Paging All Bookworms! discussion

.

Read any good books lately? We want to know about them.
How about real stinkers? We want to know about those too!


Enter your reading list and/or reviews here. Did you like it? Hate it? Feel lukewarm?

Share your thoughts with us.

Happy reading!

Peter Handke, Die Hornissen [1966] 277 pages [in German]

Peter Handke is the winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature; a controversial choice, but I won't comment on that unless I read some of his political writings (which I'm not planning to.) Die Hornissen was his first novel. I found it rather hard going. It is very experimental, in a style that I associate with the 1960's; I was reminded of LeClezio's Procès-verbal, written about the same time.

The novel begins with a chapter entirely in the subjunctive (indirect discourse) in which the narrator is described from the outside in the words of a brother, who after crossing a field and climbing up a woodpile observes the narrator (staring into the fireplace) through the bedroom window and tries to get the narrator's attention. The description (this is what reminded me of the LeClezio novel) is entirely mechanical; we are told about the appearance of the snow and the furrows of the field, the dead leaves which stick to the brother's shoes, the motions of the brother's feet, legs, hands, the way the narrator's body moves, and so forth, almost stream-of-consciousness -- or rather stream-of-sense-data, because there is no higher consciousness, no indication of reasoning or purpose, none of the things that would provide any meaning to the actions. We don't know who the narrator or the brother are, the narrator's gender, their ages (are these adults, adolescents, or young children?), or why the brother is outside the window rather than coming into the house. The narrator finally perceives the brother, and instead of going to the window as we and the brother expect, goes to the door opposite (the motions of opening the door are described at length) and shouts something the brother can't understand. Although the narrator is telling the story, we never find out why or what was shouted.

The next chapter has the narrator looking out the window; more description of snow, and the shadows of the trees, the darkness of the field and the lightness of the sky and the lightness of the field and the darkness of the sky and so forth. Finally in the last paragraph we see the brother disappear over the horizon. In the third chapter, the narrator climbs the stairs to the sister's room (description of shadows, spiderwebs, etc.) The room is empty and the narrator goes in and is moving around, but unlike the first two chapters there is no description of the visual appearance of the room or the furniture -- the narrator's movements are inferred from the different smells in different parts of the room (soap, perfume, etc.) Eventually the narrator notices the sister's slippers in the attic, the sister comes down and they travel in silence down to the kitchen, where the sister's motions suggest she may be cooking breakfast. The narrator decides not to tell the sister about the brother at the window because she might scream or cry or something -- but no reason given why she would react that way to the fact that the brother was outside the window.

Next chapter, three men are planning to set out in a cart, and the narrator's father (here it switches from first person to actually say, "the narrator's father") harnesses the horse and attaches it to the wagon, and the three men get in the cart, and the father begins driving the horse, and it seems as if this is all one action -- until we find out that the three men in the cart are in another city from the narrator's father, who is going to a pond with a wagon. The narrator watches the sister go to the shed and suddenly look at something inside through the window. Then we return to the actions of the father, but each paragraph starts, "While the three men traveled along the highway and the narrator watched the sister" the narrator's father did such and such (all mechanically described so we don't know what he was actually doing, only the physical motions.) Then the three men arrive at the narrator's house, and the father returns but the wagon tips over on the way, and so forth. We don't know whether this was soon after the first three chapters, or much later, or earlier.

The novel continues in this way; the chapters are short, most between a paragraph and four or five pages with two or three pages as the average. The time switches forward and backward without any indication, and there are chapters which are apparently dreams or daydreams and others which just talk about the meanings of words or focus on a description of something. About forty pages in we casually find out the gender of the narrator and the relative (though not absolute) ages of the brothers (I had guessed wrong about both.) The visual descriptions disappear almost entirely, and the novel is almost all told in terms of sounds -- we eventually find out that the narrator has become blind. We gradually put together some of the story, but the key to the book is held off until the last seven pages.

It was actually an intriguing book, although like many first novels it could have used some shortening and tightening up -- although it was only 277 pages, it seemed much longer, and not only because I was reading it in German, and this style, with no real context for anything, is especially difficult in another language (I had the same trouble with the LeClezio novel in French).

