Book Review: Divorcing by Susan Taubes

´It was strange, slightly embarassing, to have Ezra speak for her and about her in her presence as if she were in a trance or absent´.

Out of the many fantastic books I had the chance to read this year, Divorcing, Susan Taubes´ only novel stayed with me for a very long time. It took me some 2-3 months to write this review, as I needed to figure out over and over again the many details of the novel.

Taubes was born in Hungary, Budapest, as Judith Zsuzsanna Feldmann. Her father was a psychoanalist, her grandfather a rabbi. She left Hungary to America with his father in 1939. Two weeks after she published this novel, in 1969, she committed suicide. Susan Sontag, whose son David Rieff signs the introduction of the last edition of Divorcing, was called to identify her body. The novel was republished in 2021 by NYRB Classics which also recently published her novella.

Sofie Blind, born Landsmann, the storyteller of Divorcing, is death. She was decapited by a taxi while crossing a street in Paris. We will find out relatively late into the story and it may come as a shock. Somehow, from somewhere up, she is telling her story with her own voice. A violent episode, as strong as the protagonist´s desire to get freed from her marriage - thus, the book is not titled Divorce, as a given fact the outcome of a process, but Divorcing, a present continous - , and the chains of a misogynistic society. The severed head though, may be also read - my reading, anyway - in a quasi psychoanalitical key, as a symbol of freedom.

After noticing her own funerals, she is back and forth in her native Hungary and retraces episodes from the past. The modernist key of remembrance and spontaneous references is another part of the book which is important to notice, an innovative take to both memory and writing about memory. 

If there is one New Year´s Resolution I want to make this time, it would be to discover more extraordinary writings like Taubes. I know that my mind is often unfocused and tempted to take all the newly published books onto my shelves, by classical writings with a philosophical touch, especially by women authors, may be a priority as well. 

Rating: 5 stars

Coping Mechanisms with Books

´No, I needed to read a book a day. I needed to sit down and sit still and read. I had spent the last three years running and racing, filing my life and the lives of everyone in my family with activity and plans and movement, constant movements. But no matter how much I crammed with living, and no matter how fast I ran, I couldn´t get away from the grief and from the pain´.

With all the good and not-bad things that happened to me this year, I experienced in 2023 the hardest amount of grief as an adult in my entire life. Indeed, I lost people very dear to me years before, but this time, the frequency of loss was appalling. From January onwards until the mid-June, unexpected or probably death reached me. Some years ago, it was in a way easier to survive the pain, with limited communication and without social media connections. Nowadays though, you can always once in a while stumble over an Instagram post of someone no longer here, or a voice message from another happier times. I actually had to delete those departed persons from my agenda, part of my progressive coping mechanism: The memories left are in my heart. Also, do not miss any opportunity of calling those loved ones, sometimes tomorrow never comes.

As usual in such life threatening situations, books were my companion. Except the books for my brilliant book tours, I´ve read relatively less from my TBR, and it seems that my Proust Project - re-reading Proust after almost two decades - has to wait for 2024 - hopefully. I still have a big library pile of books I am committed to finish in the first half of the year, plus some old galleys neededing my urgent review. But at a certain extent, the books I´ve read - a lot of short stories, poetry too - guided my mind through the pain of separation. Another part of my time was spent delving into language learning, and at a certain extent I am proud of my progress in acquiring some very difficult languages in the last 12 months.

Three years after the death of her sister following a short chronical illness, author and academic Nina Sankovitch started a very bold project: reading one book a day, for a full year, and writing about them. It should be only one book per author. The plan sounds very difficult, even for a fast reader as me. A book for under 200 pages needs around 3-4 hours of intensive reading, therefore it is not practically impossible to do it, in addition to house chores and various family responsibilities. 

Through the books, on her purple chair - featured on the cover of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair. My Year of Magical Reading - a reference to another memoir written to deal with sudden departure of a a dear one, by Joan Didion -, a favorite of her cat too hence a special smell which comes with feline bodily odours, she connected with her sister - some of the books were shared by her or mentioned by her, an acknowledged art expert - but also with her immigrant family past and family histories, with her past and most important life stages, from childhood to adulthood. 

There are good titles shared, an inspiration for forthcoming TBR, but I also loved the very direct and slow paced voice of this bookish memoir. It shows comfort and inspiration and will help anyone to (re)discover the power of stories. No matter if you are mourning or not (yet), this book will help you understand that no matter what, there will always be a good book waiting for you, ready to help. The utterly unbearable thing will be the disappearance of books themselves.

Rating: 5 stars

Entries to Paradise

´´Morale de Tartuffes!´´

 

Inspired by real facts, the so-called Spider killings in the Iranian city of Mashhad - my latest read by the French-based Iranian author Chahdortt Djavann is probably the most factual books I´ve read by her. 

With empathy and humour when needed, she is revealing small stories about women forced to prostitute, killed either by the serial killer of Mashhad or by the state machine of the Islamic Republic. Both sides are inspired by the same monomanic mindset: playing the Gd against women. Imaginary or real, those stories are human testimonies about how precious life is. 

A religious person theoretically may not need literature to acknowledge a basic fact. Fanatics do, because for people whose minds are perverted by religion, there is no place left for humanity.

I´ve read the book in the original French language - not aware if this book or any other books by Chahdortt Djavann were translated into English - and I recommend it to anyone interested in reading more women-related histories, particularly about women´s oppression in religious dictatorships.

Rating: 5 stars

Book Review: Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

I love debut novels with a touch of contemporary millenials. As a much expected, very much praised debut novel of 2023, Pineapple Street by succcessful publishing executive director of Alfred A. Knopf Jenny Jackson was a humorous, ironic and class-critically read.

