Review: Dear Mrs. Bird (by A.J. Pearce)

My Rating:  3 stars

I had actually heard about this book when it first came out several years ago, but never got the chance to read it.  A few months ago, I was approved for an ARC of the sequel -- since I'm the type who MUST read books in a series in order (even if the books can technically be read as stand-alones), I of course had to go back and read book one first before picking up the second one.  Overall, I found this one to be a quick read that was both delightful and fun but also serious when it needed to be (not an easy feat given the fact that the story is set against the backdrop of World War II) -- though having said that, I did have some issues with parts of it (which I will get into later). 

The story revolves around a young woman named Emmeline (Emmy) Lake who, with all the men off fighting the war, wants to do her part to help the war effort.  She volunteers at the call center for the Fire Brigade, but what she really wants to do is become a journalist reporting on the war (or, as she puts it, a "Lady War Correspondent").  When she sees an advertisement in the newspaper for a part-time Junior at the publishing house for the newspaper The London Evening Chronicle, she jumps at the opportunity to interview, thinking this will be her big opportunity to finally get her foot in the door for her dream job.  But it turns out the job is actually for one of the magazines managed under the publishing house -- a small publication called Woman's Friend that is already on its last legs.  What's worse though is that the position is specifically to go through letters sent in to the magazine's problem page Henrietta Helps, run by the formidable Mrs. Henrietta Bird, who refuses to answer any letters that fit into the category of what she feels is "Unpleasantness" (there is actually a long list with very specific words and topics that are off-limits -- basically the only "safe" topics are things like asking for knitting instructions or beauty advice).  Emmy is disappointed and constantly chides herself for not listening during the interview, causing her to accept a job that's a far cry from what she expected -- but with her cheery and optimistic personality, she decides to make a go of it.  As she immerses herself in her job, she reads the letters of some of the readers (mostly women) and starts to feel genuinely sorry for them, seeing all they have to deal with during this trying time.  She wants to help them, but unfortunately, nearly every single letter falls into the Unpleasantness category (which means Mrs. Bird won't bother responding and the letters get thrown in the trash bin) -- so Emmy takes matters into her own hands and starts writing back to the readers herself (though still signing all the letters with Mrs. Bird's name).  She even manages to sneak a few of the "Unpleasant" letters and her responses to them into the magazine itself.  Will she be found out though and if so, what will happen to her?  This is a question that lingers over Emmy throughout the story (which of course, gets resolved in the end).

There was actually a lot to like about the story and I feel like the author A.J. Pearce did a good job with the writing, using the language of the particular time and place to make the story more immersive (I definitely felt transported to 1940s England).  Also, all the characters were likable, the overall mood of the story was heartwarming and hopeful, the historical elements were well-incorporated, and the letters were a fun read.  I also appreciated the way the story paid tribute to the women of that era and their efforts during the war.  With all that said though, my main complaint is that I felt the story was a bit too saccharine and overdone in some areas, to the point of being somewhat cringe-worthy (to me at least).  In terms of the characters, while I did like them for the most part, I didn't really feel any connection to them -- especially the main character Emmy, whom I found to be charming at first, but then when she kept endlessly inserting herself into everyone's business (in a way that I felt was a bit pretentious and self-righteous), I started becoming annoyed with her.  I mean, I get that she has good intentions and always wants to help people, but the way she goes about it is too over-the-top, for one, and two, it just didn't seem realistic (meaning how she is able to get away with it time and time again and it's all still "fine and dandy" with everyone).  I think Emmy herself put it best during one scene in the story when she mentions (in her mind, since the story is told from her first-person perspective) that she was trying "desperately to look like a sensible grownup rather than a petulant child" -- that's pretty much exactly how Emmy came across throughout the entire story:  like a naive, petulant child even though she was very much an adult.  Unfortunately, this is exactly the type of character (adults acting like children) that I often can't stand in books, so with the main character being that way throughout the entire story pretty much (plus the story being told from this character's first person perspective didn't help), it definitely detracted from the reading experience for me. 

Having said all that, I still want to read the sequel, since I did like the story overall as I mentioned earlier.  At least this time around, I know what to expect in terms of Emmy, so I can refocus my reading if needed (and hopefully become less annoyed).