A Sudden Light – Garth Stein – 3***
This is a ghost story, an historical novel, a coming-of-age story, and a tale of dysfunctional families and long-held secrets that MUST COME OUT. I found it very atmospheric and liked the way Stein handled the paranormal elements.
My full review HERE

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Grace Takes Off – Julie Hyzy – 2.5**
Book four in the Manor House Mystery series has Grace and her boss and benefactor, Bennett Marshfield, traveling to Italy to visit one of Bennett’s long-term friends. Grace is getting on my nerves. She has the worst taste in men and, despite her “experience” solving crimes, never seems to pick out the culprit early enough to avoid more danger. Oh well, cozy mysteries are still my reading snack food of choice.
My full review HERE

The Tenant by Katrine Engberg
5 ★

When Julie Stender is brutally murdered detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner investigate and soon find that her murder closely resembles the unfinished book by Esther de Laurenti, the elderly woman who owns the building Julie lives in.

This was another magnificent who done it book. The characters were great and the twists were better. Very few books have me thinking about them after I’ve put the book down like this one. I was constantly trying to work through things and figure out how the characters all connect. It wasn’t an easy task and I failed.
Detective Jeppe Korner has many demons and a sad past. He ends up in a relationship that means more to him than to her. She sees it as just a fling. It’s your typical rebound reaction. I’m hoping that he’s not as pathetic in the next book.

The Little Beach Street Bakery – Jenny Colgan – 3***
This is a lovely chick-lit romance novel. Things don’t do smoothly for our heroine, but love will win in the end. It was a fast and enjoyable read full of colorful characters. First in a series set in the tidal coastal island off Cornwall coast.
My full review HERE

The House Next Door – Anne Rivers Siddons – 4****
This work of Southern gothic / horror fiction is a little slow to start but once it gets going it's riveting! I stayed up way too late a couple of nights "waiting for that other shoe to drop." It left me on edge and vaguely anxious; spooked by noises in the night (or in the daytime). A perfect Halloween read!
My full review HERE

Around the World In 80 Days – Jules Verne – 4****
One of the books in Verne’s series of “Extraordinary Voyages” begins when Phileas Fogg accepts a wager at his gentleman’s club. What a delight! I’ve seen movie adaptations, but the book is so much better. (Although, of course, there are some racial stereotypes that grate on the modern reader’s sensibilities.)
My full review HERE

Blackberry Winter – Sarah Jio – 2**
I had heard such good things out Jio and this book in particular, so I was looking forward to reading it. The premise is interesting, though I figured out the connection between Claire and Vera long before any of the characters did. But both these women just irritated me. The personal travails of these women held the story back, IMHO, forcing the reader to slog through all these personal dramas much as the people of Seattle slogged through piles of snow.
My full review HERE

The Witch’s Kind by Louise Morgan
4 ★

Barrie Anne Blythe and her family are different. Peculiar say their neighbors. Barrie Anne doesn’t understand why until an abandoned infant appears who seems to be even more peculiar than the Blythe family. When Barrie Anne’s estranged husband returns a series of events take place that change Barrie forever.

I found the concept of this story quite unique. The subject isn’t one I think I’ve read about before. The book jumps between 1945 and 1947 and it really flows very nicely. Barrie Anne and her Aunt Charlotte are great characters. Every day people that I would love to have as neighbors. Just a warning: there is a bit a domestic abuse in the book, verbal and physical. Barrie’s husband is damaged and makes some very poor decisions. I was actually surprised when the truth of all he did was revealed. It was nothing I would have expected. This book takes place around the time the CIA is created and I loved how no one knew who they were and didn’t believe anything they said. I’m looking forward to reading more from Louise Morgan.

Yi Mun-Yol, Meeting with My Brother [1994, tr 2017] 112 pages

A novella about a South Korean man who arranges a meeting in China with the North Korean half-brother he has never met, after the death of their father. While the "divided family" motif is somewhat of a cliché of Korean literature, as it is of American Civil War novels and probably of novels set during any civil war, Yi gives it a somewhat different and deeper meaning, investigating the differences in culture between the two parts of Korea, and problematizing the question of ultimate reunification. He illustrates the various opinions on reunification, without obviously favoring one over another; it works as fiction, with the differing opinions expressed naturally by the characters rather than, as in many political or "idea" novels, sounding like set speeches. I found it quite interesting.