The books features the young inheritors of a family of old (white) American money, the Stocktons. The trust funds of the grandparents was invested into real estate and other profitable businesses, so the youngsters can enjoy a priviledged life. The three women featured - out of each one, Sasha, called the ´gold digger´ by the other two, is married with Cord Stockton, the only son of the family, while the other two Georgiana and Darley are born into the family. Sasha comes from a middle class family, using to spent her vacation time in school working, nevertheless having enough money to graduate debt-free from university and having set her own business - do share their fragments of glamorous life, which involves taking part to oligarch chic parties (Georgiana) or trying to hide to her parents that her husband is unemployed. 

Pineapple Street, situated in Brooklyn Heights, NYC, is an address for the rich and glamorous.

The debate about what the 1% is spending their time and their money was relatively well translated into the literary language. From outside, one can understand the manners and habits, as well as the daily schedule. Rich millenials are also working, women do have careers although seem to be completely uninterested in increasing their wealth - as the world will end with them, by the way. 

There is no surprising revelation about the characters, extraordinary things that are happening to them - except the fire in the end that partially destroys the family house. The story mostly develops horizontally, and although there is an extensive development of the characters, there is nothing to expect in terms of the plot. 

If you may be interested in the transfer of wealth within the realm of 1%, I bet there are enough non-fiction books on the topic. 

Pineapple Street is a good try at getting into the 1% and their world, but relatively uninteresting from the literary point of view. The writing is enjoyable though and hopefully Jenny Jackson will keep writing.

Rating: 3 stars

French Book Review: Golem by Pierre Assouline

 

Probably one of my least favorite to date by Pierre Assouline, Golem is a thriller enfolding in the two-pace of the chess game, about an international chess master Gustave Meyer, running from Paris to London and Oxford and Central Europe, escaping an accusation of murder.

The prime suspect in the murder of his ex-wife, who died in unclear conditions, Gustave is set to figure out the crime himself, but meanwhile he has to clean his traces and run against the clock for saving his freedom. Alongside with him, there are two women looking for him: one is his daughter who wants to help him, another one is a policewoman who wants to catch him.

Gustave is an international chessmaster, a solitary man, caught into a game that seems to go beyond his complex capacity of grasping things. He is on the run, forced to find ways to keep his freedom, using his mind and knowledge.

I may confess that I was expecting a better balance between the thriller part and what is predictably coming along when you are calling your novel Golem - I have read the book in the original French version and I am not aware if there is any translation of the book into English. In the second part of the book, as he is ending up in the region where the story of the Golem started, the discussion is becoming more and more philosophical, with mystical accents. Although I usually appreciate such an intermezzo, I may rather be catch by a real story which is integrating high-end ideas through the interactions and dialogues of the characters.

But, as usual, when the books is beautifully written, there is always an advantage of keeping reading a book that until the end may not be completely at the highest level of literary expectations. 

Golem may be my last book by Assouline in 2023, but I am sure that would be delighted to keep exploring more of his writings, as I promised myself after Sigmaringen.

Rating: 3 stars

Random Things Tours: Murder All Inclusive by Alastair Puddick

 

An anti-social character with limited social skills, author Freddie Winters tries to find out inspiration for his incoming menu by accepting a lavish all inclusive trip to Spain, for taking part to a literary festival. A festival that may save his literary career...But in life, plans are rarely coming along perfectly well as we may dream about.

His misantropy couldn´t get unnoticed and when someone he got an argument with is found dead, all eyes turn to him. He looks like the perfect pawn in such a game: resentful, unable to properly control his feelings, especially the negative ones. Plus, he is a crime writer therefore, he may know some tricks how to actually cover his murderous traces and offer the right alibi. Under this threat, he is starting his own investigation which may change his way of looking at things as well, not only his manners.

Murder All Inclusive by Alastair Puddick is hilarious, indeed, but has a good plot and some good crime story development. What I really loved about this book - except loving to hate Mr. Winters - was how various possible solutions were suggested. The intrepid reader may jump too high to a conclusion, but in reality the twists were leading to a completely different direction. 

Similarly, the hip warm and beautiful Spanish setting may be entincing, and suggesting a paradise, but the facts may suggest the opposite. Puddick plays very well the game of appearances, in addition to creating an unique character - Mr. Winters, again - and a special ambiance, not necessarily what one may expect from a crime novel.

If you are longing for a different kind of crime novel, Murder All Inclusive may not only trigger your mind but may also invite the reader to dream of the beautiful Spain, especially if you are set for a month-long dark winter. As I really enjoyed the writer´s style, I would most probably check some other books by him as well.

Rating: 4 stars

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

French Book Review: The Blonde and the Bunker by Jakuta Alikavazovic

A triangle relationship with an uncertain geometry, a furious quest for a hidden art collection, a mysterious presence and disappearance of a photography and its negatives. La blonde et le bunker by French author and translator Jakuta Alikavazovic is intriguing, multi-textual and playful, as it involves at times the reader him/herself in the story. 

The story has the visual precision of a photographic alternance of gros plans: Anna, a mysterious cold-blooded blonde woman brought her lover Gray - an American injured in an accident - to live with her in a bunker, her home. At the ground level lives her soon to be ex husband, John Volstead, also American, an erudite, the author of one famous book. In Anna´s absence, the two of them are trying together to put some order into John´s extensive library. 

For John, Anna is an obsession, but an obsession stuck in time, as the photography of her testimony. Gray is in love with her, hardly able to figure out the variations of her moods and the lack of the expected emotional involvement on her behalf. While John simplified and reduced her to an image, Gray is seeing her through their interactions and everyday moves, as long as she allows him to see and meet her.

The search for Castiglioni collection through is trying to actively involve the reader as well, and balances rationally the relatively highly emotional encounters of the love triangle. The author however, has a complete control over the narrative brought together by a beautiful writing that sometimes makes forget the irrascible nature of the characters.

I am definitely interested in reading more by Alikavazovic, as I´ve already checked some other titles and topics she wrote about. La blonde et le bunker counts as one of those important literary meetings of the year. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Random Things Tours: Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson translated by David Warriner

 

In less than six months, I am back with a new book by Johana Gustawsson: Yule Island, translated by David Warriner published by the one and only Orenda Books, a frequent quality presence on my blog. 

