Théo et l'Enigme des Diamants by Didier Leterq

 

I haven´t reached yet the terrible teenage years, but it´s just around the corner. Books may help me prepare for the big adventure, but beyond that, I also like to enjoy the pleasure of reading books for an obviously different audience. When the book is written in French, the pleasure is even greater.

A relatively short novel built around a secret code that may lead to stolen diamonds Théo et l'enigme des diamants - Theo and the mystery of the diamonds, in my free translation; the book is part of a series featuring Théo, but as far as I know any of the books from the series were translated into English - is entertaining, adventurous and full of surprises.

Tracing some stolen diamonds, the teenager teams up with his grandfather, once involved in the anti-German cryptology enterprise from Bletchey Park. They are discovering mysterious letters placed in the most unexpected places, that they are able to decipher using a large variety of analogies, from mathematics to astronomy and Greek drama. An incentive for the young reader to focus more on learning, at least for the sake of solving riddles.

There are also other aspects touched upon, such as tensions with parents, school relationships and friendships. 

Although the ending is a big too ´soft´ for my taste, the book has its own charm and it´s definitely worth reading, including for the youngsters trying to improve their French level - A2 to B1 level.

The author has a professional background as scientist, but the Théo series launched him as a writer for the young audiences.

I am not sure I will continue with the series soon, but most probably will do it as soon as will have some time one day.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Le Vieil Incendie by Elisa Shua Dusapin

Elisa Shua Dusapin is one of the authors I love to read when I am trying to see the world differently, in a more deep, considerate way. The French-Korean author, currently based in Switzerland, has an unique direct way to explain feelings and situations in the most deep way. I´ve read her books both in the original French language, as well as in English translation and this feeling of dealing of a soul reader persisted.

My latest book by her, Le Vieil Incendie - The Old Blaze, in my own free translation - read in the original French version is written as a series of diary entry for one week in November. Agatha, who left her small helmet of Sarlat in France, is back after 15 years to settle the childhood house following the death of her father. There, her estranged aphasic sister Véra is waiting for her, and the two of them bond, superficially and for a very short time, during those times. 

Although they are supposed to leave the house for good, they will rebuild the old pigeon house destroyed long ago by a fire. 

The ties may be broken and each built up their own life and realities, but the days spent together is like a moment out of time. It´s exactly as may happen sometimes when we are back to places from the past, empty from the people that made them alive. Not everyone is having a blast from the past that may change he or she for ever. It is a honest yet very human journey.

Meanwhile, I am about to start another book by her soon - the only she published and haven´t read it yet -, and I am very curious where it will lead. Hope to be able to review it soon.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Lies&Weddings by Kevin Kwan

´Rich, entitled and clueless - it´s a lethal combination´.

The advantage of fighting hard a nasty flu that stayed with me way too long was spending more time reading big books that were waiting for too long my kind attention. Funily enough, my mind was not too much able to focus on literature but was rather keen to absorb a lot of nonfictional facts. Thus, I am feeling less guilty to ignore my academic pursues. 

One of my achievements during those sick days was finishing Kevin Kwan´s latest: Lies&Weddings. Kwan is an author I religiously followed in the last years, as I always find his hilarious explorations of class, money and power within Asian families inspiring for a certain social dynamic which is not always so transparent to outsiders but worth understanding for a better image of the social mobility within the Asian families on the continent and abroad.

The characters in Lies&Weddings are not always easy to cope with. They are either the poster of a despicable parvenue - like Lady Arabella who married into a noble family, unaware that her excesses bankrupted his family. And there is Thomas Tong ´a great doctor, and an even greater keeper of secrets´. All of them are running fast in a race of accumulating wealth, paying debts and keeping their secrets.

Arabella´s attempts to marry her children into European noble families, are faced by the realities of those families, carrying titles with no value and most importantly, no assets. This lady is a despicable character in her hunger to completely obliterate her modest origins and in her ridiculous matchmaking efforts. After bullying her neighbour Esther, who was living in the cottage nearby with her father, a friend of her husband, she completely changed her mind when it proved that Esther may be of a higher social status.

Lies&Weddings can be read in many ways - including as a financial advice, and some fashion tips as well, but honestly I had to search out some brand names - but besides the network of circumstances, there is also a good story ongoing, even though the change of situation may look and feel unlikely, But not everyone is privy to rich people habits, so maybe it really happens like this, It has a very international cast - always introduced by their education track record - and entertains, but sometimes you may just feel overwhelmed - and outraged - by the luxury and financial debacle.

I am not ashamed to confess that I really spend some time reading about royalties and other gossips about rich people, so this book is a literary rendition of such hobbies. If you are like me, you may enjoy this book as well.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Random Things Tours: The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux by M.J. Robotham

 

After nine decades of intensive life, both as a writer and as a woman, Ruby Devereaux may be done with writing, but the publishing industry is still expecting her to honour her contractual obligations. When it comes to making money from someone else´s talent, there is no limit of greediness. With 20 years of experience in the field, Marina knows how to deal with complicated authors and demanding publishers, thus she will convince Ruby to write one more work; a story of her scandalous life in 12 relationships.