Bae Suah, Recitation [2011, tr. 2017] 277 pages

The next to last Korean novel for the group I am in on Goodreads (moving to Arabic writings in March), this is the best work I've read by Bae Suah. It is the story of a Korean "recitation actress", Kyung-hee, who has spent her life traveling, often on foot, around the world. Although not in first person, the story is mainly told as the reminiscences of Kyung-hee, told to a group of foreign exiles she runs into by accident. The structure is more complicated, in that she tells stories of other people as they told them to her, and it sometimes gets several layers deep, which gives it a fragmentary and confusing feeling. The farther along one reads, the stranger the story becomes, and although the reader can reconstruct a possible narrative, the most important parts remain ambiguous, and we are never sure whether events actually happened the way Kyung-hee describes them. As in all her stories, there is a deliberate confusion of time, based on her theory that past and future are imaginary and only exist in the present as wish and memory.

There is much discussion of the nature of travel and the idea that travelers are a kind of separate nationality (Korakorum), which reminded me very strongly of another novel I have read recently, Olga Tokarczuk's Flights; I doubt that there was any direct influence, since that was written in Polish and this in Korean, and both were written before either was translated into a language the other might know; but reviews of both books suggest they were both influenced strongly by W.G. Sebald (whom Bae translated into Korean) so that might explain the similarities. I am adding Sebald to my TBR list.

Ismail Kadare, The General of the Dead Army [1970, tr 2012] 264 pages

Ismail Kadare, the winner of the 2020 Neustadt Prize, is probably the best known Albanian writer, at least outside Albania; this book, apparently his first novel, won the Man Booker International Prize. It follows the travels of an Italian general searching for the bodies of Italian soldiers who were killed in Albania during the second world war, to repatriate them to Italy. He is accompanied by a priest, and a government "Expert". From time to time, they run across a German general on a similar mission. None of the major characters is ever named in the book. The storyline gives Kadare the opportunity to portray Albania and the wartime sufferings from an outside, occasionally even hostile perspective of these former enemies, as well as to meditate on the nature of war and its consequences, without writing propaganda. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author.

Man’s Search For Meaning – Viktor E Frankl – 5*****
I first read this book when I was in college and it has remained with me ever since. This is both a memoir and an inspirational lesson in how to survive and thrive. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl relates his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and shares the experiences, too, of his patients, to show that, while no one can completely avoid suffering, we can choose HOW to deal with and process those experiences to find meaning and a renewed sense of purpose.
My full review HERE

Delia Perlov and Alex Vilenkin, Cosmology for the Curious [2017] 372 pages

The authors are professors at Tufts; the book is based on a "Cosmology for Poets"-type course taught by Vilenkin (who first developed the idea of "eternal inflation" and the multiverse). It is actually a textbook, with excercises (no answers given) and deals with the subject quantitatively -- there are equations on almost every page; but the math is all simple, high school algebra with no vectors, trig or calculus (except for the Appendix, which deals in more mathematical depth with the Friedman equation.) No prior knowlege of physics is presupposed. In addition to college "poet" classes, it would be useful for self-study (just for general knowledge) or perhaps a quarter high school course in the subject.

The positive features: 1. It is quite up-to-date (assuming you're reading this review in 2020 or not much later) and devotes much space to the recent discoveries about dark energy and accelerated expansion. 2. The discussion of the Hubble expansion, the inflationary universe theories, and the various theories about the multiverse are fairly in-depth and give the basic equations. 3. There is no polemicizing about religion (apart from a protest at the use of the BGV theorem as a "proof of God" -- note that the V stands for Vilenkin.)

