Amu Nowruz and his Violets by Hadi Mohammadi illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo translated from Persian by Sara Khalili

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the beginning of the spring, a season full of hope, sun and opportunities. An old tradition that remained despite the desperate recent efforts to replace it with imported celebrations. Such tales can be always retold, keeping their original flavour, although re-inserted into a different narrative, based on the storyteller choice.

Amu Nowruz and His Violets by celebrated Iranian children books author Hadi Mohammadi illustrated by Nooshin Sadakhoo and translated from Persian by award winning translator and editor Sara Khalil is such a kind re-tale of an old story from the Persian foklore. 

The story goes that Amu Nowruz (Uncle New Year) was in love with Naneh Sarma (Mother Winter). But heartbreakingly, they can only see each other once the year. Every time though, Naneh Sarma  falla asleep. Instead of waking her up, Amu Nowruz leaves her a flower. When she wakes up again, she sees the flower realizing that she missed him again. 

A beautiful sad story, as many others from the Persian folklore.

The illustrations are unique, with the moderates shades and fine lines, elegantly completing the text. 

The main audience is aimed at 3 to 6-year olds, but it definitely can be used as a multicultural educational tool for older ages as well. If interested to find out more Nowruz-related children books, here is another recommendation from five years ago.  

Nowruz Pirooz to all who celebrate!

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Cover Reveal: Under the Blazing Sun by Jenny Lund Madsen

The readers of Thirty Days of Darkness by bestselling Danish crime novelist Jenny Lund Madsen may ask when the new book from the series Murder by the Book will be published by Orenda Books. And I have a good news to share, as usually when it comes to anything this publishing house has to offer. 

Get ready to reconnect with some characters and the ambiance of Madsen books: the continuation - Under the Blazing Sun - will be out of the print on the 21st of May. And here is the purchase link:  https://geni.us/AsDXTq

At the first sight, it promises a very eventful meta-story, with a struggling crime writer being caught into a cat-and-mouse race of staying alive. The ultimate inspiration for a successful novel. But would she survive to tell the story?

Until I will be able to read - and hopefully review - the book, just have a look at the cover. It reproduces elements from the cover of Thirty Days of Darkness, with predominant dramatic shades of rot and pink. The broken glass carrying a blood-looking liquid amplifies the effect as the precision of the details makes you think of a promise of crime, committed eventually under the cover of a beautiful spectacular sunset.

It sounds very appealing for me...

CLASSICAL READS: Carmen by Prosper Mérimée illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe

I am of course acquainted with Carmen, but through Bizet´s opera representations (and I am not an opera fan at all). Merimée only through Colomba, that I´ve read eons ago but I have no memories whatsoever. But part of my CLASSICAL READS Project, I decided to include Carmen, inspired by the oniric illustrations by Benjamin Lacombe. In other words, I came for the story but stayed for the illustrations.

Although, to be honest, after reading the book - a relatively short one, in few short sessions during one day - I left with some literary informations. 

Mérimée is considered a Romantic, therefore expect topics of impossible love, and femmes fatales. Carmen, apparently inspired by real events, was written in a week and belongs to a chapter in the French literature of fascination with Spanish culture. In the first half of 1800s, the author visited Spain several times and showed interest in the Bohemians, to whom Carmen belonged to. 

The illustrated French version I had access to, includes an article written by Mérimée about Roma groups in Spain that definitely is to be considered loaded with stereotypes, but it belongs to l´esprit du temps and it definitely invites to a critical read.

Carmen is an evil seductress, nonchalantly and aggressively playing with men´s hearts, until her games will turn against her and she will be murdered by one of her admirers - who is also the storyteller, explaining the journey of his broken heart. Love is consuming, an evil takeover of everyone´s destiny. Once it occurs, it is a before and an after, that may straigthforward lead to destruction. All common motives for the Romantic literature.

For me, it was not a special read but it was nevertheless a unique encounter with classical reads worth considering it once in a lifetime. 

To be continued...

Ragazze Perdute by Max and Francesco Morini

I continued this month my efforts to maintain and develop my Italian skills with a short, slow-paced novel read in the original language.

Ragazze Perdute - Lost girls, in my own translation - by the duo Max and Francesco Morini - traces an unsolved crime of a teenager girl that happened in the 1980s, to our 2020s. Told my Francesco, her short-term boyfriend, at 30 years distance, it has a strong socially and politically-critical perspective that connects directly with the crime itself. 

What starts as a first love story of some teenagers, reveals deep social rifts - family background may influence and determine the choice of friends - ends in a terrible crime with political and religious motivations. The story enfolds following the back and forth in time, through diary entries and memories.

Clearly I´ve followed the socio-political background, and found some interest in the crime part. The pace is slow and the construction is not very elaborated, but because the story itself is relatively short, it suits the brevity of the narrative.

If you are learning Italian, the book works for a B2 advanced level.

Rating: 3 stars

Orenda Books Blog Tour: Reaper by Vanda Symon

 

As a serial killer is making victims among the Auckland´s homeless, no one but Max Grimes seems to care. Grimes is homeless as well, and it´s decided to find out the cause of the serial murders. But as he is advancing his searches, shadows from his more or less recent pasts are returning, challenging his own existence. Would he be able to cope with the past drama?

Vanda Symon is a frequently reviewed author on my blog, and Reaper, her latest by Orenda Books maintains the standards and the suspense high. Tensed, well-paced and psychologically rich, the story advanced in the right tempo where both the characters and the ambiance match. Homeless people are rarely seen as victims and their fragility seldom outlined within the social web, therefore, Symon also offers a different social spin to the usual take, either in crime novels or just in everyday media coverage. The local setting - Auckland - is also unique, as I don´t remember any other crime stories by other local authors placing their investigations there.

I´ve intensively followed and loved the story in Reaper. Some of the ideas I´ve encountered are clearly something to keep thinking about later on. 

A recommended read together with other books authored by Symon. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin

 

A story of building an identity outside the community of the faithful, Ordinary Saints, the multi-awarded debut by Edinburgh-based Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is relatable to anyone who chose to leave their faith. No matter which faith, parting ways with the pious upbringings requests a ´before´ and ´after´, where the familiar is replaced with a high-risk social existence, far away from everything one may be used with. 

Inspired by the author´s own devout upbringing, the book is a confrontation between the storyteller and her family, following the sanctification perspective of her beloved older brother, who died suddently. This new situation may push Jay, living currently in London with her girlfriend, to face her family requesting answers. 

It is both a family story, with a strong Catholic background, but also a story of growing up, out of and against faith, but nevertheless build one´s own life. The dramatic moments are balanced by well-spirited remarks and episodes, giving an air of normality and honesty to the account.

I personally appreciated the complexity of the approach, who goes beyond the usual black-and-white take. Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is definitely a compex voice that has a lot to say in the future.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Cover Reveal: The Bone Mother by Suzy Aspley

Suzy Aspley is back with a new installment from the Martha Strangeways Investigation series: The Bone Mother. 

A follow-up of multi-awarded Crow Moon that I had the pleasure to review almost two years ago, this book promises a mix of mystery, police proceedings and disturbing truths. As a body of a young woman with matching jewellery is discovered at a landmark church, Martha is leaving again her settled quiet life in Strathbran. The search for the truth will take her back to traumatic episodes from her past and encounters to spiritual forces stronger than both life and death.

The cover is as usual the gateway to the story, and it displays a symetrical painted image of a skull in the midst of some stylized psychedelic background. For me, it looks very entincing and I cannot wait to be able to read the book soon.

The book will be published on the 7th of May by Orenda Books and promises suspense and interesting twists taking the reader to mysterious old pathways.