From New York to London, Saigon or Budapest, Ruby won many hearts and spent unique moments, navigating fame and men, more or less suited for her. But while she is coming at terms with her romantic past, Ruby is able to have a last say on the stories. She is the one who is setting the tone and sharing the content. A full life comes at end.

The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux by M.J. Robotham is a slow paced insightful account of a life. The romantic tales, interrupted only by some current day intermezzos, are sometimes ironic, even hilarious, which make the voice of Ruby unique in the general setting of the story. I personally liked even more Marina, the smart publisher, for her trained mind for coping with any kind of challenges.

If you are looking for a book that will display in the front of your mind a long story of loves extended during almost a century, this book may offer you some good ideas with some insights into the unique life of a woman writer, a character in herself.

Rating: 3 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own 

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli is a book I needed a long time to read and even longer time to think about it. It is also a book of many books into one: a chronicle of a marriage ending - as the own author´s - a book of loneliness, a book about catching memories, a book of the voiceless. The book was nominated for the Booker Prize 2019 and was the winner off the Dublin Literary Award in 2021.

A Mexican-American author based in the US currently, Luiselli herself is involved on behalf of children immigrants. Children of various ages, sent alone from Mexico, with a phone number sewed in their clothes hem, a number to be called upon arrival, upon survival. My son is much older than some of the children mentioned in the book, how would my sweet boy survive such an ordeal? It is a terrible thought, as terrible as the children from the Lord of the Flies, a book the protagonists may read to their children on their way to filling their working assignments. 

There are two main storytellers: the mother, working on a soundscape project, and the older son, who plans an escape with his half-sister on their own, up in the mountains, aimed at getting in touch with some of the lost children their mother is so much invested into that she is mostly not present when around her own children. 

Past and stories are what keep memories alive, and through sound, a sound archive, there are the emotional, contextual memories who are maintained. The wording of the book is beautiful, prose split in different small enchanting chapter, although not always necessarily part of the worded narrative.

´I suppose an archive gives you a kind of valley in which your thoughts can bounce back to you, transformed´.

´Stories are a way of substracting the future from the past, the only way of finding clarity in hindsight´.

There are many parts that at a close scrutiny weren´t maybe so enchanting, critically speaking. Although the story stops long before the separation took part, the fact is announced as a certitude and more than once it annoyed me, because sometimes, especially for few hundred pages novels, I don´t like predictable outcome. Also, the voice of the boy - recently 10 - was hardly recognizable from his mother´s, which was also not a pleasant experience.

What I also appreciates is the multimedia inserts, with photos, but only at the end of the book, although was feeling like it could have been used more boldly and extensively.

Lost Children Archive is an important book of our times and may open pathways to inspiration to keep exploring the topic, maybe also in a less personal key as part of a story of marital alienation. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Corylus Books Tour: Black Storms by Teresa Solana translated by Peter Bush

Since their launch, only few years ago, Corylus Books maintained a very interesting line of authors whose works meet thriller investigations on the background of complex political contexts. Their latest, Black Storms, by catalan author Teresa Solana, translated by Peter Bush continue this trend, with a surprising story about wounds of events that happened almost one century ago.

When a sick, retired professor is killed, no one may have figure out exactly the reason of the crime. Tasked with solving the case, detective Norma Forester is challenged to focus her super power - and activate her family background references as well. Thus, she will be able to trace the roots of the crime to the Spanish Civil War, where her grandfather belonged to the International Brigades.

Short yet atmospheric and with characters of deep personal and sociological complexity, Black Storms was a fascinating read. I am passionate about how politics and history may alter our everyday lives therefore, the reading inspired me a lot to think about those fine borders when our lives may be shaped by other people´s decisions and histories. I particularly loved Norma, a complex character with a family story bigger than herself. 

For anyone interested about Spanish history, particularly the Civil War, Black Storms is a good introduction, adding that human layer of knowledge that we may miss when we are reading just cold historical facts and figure.

A recommended read if you love a good thriller written in a very smart political key. I am definitely interested in reading more by Solana.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Rachel´s Random Resources: In Italy for Love by Leonie Mack

Broken-hearted and financially broken as well, Julia is just consumed by her Italian dream. As she arrived from Australia few years ago, and fell in love with Luca, she did not expect such a dramatic ending. She even bought together with him a B&B that right now is just another display of her failure. Having enough of still living with her ex, without any financial perspective in sight and very reluctant to ask for the help of her parents - she is 27, after all - she heads to an olive farm to start working and recover her self esteem. And, as expected, she is about to meet love again and perhaps start a new beginning.

In Italy for Love by Leonie Mack is as predictable as life can be. It is possible to meet love when you expected less as it is also predictable to head up for a change when everything you tried before proved wrong. Therefore, we are delighted with a relatable and emotional story, set in a delightful place on Earth.

Don´t take me wrong. There may be love stories leaving you completely destroyed and afraid to start anything anew. But for the average of people, life may just go on and on and being open for a new life is just the mindset that maybe, hopefully, will attract the right people around you. That´s the spirit of In Italy for Love and a reason why I am happy to recommend it to anyone looking to a soothing weekend read. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own