The negatives: 1. It covers much ground in a short book, so much of the needed background is rather perfunctory, especially the discussions of relativity and quantum theory, stellar evolution, and similar topics -- apart from the areas mentioned above, if you took out the equations it would be essentially a fairly low-level popularization. String theory is covered in 2-3 pages, and the alternative approaches are not mentioned at all. 2. Some controversial ideas are presented as more mainstream than I think they are (especially Vilenkin's own contributions, such as the above-mentioned BGV theorem which tries to prove that "eternal inflation" can only be "eternal" in the future direction, and the multiverse itself must have had a beginning -- from his description of it, it struck me as essentially a metaphysical proof like Kant's antinomies of reason). 3. While most of the explanations are simply -- occasionally too simple -- a few places would be hard to understand without some background, or a teacher.

This is worth reading for the target audience for now -- it's about halfway through its useful shelf-life, unless there is a newer edition at some point. If it's your first book on the subject, it could be supplemented by some popular books on relativity or quantum theory -- the bibliography is essentially a list of good popularizations rather than the sources for the book.

Here Today, Gone Tamale – Rebecca Adler – 2**
First in a series, starring former big-city reporter Josie Callahan, who’s helping her Aunt and Uncle in their TexMex restaurant while trying to figure out her own next move. As cozies go, this is okay, but the plot is weak. I did like a number of the supporting cast, including her pet long-haired Chihuahua, Lenny. But I was irritated beyond words that the publishers and/or author didn’t bother to use the proper spellings / alphabet for Spanish words that are used – e.g. Senora vs Señora. That’s just lazy. And it lost a full star because of that.
My full review HERE

The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man – Jonas Jonasson – 3.5***
The scenarios are every bit as ridiculous, outlandish, and unbelievable as in the first book, but I just love the way Allan just “goes with the flow.” It’s a fast, fun, romp of a novel that had me giggling in places.
My full review HERE

There There – Tommy Orange – 4****
In his debut novel, Orange explores the world of today’s Urban Indian through the stories of twelve characters who are planning to attend the Big Oakland Powwow. Their lives are interwoven by coincidence, thin threads of DNA, circumstance, and/or proximity. They are in turn angry, desolate, hopeful, joyous, loving, confused, determined, generous or mean. Orange’s voice is unique and powerful. And I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
My full review HERE

Park Wan-Suh, Who Ate Up All the Shinga: An Autobiographical Novel [1992, tr 2009] 263 pages [Kindle]

I'm not quite sure why this is called an "autobiographical novel" rather than a straight-up autobiography; it's written in the first person in a straightforward narrative style, though obviously from the subjective perspective of Park's memories. It begins with the author's childhood, about four or five years old living on an estate in the countryside near what would become the border between the two Koreas, during the last years of the Japanese occupation, and ends with the second capture of Seoul by the North Koreans, when she was in her early twenties. The historical events are seen from the perspective of their effects on her family; Park was one of the earliest Korean women writers to give a woman's perspective on historical events. The emphasis throughout is on her family, and particularly her mother (her father had died before the book begins); there are also interesting descriptions of her grandfather, declining in health and fortunes but still clinging to a sense of being a noble Yangban, her brother, a leftist who abandons his activism and ultimately seems to be disillusioned with the North Korean regime, and her younger uncle, who is good at making money by dubious means. The "novel" gives a strong sense of what Korea went through during most of the twentieth century, although it stops with the war (apparently some of her other novels are also "autobiographical"; I haven't read anything else but a collection of her short stories.)

Can't win 'em all ...


Scent To Her Grave – India Ink – 2.5**
Beginning of a new series starring Persia Vanderbilt, who runs the local bath and body store in Gull Harbor, WA. I liked the basic premise and Persia's skill with scents and botanicals. I also liked the slow-burn potential romance. On the other hand, the mystery was a little weak IMHO and the ending seemed rushed.
My full review HERE

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg
5 ★

When Evelyn Couch meets Mrs. Threadgoode at the Rose Terrace Nursing Home her life changes for the better. Mrs. Threadgoode’s stories about Idgie, Ruth and the Whistle Stop Café give Evelyn the courage she needs to make herself happy and do something productive with her life.

