Previously, Ms. Walls has written autobiographical (The Glass Castle) and biographical (Half Broke Horses) books. This new book is a novel that follows the trials and tribulations of Sallie Kincaid in 1920s Virginia. At ages 17-20, Sallie has to deal with family secrets in rural areas dealing with the prohibition. There are conflicts between what is right and wrong, and legal and illegal. Sallie is both clever and quick, but how will she operate in a world that devalues women?
Romantic Comedy – Curtis Sittenfeld
This book is a surprisingly satisfying read. Sally is a sketch writer for a TV live comedy show (think SNL), who meets pop music sensation Noah when he guest hosts. What follows is obvious chemistry that is complicated by Sally’s perception that Noah is out of her league. So, in essence, this is a relationship story that is remarkably observant and poignant.
Happiness Falls – Angie Kim
Ostensibly, this is a missing person mystery: a father goes missing from a Korean-American family (wife, three children). What elevates this story is a unique point-of-view, emphasizing the family impact. Why do people do and say what they do? For a family in crisis, there are many discussions on cognitive psychology. What if suspicion falls on the youngest son who is non-verbal because of autism and Angelman Syndrome? Questions of loss, language and the expectations and assumptions regarding communication abound. Finally, the ending is somewhat enigmatic, as is real life.
Girlfriend On Mars – Deborah Willis
A chance discovery at an October Word Fest event, Ms. Willis has written a superb relationship book. Amber and Kevin have enjoyed/endured a 14-year relationship even though they have very different personalities. Secretly, she decides to enter a billionaire-funded competition to travel to Mars, and amazingly becomes one of 24 contestants on a reality show to choose two “winners”. How does Kevin cope with Amber’s decision to leave him for a one-way trip to Mars? What is Amber’s motivation? The story is in part funny with a satirical treatment of fame, billionaire-funded space travel together with a quest for love. Highly recommended.
The Observer – Marina Endicott
Full disclosure: this is a great book that deals frankly with some unpleasant subjects. Julia accompanies her partner Hardy to his first RCMP posting in Northern Alberta. Julia is a keen observer of life, especially relationships. She is also a silent witness to Hardy’s descent into depression and PTSD. There is a strong element of fear and menace that is truly frightening. Powerful writing and very worthwhile.
1979 – Val McDermid
Context is everything in this gritty crime story: Glasgow in 1979, with investigative journalists working in a newsroom filled with cigarette smoke and the din of typewriters. Tax avoidance with greed and Scottish ultra-nationalists are the nasty villains. A totally entertaining story with an appendix with a top-40 list of music from 1979. Thanks Amy, for this recommendation by the acclaimed “Queen of crime” writer.
Happy-Go-Lucky – David Sedaris
And now for something entirely different: a collection of mostly humorous essays. Sedaris offers wry observations on many topics (e.g., pandemic experiences) but his most poignant essays are about his family relationships, most notably with his elderly father. He is candid and self-deprecating, with the use of wonderful words (one-downsmanship) and phrases (crocheted blanket the colour of sorrow). A very fun read.
A World Of Curiosities – Louise Penny
This 18th Inspector Gamache mystery is genuinely suspenseful with some eery parts. The complicated but compelling plot combines elements of a cold case with current crimes. Gamache and Beauvoir are revealed to have blind spots, so very human characteristics. There is art, and finally, a strong theme of forgiveness despite considerable darkness. This is one of Ms. Penny’s best Three Pines novels.
The Fraud – Zadie Smith
And now for something entirely different: Ms. Smith has written a fantastic novel of historical fiction. The central character, Mrs. Eliza Touchet, is an acid-tongued spinster with abolitionist views, who moves in with her cousin in the 1840s, the hapless writer William Ainsworth, and lives with him for the next 30 years. England is captivated by the Tichborne Affair, in which Arthur Orton, a lower-class butcher from Australia, claims to be Sir Roger Tichborne and thus heir to a sizable estate (ant title). His outrageous claim results in two lengthy trials where a Black Jamaican, Andre Bogle, supports the claim. What is truth in a world of hypocrisy and self-deception? Overall, the writing is rich and detailed, a joy to read.
What David Read 