As in the case of Bleeding, Yule Island is not for the faint of heart, but has a story smoothly built, which generously integrated all the many surprising events occurring during the events. From the very beginning until the unexpected end, there are so many twists and changes forcing the reader to leave everything and dedicate the entirety of his or her time to this book. 

A successful art expert, Emma Lindhal is requested to assess the art collection of one of Sweden´s richest families. The process takes places at the residence situated on a remote island, where years ago, a young woman was murdered. And as she was delving into classifying the artifacts, there is another crime taking place, also of a young woman. As detective Karl Rosen enters the scene, Emma is joinging forces and minds aiming to discover the culprit. 

This members of this unusual task force may look very different at the first sight, but in fact, both do have so many secrets and triggers of the past that make them alike and help at a certain extent to investigate the crimes. The Gothic part of the novel, involving old Norse mythology and rituals is the most unexpected part and makes this crime story unique and tremendously thrilling. It is another layer of reality unfolding, nevertheless a very creative way to write crime stories, that definitely may have correspondents into the everyday reality of crime events.

Yule Islands is a recommended read if you are looking for a different take on crime novels, well written and hard to predict until the very end. The characters do have a dark complexity but good people rarely make a brilliant thriller, anyway.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Book Review: Double Vie by Pierre Assouline

 

One of the too many to count literary encounters I experienced this year was the discovery of Pierre Assouline. While looking at the French library for Le Nageur, I stumbeled upon another of his books, Sigmaringen and it was enough to add him on the list of authors to follow. 

Although I still haven´t read Le Nageur, I took my time to discover other of his titles, read in the original French language - which I, of course, love. 

Double Vie is at the first sight a history of an illicit relationship. Rémi Laredo, a Jew of Sephardic origin, a specialist in cave art, caught in an unhappy marriage with his successful catholic wife and lawyer, Marie Rabaut-Pelletier. His escape is an illicit relationship with Victoria, whom he meets in inconventional places, based on a secret discrete code set between the two but mostly controlled by her. He is a dreamer, obsessed about images of certain women. If not Victoria, there would be another women, there is the image who nurtures his fantasy. Most of the book is in fact a long monologue describing his connections with women, told by him, 

But there is also a part which enfolds as a mystery: after the airbags where Victoria and Rémi were enjoying their illicit relationship dangerouls popped up, Victoria disappeared without a trace. Rémi is desperately trying to find her. He even pays a visit as a patient to her husband´s medical office, but there is not too much to find out. Mysteriously again, his wife starts to talk with him about a diary of a woman whose husband want to use it as a proof for asking for a divorce. Rémi criticizes her for doing it, but illicitly also tries to have a look at it.

The search for Victoria continues until the end of the book, creating confusion or sending the curious reader on a fake pathway. 

Double Vie is a book of many topics - arts being also one of them - which intertwin and spread into the story as the shreds of a coloruful caleidoscope. Sometimes they are just this, shreds, but often they are share information about unfolding events or characters. 

Rating: 4 stars

Random Things Tours: Murder On the Menu by Alex Coombs

 

Food and crime can be really deadly combinations, and so is the search for a killer in the kitchen. Bestseller author Alex Coombs is offering it all, in the smart debut of The Old Forge Café Mysteries inaugurated by Murder On the Menu. 

Chef Charlie Hunter, the main character of the book moved to Chilterns in order to create her dream restaurant. As she was intensively thinking about creative tasty dishes, a crime is about to put in jeopardy the tasty bright future. Thus, chef Charlie will put into motion her high skills acquired in the kitchen, trying together with other members of the community to figure out who and especially why murdered the famous local builder found death.

One important part of the book I really loved was the focus on the local alliances and the ways in which small communities can be built under pressure. Those interactions add a very authentic touch to the local spirit of Chilterns, the author´s city of residence, thus the very realistic descriptions and heartwarm ambiance.

Murder On the Menu may look at the first sight as a cosy mystery but it´s nothing cosy about the writing. Coombs build up characters that I can´t wait to hopefully meat again and situations that aren´t easy to solve. It´s hard to leave the book until a solution is in sight. Your mind moves along the solutions and possible suspects, in an exercise of investigation. Bonus if you are really into foodie stories and smart women chefs characters.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Book Review: Victory City by Salman Rushdie

 

One needs to be on a certain lengthwave to enter the ambiance of a historical/fantastical novel. You have to leave behind everything connects you to the surrounding reality and switch completely to the fantastic worlds you are invited to discover.

I may confess that most part of the time I avoid such escapes. On one hand, my imagination is mostly rooted into everyday life and fantasy needs a very special setting to manifest. On the other hand, my life is sometimes so busy that I hardly have time to breath the fresh air of creative freedom. My mind need to follow a schedule, accomplish tasks and deliver results. 

However, every time I have the chance to read something by Salman Rushdie, I will always put aside some extra time. He´s one of the best writers of our times, with a beautiful language and always an array of topics opening up your mind and soul. Yes, his novels are usually difficult journeys through the maze of imagination, but it nurtures the soul and the mind.

It took me a couple of good months until I´ve found that magic time to read his latest, Victory City. As in other novels, he introduces elements of history and geopolitical considerations: the action of the book takes place during the raise of the Vijayanayara Empire, in the South of India, between the 15th and the 16th century. During this time, globalisation expands through the various trade interactions between different worlds set apart by geography such as China, Venetian Republic, Portuguese traders. 

And there is the mythical figure of the goddess Pampa Kampana, whose written chronicle found in a pot is brought to life by the anonymous chronicle - Jayaparajaya, which includes both the words Victory and Defeat - reader of the book. She spent most of her 247-year long life at the forefronts of history, including by sharing the seeds - of okra and beans - that created the Victory City itself. A teller of truth with a taste of getting involved in palace intrigues and fancing women warriors and in position of power. 

