Random Things Tours: The Uskok by George Sand translated by Lynne Forest

This is my second review in less than a day of a book of historical fiction influence set in Venice so maybe the bookish universe is trying to send me a subtle message that I may not be able to grasp it yet correctly. 

The Uskok by George Sand, translated into English by Lynne Forest,  is a novella of love and passion, in a world of uncertainty. A world where some women are becoming more aware of their strengths, taking bold decisions contradicting the expectations the society - the men´s world, that is - assigned to them. Sand, a strong supporter of female independence and a harsh critique of institutional love - as in marriage -  wrote in the 19th century, and Uskok - the name for the Dalmatian pirates - is set in the 17th century. 

The romantic novel - romantic being usually labelled for stories with exceptional characters reacting under exceptional circumstances is offering to the 21st century reader not only a very active plot, but also invites to think about bravery, honor and courage. The voices from times past still have a lot to teach us today.

I rarely read French books in English translations, but my thirst for reading was bigger than my vanity therefore I accepted the challenge. I´ve read George Sand before and I remember how complex is the original French. Therefore, my biggest admiration for the elegant translation by Lynne Forest, who brought to life a linguistic realm that is so far from hours, without altering the original symbolism and historical and fictional register.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: My Chance to Fly by Samantha Tonge

 

I love romance novels, but some are more - or less - original than the others. My Chance to Fly by Samantha Tonge surprised me not only with the love story, but with the very original way in which this story builds. It showed that in fact creativity has no limits, we just need to push through the borders of our own mental comfort.

Una is a very special young lady, living in London a perfect, drama-free life. She is careful who she may allow into her life and especially how to avoid any kind of emotional complications (to be honest, my right kind of friend in real life). Her perfectly curated existence is endangered though an episode involving a very unique white swallow. Exactly, a white swallow of aves pride.

You may ask where is the romance here?  The swallow leads her - following an impressive social media campaign aimed at locating the bird - to Bavaria, where Konrad convinced her that he saw the precious bird. A bird that may have sealed the destiny of two people that otherwise would never have had the chance to meet otherwise.

And the rest is just history...

I´ve found the story adorable, and the pretexte of it outstandingly unique. It resonates with a very special category of humans, that are lead by destiny in the most unexpected ways in the most unexpected circumstances. If you know, you know...

Rating: 4 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: The One Where They Fall in Love by Cristina Wolf

Elle is a romantic editor who keep believing in love. Only that mostly there are other people love stories. She happens to have a neighbour down to earth and very well organised who got to keep a dog entertained, a dog who mostly misbehaves when left alone for long hours. His name is Thor. Elle is trying to find a solution to the permanent bothering Thor suddenly brought into her life, and offers to babysit when Oliver is out for work. And, as maybe expected from a sweet romance novel, there is something building up between the two, a bridge created by their time spent together before or after the dog sitting episodes.

The One Where They Fall in Love by romance writer Cristina Wolf is a book built around destinies of imperfect New Yorkers, young people looking for connection and genuine love. Although in realitiy, love may follow different pathways as in Elle´s dreams, it is always worth the try. 

What I really loved in this story was the dynamic created between Elle and Oliver through their chats and discussions. It is such a sweet way to create connection and those two are all about slowly connecting, despite the (barking) circumstances. 

I´ve read this book in a weekend and made me smile more than once.

Rating: 4 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: The Knife Maker of Venice by David Gilman

Set in the 17th century Venice, The Knife Maker of Venice by David Gilman is a very well researched book of resilience and siblings´ love. 

Two siblings - Elizabeth and Richard - separated by a fate where the historical weight of the ongoing events is dramatically influencing the fate of individuals. The book starts with a slow introduction into the spirit of the time, allowing the individual destinies of the characters to project on the historical canva. Although it may look a bit slow, this beginning is setting a clear base for creating the right context for the next encounters and events about to be told.

The alternations between the particular and individual histories is very important for understanding the story, as well as the characters. Gilman, an author I got to know through this book only, is an empathic storyteller, sharing with the readers stories that cross centuries through the genuine humanity of the characters.

The Knife Maker of Venice challenged me to show more interest in discovering and thinking more about the history of Venice and their people. 