I have seen this movie many times and finally decided to read the book and see how different the two are. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Although the book goes into more detail about the people of Whistle Stop, the movie does follow the book pretty well. The changes that were made for the movie do not affect the story.
Idgie and Ruth are so different, yet they get along so well. Yin and Yang to the highest degree. Idgie is a delightful free spirit who says what she thinks and Ruth is the quiet one who can calm Idgie down. Idgie is also a great friend to have. She’s very devoted to her friends and will do anything for them. The whole book has the most delightful characters and humorous situations. I enjoyed learning more about the characters from the movie as well. Their back stories help the reader understand more about how they got to Whistle Stop and why.
It was fun watching Evelyn change throughout the book. She becomes obsessed (not in a bad way) with Idgie. Idgie’s strong will really help Evelyn find herself.
Also, Sipsey’s recipes from the Whistle Stop Café are at the end of the book.

An Irish Country Doctor – Patrick Taylor – 4****
Taylor tells the tale of a young physician learning the ropes from an older, wiser, well-established practitioner in an Irish village, in the mid-1960s. I’ve heard this described as “James Herriot for people” and I think that’s a perfect description. Some scenarios are quite humorous, and others are tender and heartfelt. A very entertaining book.
My full review HERE

Playing Dead (Prison Break Trilogy #3) by Allison Brennan
4 ★

Tom O’Brien escaped from prison after an earthquake and he sets out to prove he’s innocent of the crime he was sent to prison for. First he needs to convince his daughter. Along the way he helps the FBI catch other escaped convicts.

From the beginning of the book it’s hard to believe that Tom O’Brien killed his wife and lover. After the events of that day are described for the reader it’s even harder to understand why he was charged. There is no proof and no evidence. This fact alone lets the reader know that he was framed and that there is a lot of covering up going on. There are so many people involved in this story that it was almost hard to keep track of them. The main assassin seems to come across as an afterthought.
Mitch Bianchi is back and makes some really bad choices. Thankfully none of them affect the case, but it was close.
There is a lot going on in this book and the way it all comes together in the end is great. It’s a smooth reveal and surprising. It was an interesting mystery that kept me thinking about things every time I put the book down.

The Diva Haunts the House – Krista Davis – 3***
Book five in the cozy series featuring Domestic Diva Sophie Winston and her rival Natasha. There’s no lack of suspects, and plenty of costumed vampires around to confuse everyone from the police to the amateur sleuths. I like the decorating tips at the beginning of each chapter. And the recipes at the end were a nice addition. All told, an entertaining cozy mystery.
My full review HERE

Flight Behavior – Barbara Kingsolver – 4****
Kingsolver has crafted a story of one woman’s awakening, and simultaneously a warning about climate change. I found the story compelling from both perspectives. I know many people criticize Kingsolver for being preachy, but I did not find her message overbearing. Dellarobia Turnbow is a fascinating character. And her personal journey was what really elevated the book for me.
My full review HERE

Bruce Fulton and Youngmin Kwon, edd., Modern Korean Fiction [2005] 390 pages

Trying to finish up my year of reading Korean literature, I found this anthology of translated stories at the library. The twenty two stories collected here were written between 1924 and 1997; two I had already read ("Wings" and "Knifeblade") and three others were by authors I had read before (Yi Mun-Yol, Park Wan-Suh, and Kim Young-Ha). All were interesting and together gave a good overview of the literary history of modern Korea. Perhaps more than with novel-dominated western literature, short stories make up a significant portion of the literary output in that part of the world.

Zora Neale Hurston, Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance [2020] 252 pages

A new collection of Hurston's stories, which includes nine newly discovered stories which have not been republished in book form since they first appeared in Black magazines of the twenties and thirties. Eight of the nine new stories were set in Harlem, which changes somewhat the perception of Hurston as a writer who was only concerned with the rural Southern experience. There were a few other stories which were not in the anthologies I read last year. Most were humorous, especially the ones written in a mock=Biblical style.