But she will end up being a victim of her own circumstances, in a war where there are no winners or losers. After all, she was only half-goddess. 

The writing doesn´t let you think about anything else, completely absorbed into the story. The complexity of thoughts shared do require a high attention and dedication to it: women self-empowerment, women and power, illusions of power. In the vein of old chronicles, there are no character judgement, only facts and their consequences, samples of life and its illusions.

Rating: 5 stars  

Random Things Tours: Do Pengiuns Like the Cold? by Huw Levis Jones illustrated by Sam Caldwell

 

As a mother of a curious little boy and an educator, I am always interested in ways in which science - with big S and lots of challenging theoretical researches - can be taught in an attractive way, without diminishing at all the quality of the information. Thus, children books in all languages written by scientists interest me due to the guarantee of the data translated for the consumption of a young audience.

Do Penguins Like the Cold by expedition leader, naturalist and award-winning author Huw Levis Jones, interestingly illustrated by Glasgow-based wild life artist Sam Caldwell, seemed to check all the intellectual boxes of my current projects. And I was right to have high expectations, all answered graciously by this small yet highly interested book.

A good written children book - in this case addressing mostly pre-teens, facing for the first time the science requirements in the classroom - should interest both the adults reading with them and the little reader. And honestly, what a lesson this book was! I got to know a lot of information about penguins, their habitat and behavior and I may even conquer my horror of travelling to cold places for the sake of understanding with my own eyes why actually Do Penguins Like the Cold. 

The book is informative, indeed, as I was expected it to be, but at the same time it also involves the reader, invited to actively follow the author in an adventure in the cold, getting to know the penguins. It shows a good example of how such a topic can be tackled in a very intelligent and engaging way. Personally, I will be more than interested in getting to read more books by Huw Levis Jones and books in general written in such a generous informative and engaging way.

Rating: 5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Dead Sweet by Katrín Júlíusdóttir translated by Quentin Bates

 

When I was thinking that Icelandic Noir can´t get any better, I am offer again the chance of an even more eventful thrilling crime made in Iceland: Dead Sweet by Katrín Júlíusdóttir translated fron Icelandic by Quentin Bates and published by Orenda Books, one of my favorites publishers of high-quality crime novels in English.

The book was published in 2020 and was Katrín Júlíusdóttir´s debut novel. A former politician, an MP between 2003 and 2016, it seems she used her everyday political experience by getting the best inspiration for writing this unexpected political novel.

Óttar Karlsson, the politician whose death is the main trigger of the story in Dead Sweet, didn´t get to take part at his birthday party. Once his corpse is discovered, the police is aware that this crime would be much discussed about in the next weeks and months. However, as the investigation to catch the culprit advances, the police, particularly the smart investigator Sígurdis - another interesting and elaborated character although secondary at a a certain extent - , are getting into the darkest secrets of a popular politician. 

Karlsson, although dead, is the main character of the book, developed carefully. However, Dead Sweet is more than a book built around a person, as at the same time when we are lead through the secrets of the Icelandic politician, the action of the book itself is advancing as well, with the persistence of the spider´s web. I particularly loved the complexity of both the story and the character, leading through a spectacular, mostly unexpected ending.

Dead Sweet is a great read for anyone passionate about politics, with all its shortcomings and dark sides. But dark sides of life are always most attractive and definitely make into the best thrillers. Iceland seems to offer a neverending source of inspiration, and writers like Júlíusdóttir do have access to both the source of the inspiration and the writing talent to offer just another excellent sample of Icelandic Noir. 

Rating: 5 stars

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

Rachel´s Random Resources: How Not to Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh

 

Some exes are more despicable than the others and when left pennyless, some fantasies involving murder may be involved. But fantasies are different from the actual murder...unless you are the charming 45-year old Clion, having to live since her divorce in a caravan. Because...her ex Gary took care of her wellbeing so well...Then, suddenly, she´s discovering his corpse at her doorstep. On the top of that, she cannot remember exactly what she did and/or where last night, because she had one too many cocktails. 

How Not to Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh is an adorable cosy murder mystery. Besides the humour and the funnily criminal twists, the book also has the merit of introducing women characters of a certain age - besides Clio, there is also Amber and also Jeanie, both of them one of a kind. A better hint of age diversity is always welcomed...

I´ve read this book in one long sitting and couldn´t recommend it enough, especially if you are looking for a cosy smart winter read - while at home after a holiday meal or just while on vacation, in the mountains or elsewhere. It has interesting psychological insights of relationships and betrayal after a certain age, but also a crime related ambiance that, at least in this case, works together very well. I just hope there will be a continuation of any kind of this book, as those women characters do feel so real that I may want to meet in real life too. 

Rating: 4 stars

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

From the Library with Love: Podcast Tour

 

Like in the case of audiobooks, it took me a longer time to come along with podcasts. But exactly as it happened with the audiobooks, once I got into the spirit, it was really hard to live without it. However, I am still at the beginning of the journey and always looking to update my list of podcasts that may help me to better hear and understand the world. 

As a bookish person, podcasts with authors about books - theirs and others - are very important to learn more about writing processes and authors, as well as about characters and the inspiration behind them. I am still looking to expand my list, therefore, it is my big pleasure to introduce my readers to a podcast with a name aimed to attract bookish people like me - and you: From the Library with Love by award-winning journalist, ghostwriter and novelist Kate Thompson. 

Regularly, Thompson publish interviews with authors and persons who inspired her writing. The episode I want to talk more about is an interview with Shannon Kyle, prolific ghostwriter and author. In her episode, she is explaining about her experience and her writing process, but also about the ways in which the ghostwriter connects with the story and its sources. Thompson is a very intelligent interviewer, with a pleasant voice that keeps the audience awake. Kyle is also involved in supporting ghostwriters as well, and she recently created The Ghostwriters Agency with Teena Lyons, aimed at connecting authors with ´ghosts´. 