Rating: 4 stars

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

Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel

Once I fell for an author, I´m unable to resist reading in a row all their works. The Ensemble by Aja Gabel was one of my highlights of the extremely tormented year of 2020. Six years after, I grabbed her latest, Lightbreakers from a library´s shelf, hungry for a new literary encounter. With a cover like this, no matter the author and the title, I would have anyway stop more than a couple of seconds to think about a book.

Maya is an artist and Noah a quantum physicist. As he accepted a mysterious offer from an excentric investor to test a time travel machine in Marfa, Texas, their relationship is being shattered by the persistence of memories of his deceased daughter and the life he had before they met. As he slowly realized he is part of a wider experiment, Noah acknowledgingly accepts the escape from a past - alongside with his ex-wife, also a scientist by vocation, Eileen - and leaves the secret lab to continue his life in the present where Maya exists.

There are few genres that do leave me completely cold, and one of them is time travel-related. I do travel, I love history - or historical facts to be more precise - but I have no feelings for this type of escapism facilitated by science. And Lightbreakers is mostly built around the time travel story, as Noah is repeatedly returning to his life before, when his daughter was alive, saving scraps of memory, more or less processed by his present self. 

From the scientific point of view, this time travel solution - chemically induced - doesn´t sound very strong and spectacular either. But forgive the high expectations of an apprentice of time travel adventures.

But besides those parts - which slowed my reading pace, because just felt stuck, unable to utter any credible judgement of value - the writing is beautiful, immersive and deeply empathic. It´s like in some parts, the author herself is bearing with us, the non-professional readers, offering some slice of beauty despite the aversity to the main pretext of the story. 

I will hurry up anyway to read anything Gabel writes, but maybe will check twice if some SF/dystopic-related topics are addressed, just to lower the expectations.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Berlinoise by Wilfried N'Sondé

Book set in Berlin must definitely have a story of two with before and after - the Wall, end of WWII, both. It is a literary stereotype that does not necessarily reflects nowadays what people, especially young people see their own histories and present life. In the end, it depends on the ratio of the books set in Berlin you may read. Maybe my ratio is too high, hence the ennui...

Berlinoise by Wilfriend N'Sondé - alongside another book that will hopefully review soon - was chosen for the language, not the topic. I am longing for more French-ness in my literary life - and not only - therefore the irresistible desire to read more in this language - especially after spending most of my summer vacation time improving my Italian. 

This is a short yet passionate novel, a kind of Education sentimentale of a young French musician, landing to Berlin in the last day of 1989, getting to know Maya, a tormented East-Germany born artist, with whom he will passionately live the moment until her decision two years after to leave for the county of her father, Cuba - as in real life, literary characters are allowed to make bad decisions as well. 

The passionate story is set on the background of the own political passions shaking the newly reunited Germany, such as the outburst of racial violence and the omnious overpresence of skinheads and Neo-Nazi groups and the frequent deadly attacks against migrants.

I did not know what exactly to expect from this book but besides the literary stereotypes I´ve mentioned before, I enjoyed the reading and the concision of the style, and the story wasn´t that bad after all. I am looking forward to my next book by this author, who returned to France after spending a long time in Berlin working in the field of social assistance.

Rating: 3 stars

Land Where I Flee by Prajwal Parajuly

Four grown-up grandchildren are gathering from London and US on the occasion of chaurasi - the celebration of the 84th birthday - of their strong-willed grandmother Chitralekha in a region in India with a stong Nepalese minority. A hilarious dysfunctional family  with whom we are invited to spend about a week together.

Land Where I Flee by Nepalese-Indian author Prajwal Parajuly has a cast of very unique characters that are into a lot of unexpected, morally doubtful situations - created by them or just casting - while rich in cultural and historical details about this part of India. 

It may be just another book about a dysfunctional family, due to the conflict between ´Westernization´ and local traditions - the grandchildren mostly speak English to each other. Who will buy a read a book about ´normal´ people, anyway? But I´ve personally read about some of the interactions between characters laughing out loud and took note about many of the cultural and traditional remarks I clearly was not familiar about.

I can easily see this book serialized, as it keeps a soap opera glamour and state of permanent crisis. The choice of reading was completely random, but felt like I was right with my choice as now I have some new cultural topics to think about it.

Landd Where I Flee is a recommended read for any curious reader looking to discover some special ideas and traditions of Nepalese in India.

Rating: 3 stars