Latinos In Milwaukee – Joseph A Rodriguez & Walter Sava – 3***
This is a short history of the various Latino immigrant populations in Wisconsin’s largest city. The authors interviewed many current residents, some whose families had been in the area since the early 20th century; and outline the various reasons and opportunities that brought these immigrants north.
My full review HERE

The Secret Footprints – Julia Alvarez – 5*****
This children’s picture book tells the Dominican Republic legend of the ciguapas – a race of extraordinarily beautiful people who live in caves beneath the sea and come onto land only at night. Fabian Negrin’s illustrations are rich and atmospheric, taking me straight to the tropics.
My full review HERE

The Milagro Beanfield War – John Nichols – 5*****
In a New Mexico valley the power is held by one man and his company; they own most of the land and virtually all the water rights. Until one day, Joe Mondragon decides to cut a trench in the irrigation ditch, diverting some of that water onto his late father’s beanfield. I've had this book on my TBR "radar" for a bajillion years and I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I really liked it a lot! The quirky characters, the message, the humor, the pathos, and the landscape all made this an especially moving book for me.
My full review HERE

The Woman In the Window – A J Finn – 4****
This psychological thriller (with a capital ‘P’ !) takes its inspiration from the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock. A trained psychologist, Anna Fox is now an agoraphobe, trapped by her own mind in a 19-century Harlem brownstone. When she witnesses (or thinks she does) a murder during one of her binge-drinking episodes no one believes her tale. A real roller-coaster ride of a thriller. I was engaged and entertained from beginning to end.
My full review HERE

Ismail Kadare, The Siege [1970; Fr. rev. tr. 1997; Eng. tr. 2010] 301 pages

Set in the early fifteenth century, this novel recounts the story of an Albanian castle which is unsuccessfully assaulted and then besieged by an army of the Ottoman Empire. Although the castle is unidentified and the action is probably not meant to be a particular historical incident, the siege is typical of the events of the time when the Ottomans conquered Albania from the Christians led by the Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg (who is referred to frequently but does not actually appear in the novel.) Each chapter ends with a short account (first person plural) from the perspective of the Christians in the citadel; the bulk of the novel is told in the third person but from the perspective of a chronicler in the Ottoman army and a few of his friends, particularly the Quartermaster General. There are also episodes seen from the perspective of Tirsun Pasha (the leader of the Ottoman force), members of his harem, and so forth. At first sight, then, this would seem to be a historical novel. The author, however, says that it is not.

The Ottoman camp, on which the narrative is focused, is divided into two factions, the traditional warriors and the Mufti on one side, and the modernizing "experts" -- the Quartermaster General, the Engineer who is casting newly designed canons, the architect, and to some extent the chronicler. The attitudes of this second group, especially, are somewhat anacronisticly modern, and according to the translator's afterword, this was deliberate. He explains that the novel was intended as a way of discussing modern events. On one hand, given that the novel was written soon after the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the situation of the Christian Albanians confronted by an alliance of the Muslim Ottomans and the mercantile Venetians is meant to mirror the situation of Maoist Albania caught between the Soviet Union and the Western powers, and this patriotic theme is why the book was allowed to be published in Albania, albeit in a censored form. On the other hand, the focus is mainly on the Ottomans, and the way the army is subjected to the absolute rule of the Pasha and his superiors in the Ottoman capital, and held back by the infighting and irrational behavior of the leaders, who treat their own men with brutality and arbitrary punishments. This aspect was a hidden criticism of Hoxha's rule in contemporary Albania (although it could apply to any bureaucratic state in the modern world), which became more obvious in Kadare's later works, as he became more out of favor with the regime and eventually went into exile in France.

The book was published in Albanian in 1977, a few years after it was written, and there is an older English translation of the original edition; this translation is based on the French collected works which were revised by Kadare in 1997, and restores some of the censored passages and deletes some passages which were written as political "camouflage".

The book is an interesting and fast-paced novel which works at both the literal and allusive levels.

Hannah’s Dream – Diane Hammond – 3.5***
This was a heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it. But then, if a book has an elephant in it, I’m bound to be a fan. I really liked Sam, his wife Corina, and Neva Wilson, the young zookeeper who comes to help care for Hannah. And I loved Hannah!
My full review HERE