As I am planning to take some days off in the next weeks, Thompson´s podcast would be for sure a pleasant and intelligent companion, because there is never enough when it comes to knowledge and quality inspiration about the bookish life.

Thank you, Anne Cater for the opportunity of discovering and reviewing this podcast.

Random Things Tours: If I had a Polar Bear by Gabby Dawnay illustrated by Alex Barrow

 Brought to their young audience by the successful duo behind the good night children books ´If I Had a...´ - writer and poet Gabby Dawney and illustrator Alex Barrow - If I Had a Polar Bear explores the possibilities of what does it mean to have a polar bear as a pet. An unconventional choice, of course, but children do always put us in impossible to refuse situations.

Aimed at 3+ children, it also helps the little ones to develop their animals-based vocabulary, with some visual riddles they are challenged to solve at the very beginning of the book. Just the best way to keep them interested until the end of the book. The vocabulary is also well aimed at offering not only an adventure in the world of imagination, but equally the chance to learn new words at the end of the journey.

Both the illustrations and texts are catchy, and my son remained focused until the very end. You can read it as a bedtime story or during the day in the Kindergarten, or use it as an English learning material. 

An enjoyable read - with colourful beautiful illustrations as well - both for children and their grandparents and parents, If I Had a Polar Bear was published just in time for the winter season. Outdoors or indoors, one - no matter the age - can easily dream about how life with a polar bear would be. I am definitely in for such a sweet procrastination!

Rating: 5 stars

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

Memoir: Forager. Field Notes from Surviving a Family Cult

 

The world of cults, especially in North America, may take different forms. Some of them do tend to reach to a larger follower, some are just created around some family figure. Many families may have such iconic figure in their midst, especially an old grandfather, but they are not necessarily turning into a cult. 

Journalist Michelle Dowd spent her formative years in a family cult created around her grandfather, roaming through the fields and hills, learning to trust animals and nature, but being taught to despise the outsiders. The apocalyptic religious cult founded in the 1930s by her grandfather, with assigned prophetic qualities. 

Life is limited by various rules and especially restrictions, denying everything that has to do with civilization - including hospitals and medical services in general. Her life is marked by lack of attention, proper food - most of it is provided by own foraging - and clothing. She knows everything around the mountain in California she grew up but hardly about normal healthy human relationships and family attachment.

Each chapter is initiated by a reference to a specific plant and is built around an experience in the mountain reflected into her own life and relationship. Despite the hardships and the estranged family relationship, the tone of the memoir is empathic and simple, without any over emotional confessions and outbursts against her traumatic childhood. Such an approach is usually the sign of a noble spirit that makes peace with life as it is, a rare quality, particularly among people who left behind cults or strict religious groups. 

I had access to the book in audiobook format, read by the author herself, and her warm curious voice also confirms this impression.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Random Things Tours: Bright Stars of Black British History by J.T.Williams illustrated by Angela Vives

 

You know one of the many reasons I feel priviledged living in our current times? Hint: it has to do, obviously, with books! Books about people whose voices were never heard, women, minorities, people who always were part of their larger societies, even contributed to changing them, nevertheless they were never included in the official narratives of their countries. 

History is a difficult material to deal with - says a PhD in history - and it has the potential to both educate and distort. Depends on the aim it is written. Personally, I  believe that history well written and documented can do a tremendous work of representation for people, individuals and groups, underrepresented and/or absent from the official narratives. 

Bright Stars of Black British History by J.T. Williams, beautifully illustrated by Angela Vives is an outstanding example. Aimed at a young audience, it well written and informative enough to catch the attention of a more mature audience. A journey through times, it shows a what extent Black British History is written since centuries, through the contributions of actors, freedom fighters and artists, soldiers and educators. 

It is an important book both for personal use and as reading material in the classroom. It empowers both children and their families with vital information about the past and possible role models. Hopefully, there will be many many such books soon, I cannot wait to review. This is history in the making.

Rating: 5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Courting Samira by Amal Awad

 

A sweet story of searching for pure, ultimate love, Courting Samira features a 27-year old Palestinian based in Sydney caught between her Romantic dreams and the everyday realities of dating while trying to achieve her professional and personal goals. 

Inspired by Regency and love fairy tales, Samira is following the traditional pathway to find love and believes in romance, but she may end up entangled in a web of funny circumstances. Just a bit of more drama, as she was not already having enough of it, As an assistant at Bridal Bazaar magazine and her everyday family experience, she may now a thing or maybe two about it. And now, some dramatic love triangles are about to happen and she should manage them somehow, while trying to get a long awaited and much deserved promotion at work.

Courting Samira has a hilarious take, but also offers a diverse story, featuring a different way of searching for Romantic love. Although I´ve felt sometimes that the story isn´t developed too fast, it is far from boring and has a thoughtful take on relationships, particularly of young successful Muslim women growing up in Western societies. The women characters are adorable, bubbly and with strong personalities and last but not least, an outstanding sense of humour. They are largely relatable and would love to see them featured in a movie inspired by the book. The story flows beautifully and keep the reader smartly entertained.

It is a book that may appeal to readers interested in diverse characters, but can also offer inspiration and role models for young Muslim girls, not very often featured in Romantic books those days. 

Rating: 4 stars

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

We Need New Stories

 

We usually reject what we don´t know. Luís de Camões´ Os Lusiadas resumes among others our fear of unknown territories. The sea - which can be also interpreted in a more complex Freudian key - represents the unknown, something that goes beyond our imagination and capacity of grasping worlds and phenomenon who were under our control and knowledge. Time and experience showed us better ways to grasp the sea, but the fear of unknown is an archetypal human feeling.

This fear nowadays is mostly expressed through our reactions - very often negative ones - towards foreigners. Listening to foreign languages and accents, skin colours and habits, food customs and smells coming from non-local apartments are a curse and a blessing at the same time. It depends on us to turn the unknown into palpable and familiar truths. Living in an age of fast communication with access to a significant amount of sources does not guarantee automatically the end of all evils of intolerance. Rather the opposite: it can help people to fuel their fears, while using exclusively sources of information confirming over and over again their fears.

