting personalities.
The Valley Of Amazement by Amy Tan
Story set in Shanghai from approx. 1900-1930, two mother-daughter relationships spanning 3 generations. Detailed description of life as a courtesan through good times and bad times. Chinese men have anglicized first names like Perpetual and Loyalty.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
This is a compelling story of relationships: two brothers, husband-wife, and most complicated, child-parents. Typical of most Lahiri’s writing, this story takes place in both India and USA. (Jhumpa Lahiri previously wrote short stories – The Namesake).
The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton
A fascinating story from the 1860s and the gold fields in New Zealand. Multiple character are intertwined with a non-linear narrative that is very interesting feature of the writing. This is a big book (700 pages) so save up some time for a great story.
The Weird Sisters – Eleanor Brown
This is a magnificent story about 3 sisters reunited in Ohio because of a parental health issue. The book is dominated by Shakespearean quotes and references: the names of the 3 sisters are Rosalind (Rose), Bianca (Bean) and Cordelia (Cordy). The story is about sister relationships and all three are fuck-ups in their own unique fashion. And may I mention that everyone loves to read in this story. Finally, the book is written in an interesting collective voice of all thee sisters (We …). This is a must-read book.
The Light Between Oceans – ML Stedman
Another sad story about the consequences of lies and guilt, set in Western Australia in the 1920s.
What David Read 