Hardcore Twenty-Four (Stephanie Plum #24) by Janet Evanovich
4 ★

Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, has been sent after a grave robber who skipped bail. The problem... his pet python. And zombies. While Stephanie’s boyfriend, Joe Morelli, tracks down the brain stealing zombies, Stephanie has to deal with Diesel. Diesel is handsome, irresistible and doesn’t have an issue with letting himself into Stephanie’s locked apartment. Along with everything else Stephanie has to keep an eye on her Grandma Mazur who has found a new boyfriend.
This is another fun filled, laugh-out-loud Stephanie Plum adventure. Janet Evanovich never disappoints in this series. Although I was a bit disappointed in the lack of Ranger appearances, all was made good with the presence of Diesel. We usually only get to see him in the in-between novels. He was a good addition to this story. His special skills went hand and hand with the zombie theme. Stephanie manages to stay out of too much trouble, but she still has bad car juju and goes through a few too many this time. Lula is back and once again steals the show with her outrageous outfits and no holds bar attitude. You gotta love her.

From Scratch – Tembi Locke – 4****
This is a wonderful memoir full of love and tenderness, grief and frustration, joy and a sense of belonging.
My full review HERE

The Story Hour – Thirty Umrigar – 5*****
Umrigar alternates viewpoints between these two women – an Indian immigrant and her African-American psychologist. I was completely engaged from page one through all the ups and downs of the story. I was anxious about how things would work out, sympathized with them when feelings were hurt, felt anger at some situations, and eagerly hoped for a resolution.
My full review HERE

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir
4 ★

Laia is a slave and Elias is a soldier. Although they are forbidden to be friends, they are destined to be allies.
The book has great characters and a fantastic story line. Laia is a bit too self-conscious for me, but she comes around and realizes she has the courage she needs to save her brother. Elias overthinks things way too much. It gets annoying after a while. For someone who has been trained to be a soldier he really questions himself a lot. My favorite character is Helene, Elias best friend. She is loyal, to friends and the Empire, but has a heart when needed. She goes above and beyond many times for Elias throughout the book.
Although I enjoyed the story line I was surprised by the amount of violence and brutality. The Commandant is a fierce woman with no conscience or soul. The punishments she puts Laia and the other slaves through is unspeakable. I was truly shocked. I wasn’t expecting that kind of graphic violence in a YA book. With that said, I do still look forward to continuing the series. I’m curious to see what Laia and Elias do next.

Peter Handke, Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter [1972] 119 pages [in German]

Another of Handke's earlier novels, I think the second, this is somewhat more chronological than his first novel (Die Hornissen) and tells a single story, more or less, but the style is similar in that the first person narrator reacts to sights and sounds and his actions (especially the major "event" near the beginning which is described in two or three sentences) are apparently random, without any plan or thought that we are privy to. It also has a similar fragmented structure. On the other hand, it does seem to have more of a "theme" as well as an actual (if sketchy and mostly in the background) plot.

The first sentence sets up the beginning situation of the book: "The mechanic Josef Bloch, who was earlier a well-known goalie, was informed, as he reported for work before noon, that he was to be let go." (My translation) We are never told why he is no longer a goalie -- was he fired, or retired because of age? -- nor why he was being let go from his construction job -- if he in fact was, because his assumption that he was being let go is based on a look from the foreman, and throughout the novel he misunderstands looks and ambiguous or clearly neutral comments as being insults or having secret meanings he can't decode. The theme of the novel seems to be this misunderstanding -- near the end (there is no division into chapters) he holds forth on the difficulty for a goalie to try to interpret the signs of the penalty-kicker to predict where he will send the ball (the title in English means "the anxiety of the goalie at the penalty-kick"), and slightly earlier a gendarme discusses the similar difficulty of trying to decide from signs which way a fugitive will run (the wording is almost the same in both speeches.) Perhaps the seemingly random event which motivates his flight to the border is also based on the same kind of misperceived insult; it doesn't seem to have much motivation except a single commonplace question. In fact, he even sees random coincidences and ordinary physical objects like his furniture as having secret meanings. There are also passages very reminiscent of his plays, especially Kaspar which was written about the same time as this novel, where he tries to create the world by naming the objects around him. (I'm reading his Theaterstücke a few plays at a time alongside the novels.)

As with the first novel, I found the style interesting in concept but rather boring in practice; it took me almost a week to get through 120 pages, which even with my imperfect German is unusually slow. I'm hoping that, as with the similar style of LeClezio in the 60's, Handke will go over to a different kind of experiment in his later books, or I may give up on him.