Our Migrant Soul. Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of ´Latino´ by Héctor Tobar approaches the variety of experiences of being - often an undocumented - Latin American immigrant in the US through stories. His own story, his own family story, his relatives stories, his current and former neighbours stories and unknown people stories. 

I can grasp theoretically the identity layers and challenges of being a minority, but through stories I am able to access personal experiences, to figure out the stories and their emotional weight, I can represent in the front of my eyes the people telling or experiencing those events. I can better acknowledge the similarities with other non-White stories - as related in the book about Black Americans - and eventually think about what would follow next, at what extent there will be a similar pattern marking the evolution of a given phenomenon.

Our Migrant Soul, a book I had access to in audiobook format, is an excellent collection of stories that may enrich both the researcher and the curious reader about the generous contribution of immigrants from all layers of life to our experience about identity.

Rating: 5 stars

Rachel´s Random Resources: All in Monte Carlo by Anna Shilling

 

´

Inspired by true events, All in Monte Carlo will take you within the closed doors of the rich and beautiful of Monte Carlo. Some new rich love Dubai, but those unable to beat the high hot season would rather love Monaco. After all, it´s easier there to get your fix and the principality is small enough to create a trustful network of gossips and adventures for all to follow, up in the open.

Written by a collective of four women, just like the stories shared in the book, and inspired by truth events in the life of the Monegasque inhabitants, the book cover was created by the famous graphic designer Patrick Knowles who created, among others, the cover for Anthony Horowitz books as well as the calligraphy for the wedding invitation of Prince William and Kate´s. 

A good read if you love some gossipy stories and you find other rich people´s problems amusing, All in Monte Carlo is packed with action, a bit of kitsch and a lot of loud laughs. Unless you are in the skin of the characters yourself - all those cheaters! - you can hardly stop laughing, even what the women of book are planning a chilling revenge. 

The luxury descriptions are accurate and tempting - but warning, there is no Black Friday for the luxury brands ! - which makes it look like a kind of European Crazy Rich Asians - with less rich, but enough crazy. My favorite - obviously - is Abigail, the journalist, especially for her black humour. The way in which she interacts with her corrupt boss and his ´clients´ is the right attitude of a smart girl whose brains are sought after in an ocean of stupidity and fake make-believe.

If you are looking for some good written fun this weekend, All in Monte Carlo is what you need for. I wish myself a continuation of the series and maybe a glamorous movie too. If you plan to visit Monaco and Monte Carlo next summer, maybe it´s also a good idea to know what it expects you there, although for few hours - staying there overnight would be possible only if you get the big pot at the Casino, who knows.

Rating: 4 stars

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

The End is Near

 

One of my few events for this year Literaturfestival in Berlin was a discussion about Iranian revolution with Gilda Sahebi, Navid Kermani and Amir Gudarzi who introduced his debut novel Das Ende ist Nah - The End is Near, in my translation. A promise, not guaranteed, too. Shortly after I had the chance to read the book, a complex immigrant story in Austria.

Gudarzi studied theatre and dramaturgy in Tehran and was forced to leave the country following the protests of the 2009 Green Revolution in Iran.The character of his novel, A. had a similar experience, and also used to be active in the field of theatre. But now, he defines as an immigrant, humiliated by other fellow immigrants and facing the soulless bureaucracy. 

Interrupted with flashbacks from the past, filled with stories of his parents, his childhood and the friends and girlfriends he left behind, the prose follows like a logic of duality, where the past and the present are survival pills for the everyday survival.

What didn´t worked for me was the relationship with Sarah, an Austrian woman trying to break also with her past, a PhD student, a tormented soul, passionate about Iranian culture, democracy protests and Jewish history. I didn´t like her and such people usually belong to the category of people I avoid to have anything to do in the everyday life, but in the logic of the story, I felt ofen that she was there as a reminder of how things should not happen or just to offer a distraction from the dramatic story of A.´s immigration to Austria. Maybe in theatre such useful characters are welcomed, but in a novel, you can rarely get rid of them fast enough until they are becoming a stereotype. Relationships in general in this novel seem very clumsy and emotionally distant.

Besides those shortcomings that after all may be just a matter of personal taste, Das Ende ist Nah is an excellent debut novel, eyes-opening of the immigrant histories and with a story with its own dynamic. This novel is a proof of the rich literature written in German that once translated, would definitely bring a lot of novelty and new topics into the general topic of immigration and estrangement.

Rating: 4 stars

Cover Reveal: The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath

 

The sour part of taking part to cover reveal events is that I may have to wait a bit more until the book is out on the market to read what I am suggested it happens in the book through the cover. As this is one of the newest type of articles I introduced on my blog in the last two years, it also creates a special expectation about the book and, obviously, increases the amount of TBR for the time being.

The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath is not expected in the bookstores - virtual and other - before the 15th of February next year. As the cover and the title too suggest, it is built around food and its life challenges - the main character, Kate Shaw, decided to return in the kitchen preparing pancakes and I know from my perfect failures what can happen while preparing a pancake - or two. The recipes she is creating or testing are further building up a sense of community and belonging, which is one of the wonders food can actually do in the everyday life.

The book may be about food and love for it, but I loved how the cover is actually trying to convene a visual message not necessarily bombarding the reader with images of sliced cakes on a plate or pots and pans. It attracts the eye, nevertheless, with the elegance of the lines and colours, especially the red and blue mixture. 

Such an appearance can only make me curious about what to expect next and what characters and actions can be hidden in the pages of a book with such an inspired cover.

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Rachel´s Random Resources for having me at this virtual event.

