Books I have been reading...

I have been slowly working my way through the Best of 2016 and award lists. I also have several e-galleys that I have been reading. Most of them have not been worth writing about, but here are some of the most notable (several good, but one clunker):

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

I started using NPR’s book concierge and decided to begin with this sweet, sad story of the run-up and beginning of World War I in Britain containing a cast of characters who are by turns loveable, laughable, pitiable, and enviable.  Beatrice Nash is the new school mistress in the village of Rye, championed by Agatha, member of the governing board of the school and local grand dame.  Her nephews, Hugh and Daniel, round out the main characters, with a supporting cast that includes a pompous American writer, the local gentry, the mayor and his wife, the vicar’s photographer daughter and more.  The pacing is wonderful--just slow enough that the reader can savor the sweetness, because we, unlike some of the characters, know what is coming.  Readers will want to cheer for Agatha, who is a heroine in the struggle for women’s rights, but without the rancor which so often accompanies that particular virtue. This is not a simple, beach read--it is far more than that.  There are elements of class struggle, the upheaval caused by world events at the time, and even a few hints of secrets better left alone in a small village. All of this is handled with grace and care by Ms. Simonson, who leaves the reader with equal parts pathos and hope at the end.This would be a wonderful book club selection, but it is just a great read that will leave one thinking and feeling about the sacrifices of the generations before our own and hopefully grateful for their fortitude in the face of what must have seemed like insurmountable losses.

His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet

Shortlisted for the Man Booker, this is an unusual “crime” novel.  Young Roderick Macrae is in jail for three brutal murders and has written a memoir at the behest of his attorney, who hopes to use some of the information as mitigating factors in Roderick’s trial.  Interspersed with the fictional memoir are additional statements by other characters in the story and medical and court reports.  If you are looking for a book that grapples with moral ambiguity, look no further. I do not want to ruin the book, so I am not going to reveal the ending, but here is a case that pits the little guy against the powers that be, the downtrodden against the system, and the hopeless against those who hold all the advantages. Or is it?  The reader will have to decide for himself.  This book will leave you scratching your head, so if you prefer the end tied up neatly with a bow on top, don’t start reading his Bloody Project.  This ending leaves the reader full of questions that remain unanswered within the pages of the book, but that is part of its brilliance.  

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

One of the 100 Best on the NY Times list, I was intrigued enough to move this to the top of my to be read pile, when I found out that the story was told from the point of view of an unborn child. The prose is beautiful, the insights witty, the humor wicked and the plotting masterful.  Other reviewers mention the Hamlet connection and that is there, but Nutshell is so original in so many ways, starting with POV, that it doesn’t deserve to be labeled simply as a retelling of Hamlet. This is one of those books that makes me want to give up the idea of ever writing a book because McEwan’s writing is so stunning, I know nothing I ever write would come close. Several passages required me to stop and reread; there were so many ideas packed into the tight sentences.  I really cannot recommend it highly enough.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinsborough

This was billed as psychological suspense, so I got sucked in.  Though it has moments of brilliance, in the end, it falls flat, partially because the main character is so disappointingly dumb and predictable.  She is presented with plenty of evidence about someone and yet refuses to believe her own senses.  Then there is the ending, which is just crazy. I am willing to suspend my disbelief, but I need something to hang that suspension on other than wild fancy.  I knew what was going to happen WAY before I got to the end, since the writer telegraphed it, and I was still disappointed, because I was hoping I was wrong.  Sadly, I wasn’t.  I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are a huge fan of paranormal romance, and when I say huge, I mean you still think Stephanie Meyer is a good writer.