Rachel´s Random Resources: Pass the Cyanide by Karmen Špiljak

 

From the literary point of view, this year I´ve significantly expanded my outreach in terms of topics and domains of interest. One of my biggest achievement is trying out a large array of short stories collections, both in terms of geographical coverage and styles. (Hopefully, in the next days and weeks I can finish reading and reviewing some of my latest discoveries). However, nothing prepared me for the explosive dangerous taste in Pass the Cyanide by Slovenian-Belgian author Karmen Špiljak, a collection of mystery short stories with a pinch of cyanide. 

The challenge of the short stories is to be able to create stories with developed characters within a relatively limited amount of time. The 14 stories included in Pass the Cyanide are entertaining, mysterious while adding very interesting elements of folklore and fairy tales. The food - including cyanide-free recipes - is often the element that reflects and announces the mysterious challenges for the characters. Definitely, there is always something ´noir´ about it, in different concentrations. 

As a regular crime reader, I didn´t know exactly what to expect from this culinary noir, but in the end my appetite was only screaming for more. As this is actually Špiljak´s second collection of foodie mysteries, I am left with the chance of another delightful menu, hopefully soon. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Private Inquiries. The Secret History of Female Sleuths

One of my biggest achievements as a reader this year was to delve more into women histories, either in fiction or non-fiction. By reading and sharing information through my blog about historical and scientific and other episodes with women participants, I was able to fill the void of non-representation that marked anything that had to do with women representation.

At the beginning of this year, I got to know a lot about women crooks in England, and one month and a half before the end of 2023, I spent an intellectually rewarding amount of time learning about The Secret History of Female Sleuths. The author of both is Caitlin Davies who for the second book she got fully into the skin of her characters, and went through a PI training herself. Thus, she got significant insights about the process and its details.

Private Inquiries. The Secret History of Female Sleuths covers more than 150 years of history. It is well documented, either through archives researches or with direct interviews and feedback from women currently part of this profession. It is as exciting as it sounds like, with an additional advantage of being written in a very accessible and journalistic form. Although it is focused on England histories, it can be used as an incentive for other geographical spaces and countries to be replicated. 

It is a very recomforting feeling to discover that women too, deserves to be appreciated in their roles as investigators. I can´t wait to read more works of both fiction and nonfiction aimed to fill the break the historical silence regarding women in so many domains of everyday life.

Rating: 5 stars

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

Short Stories Book Review: Send Nudes by Saba Sams

A selection of unequal ten short stories with predominantly women characters, Send Nudes by Saba Sams is mostly a tragi-comical account of various dating and relationship failures. The women characters in the stories may be and feel lonely sometimes, but relationships are mostly not what they are necessarily looking for. Some human interaction, maybe. Some of those interactions may change them, empower them, although it only refers to some online weird exchange of nudes.

What I´ve loved the most was how some stories actually ended: with the main character leaving everything -to be read a man, a relationship - behind, just to walk free. There is no drama, no tears, no longing: there is a desire and wish for something more, only to acknowledge how dear is freedom. The partner could be a man or a woman, no matter the gender, what is important is that feeling of being able to subsist by oneself, existentially. 

Although I´ve found maybe just half of the stories really interesting, Send Nudes did reasonate at certain extents with memories of dating experiences I´ve used to have. A good source if you are interested in honing your short story writing style, but also if looking to dissect with care dating life nowadays.

Rating: 3 stars

The Secret Ways of Love Letters

 

Since reading the The President´s Oranges, I knew I wanted to read more - and more - by Abbas Khider. Born in Baghdad, he was forced to become an political refugee and currently lives in Berlin. I was charmed by the smart humour allowing him to nonchalantly approach serious topics such as the cruel dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.

Letter to the Aubergine Republic is an elaborated story, following the fate of a letter sent from a political refugee in Libya to his beloved one with whom he tries to get in touch again after two years of absence. Due to his status and the risks he may expose the destinatary once caught by the secret police, he is spending a small fortune to send the letter through illegal channels operated through a travel agency. The letter travels to Jordan, Egypt and further on to Iraq, where lands to desk of a representative of the omnipresent secret agent. There is no escape of the regime´s long hand. 

At the time when the novel is written, the aubergine was the most basic food in Iraq.

It is a short novel, but elaborated in a way that fully reveals the intricacies of corruption and nepotism created through the family connections with the dictator. The odyssey of the love letter reveals from the smallest society cell how far the dependency of the regime goes. A journey unfortunately reproduced through many other similar dictatorships from other parts of the world as well.

As far as I know, Khider´s books haven´t been translated yet into English and it´s a big pitty because nowadays more than ever, we need more an more satires against dictatorships.

Rating: 5 stars

Random Things Tours: The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

A book of high sensibility and contemporary intricacies, The Leftover Woman by bestseller author Jean Kwok is a tour de force of American-Asian history through the intertwined stories of two women. 

Jasmine, the first protagonist of the story we are introduced to, is struggling to settle in America, always hunting for new jobs and opportunities. Forced into an arranged marriage as a young teenage girl, she is a character whose complexity is revealed smoothly, as the story unfolds. She has many secrets to hide, many of them not revealed until the end of the story, but the secrets she hides are usually involving and particularly aimed at saving other persons. 

Her impossible double is Rebecca, with a successful career in publishing and a life one can only dream about. She just adopted an Asian child she does not have enough time to spend with, leaving her instead with a nanny, Lucy, who feels like a family member. But the perfect life starts to have many cracks and under pressure, she is just about to lose the control of her thoughts and life.

Historical circumstances - among others, China´s one child policy - may bring those destinies together, in a story who is emotional and full of unexpected turns of events as well. Kwok´s writing is charming, in the sense it can create destinies of everyday people, highly outlining and bringing more human light into historical events and mentalities.

The Leftover Woman is one of the best historical fiction focused on women characters I´ve read this year, a recommended read to anyone curious about American-Asian history but also keen to discover a fine writer. 

Rating: 5 stars

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

Cover Reveal: Clickbait by LC North

 

Most successful thrillers you´ve seen around the bookrealm do have some bloody appealing pictures as their covers: either a drop or some traces, it´s what you are supposed to associate with when thinking about a thriller. Put it should not necessarily by this way. As the topics and characters of a thriller do usually resonate with the trends of the moments, the just blood stance may sound a bit outdated. An acknowledgement which leaves a generous creative amount of space to offer a much better visual rendition.

Clickbait by LC North, an author I had the chance to feature already on my blog at the beginning of this year, to be published in April 2024 by Transworld Bantham is pleased to differ. A rich family, the Lancasters, involved in the production of a reality show sharing with the world details of their lavish lives, is involved in a strange case of a missing youngster. YouTuber Tom Isaas is getting involved, searching for the truth. A mixture of social media, video transcripts and diary entries, the book seems to be in sync with the social media trends - thus, Clickbait as title. 

The cover is following this idea, with the limelights aggressively surrounding the unfaced woman character, and with neon-like dizzy lettering of the title. I also liked the alternance between different sizes of the letters, which amplifies at a certain extent the idea of illusions and confusions of plans.

I can´t wait to read this book, and my only regret is only that I have around 5 months to wait until it is ´on air´, out under the limelights of media and social networks.

Many thanks to Rachel´s Random Resources for having me for this virtual event.

Random Things Tours: Disaster Dates and Lucky Escapes by Tess Smith-Roberts

 

Every disaster date is one step forward to your best friend, match or the love of your life. It cannot happen overnight and for many of us, it takes way too long. But despite the high rate of disappointment, one can learn a lot about human nature and love, especially through the bad dates. Remember: No expectations, no disappointment!

The author of Disaster Dates&Lucky Escapes, London-based illustrator Tess Smith-Roberts (her website is really funny) had a lot of online dating disappointments, and some weird disaster dates (speed dating in a laundromate was one of the funniest), ghosting and other traumatic interactions. However, besides the curse, those experiences were a blessing as she wrote and illustrated a funny book.

No matter how successful you´ve ever been on (online) dating, there is always something to learn about and to make fun of. I´ve read it in one sitting and kept laughing about it for one more extra hour. If you are looking for a busy dating weekend, use this book as a hilarious guide into an activity that you have to learn to enjoy. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Random Things Tours: Never Tell Anyone Your Name by Federico Ivanier translated by Claire Storey

´At the end of the day, wherever you go, you always end up face-to-face with your future´.

Literature for young people is a valuable resource for adults as well. There are so many beautiful stories around, usually not reaching out a more ´mature´ audience due to the limits imposed by age. However, I am always delighted to get my hand on some titles and stories, especially when coming from geographical areas less represented within the English-speaking realm.

Never Tell Anyone Your Name - Nunca Digas Tu Nombre - by multi-awarded Uruguayan author and screen writer Federico Ivanier, translated into English by Claire Storey was one of the most surprising encounter with young literature in a long while. 

Missing his connection to Madrid on the way to meet his father, the unnamed 16 years character of the novella, ends up in a small town randomly thinking about his beloved whose absence is accompanying him along the way. He wants to play the tourist for a couple of hours, noticing the reality through the lenses of his camera. He meets a strange girl who almost kills him, but as a hero of the times to come, he wins over ending up in due time in the train. Was it an accident, an illusion or just an episode reminding him how limited is his knowledge about the world and himself?

The pace of the story is meditative and philosophical, reproducing the voice of a smart and intellectualizing 16 years old. It is told with an outsider authoritative voice, and this is how the story unfolds, with him looking to himself from outside, with the detachment and curiosity some of the young people may have at this age, trying to experiment with reality, predictably expecting something to happen without necessarily being curious about what exactly. At this age, it is in the nature of things to be unexpected, cruel or putting you on trial.

There is a crescendo in the storytelling and both the dialogues and the descriptions - sometimes, in a naturalistic way, the environment and weather are reflections of the inner turmoil of the character; there may be a risky move as it´s a stereotypical literary trick for this kind of literature, but in the case of Nunca Digas Tu Nombre it echoes the plot details and the representation of the character - with twists when you except less and a chain of images that may suit a short film as well.

It was a pleasure to read this book, that kind of pleasure that one may have as a young person delving into the pages of a book. It is a feeling that can be repeated at any age, in fact. I am definitely interested in reading more books by Ivanier, including in the original language.

Rating: 5 stars

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

Book Review: How to Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum translated by Daniella Zamir

´I see all the peculiar ways in which mothers prepare their daughters for life, ad they are always suffused with sorrow´.

Daughters at the puberty age are complicated beings. Mothers of daughters, mothers of unique children in general are double complicated: once by their condition and secondly, their condition is amplified by the impossible conditions of their daughters. Contorsed bodies of paper blow by the wind of desires.

How to Love Your Daughter, by Jerusalem-based writer and editor Hila Blum, translated from Hebrew by Daniella Zamir is a story of mother-daughter alienation. A crescendo going back to the source of the separation, an innocent yet existentially breaking lie, made of too much love. We are repeatedly shared the details of the separation, for how long, how it enfolded, the relative moments of communication. But until towards the end of the story, we are unable to fathom the reason. 

Told by the mother, the story has apparently nothing dramatic, there is no traumatic event that may explain the radical separation. Leah is a well beloved unique daughter of a middle class family, intelligent moderately beautiful and living a protected life. ´We had Leah. She was one of those girls who was endlessly loved by their parents and just a little less loved by the rest of the world; and there came a time when I sensed she resented that. The disparity. Maybe she didn´t find herself pretty. But to her father and me she was the most beautiful girl in the world, and the love of our lives´. 

But when the parents are blinded by love, ignoring the moral compass and the ethical values, encouraging their children to protect themselves, only for love, may be wrong. May lead to wrongs of the highest kind. Sometimes, our children don´t want blind protection, this is not the love they expect from us. This is not love.

How to Love Your Daughter is relatively short but made of perfectly refined fragments, concise yet powerful. For me, it´s one of the best book about mothers and daughters I´ve read in a long time, a book that will stay with me for a very long time.

Rating: 4.5 stars