Review: Wish You Were Here (by Jodi Picoult)

 

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Jodi Picoult is known for not being afraid to tackle difficult subject matter in her stories, which I definitely appreciate as a a reader who loves a good story that is well written and also teaches me something.  As one of the first novels to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic head on, Picoult did an awesome job conveying so much of what many of us have been experiencing over the past 18 months (and counting).  Of course, there’s no doubt that everyone’s reaction to this book will be different depending on each person’s comfort level and “readiness” to take on a story about a pandemic that we are all still living through.  As some one who was severely impacted by COVID in very personal ways — both as a survivor when my entire family unfortunately got COVID back in late 2020 (we have all since recovered, but some “scars” still remain) as well as having lost loved ones to the disease (relatives and the parents of close friends) — I honestly wasn’t sure at first whether I wanted to read it at this moment.  But I decided to give it a try and in the end, I’m glad I did, as it became a salve of sorts for me, especially knowing that I wasn’t alone in some of the things I experienced.  With that said, there were also moments where the situation unfolding was “too close to home” to the point of feeling surreal — while I expected this given the book’s subject matter, it still jarred me a bit.  That being said, the reading experience was still a good one.

For me, this book’s biggest draw was the subject matter, as it’s not often that we I am able to read a book where the fictional story mimics a reality that I (alongside so many others) am experiencing currently.  Given how fresh and raw this subject is, I was curious how Picoult would tackle it — in the end, I definitely appreciated her approach. Having said that, this book actually isn’t just about COVID — at its core, it is also a story about a woman’s journey of self-reflection and an exploration of whether the life she has is what she truly wants.  The woman at the heart of the story is Diana O’Toole, who is an art appraiser at one of New York’s premiere auction houses while her boyfriend Finn is a doctor-to-be currently doing his residency at a major hospital.  Together, the couple have a dream trip planned to the Galápagos Islands, where Finn plans to propose to Diana and they can take the next step in the plan for their mutual future. The day before they are supposed to leave however, Finn is called back to the hospital where the situation is “all hands on deck” due to an influx of patients with COVID-19. Even though Finn now has to stay behind, he encourages Diana to still go on her own so as not to put their non-refundable trip to waste.  Diana reluctantly agrees and heads off to Galapagos, however right after she gets there, the island is locked down and she becomes stranded, with no word of when things will re-open.  On an island where WI-FI and a working internet connection are near nonexistent, Diana is completely isolated from the outside world — not only that, she also does not know the language and due to the required quarantine, there are very few people around for her to even ask for help. Diana ends up befriending a local family that takes her in and acquaints her with the beauty of the place they call home.  Spending time with the family leads Diana to re-examine her relationships with both Finn and her own mother (who lives in a care facility for dementia patients) as well as reflect upon the choices she’s made in her life his far.  I actually really liked all the characters in this story, whether major characters or minor ones.   All of them were so well-developed and truly came alive for me, but if I had to choose a favorite, that character would absolutely be Rodney -- not only did I love him as a character, I also really enjoyed his chemistry with Diana...definitely made me wish I had a best friend like him!).

This is a book that I believe will be easy to like, as all aspects of it were so well done.  Yes, there were some parts where the writing could've been a little tighter and I feel like there were some missed opportunities in some spots, but overall, I enjoyed this tremendously and wholeheartedly recommend it.  Oh and I do want to mention that the "twist" in this book definitely made my jaw drop, as I totally was not expecting it (and that's all I'm going to say about it...you will have to pick this one up and read it for yourself if you want to find out more). 

Picoult has said in interviews that this book was unplanned and she was inspired to write it about 8 months into the pandemic after reading an article about a man who got stuck in Machu Picchu because COVID had shut the entire place down (her editor didn't even know until she received the draft in her email).  For a book that basically came about accidentally, this one turned out really well.  Though this is definitely a worthwhile read, I do understand that not everyone may be ready for a book about the pandemic yet, so of course, do what works best for you. 

Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

Review: Euphoria (by Lily King)

My Rating: 4 stars

This is my second Lily King novel (which I'm reading for book club) and while I definitely liked it, I didn't love it as much as  her newest novel Writers and Lovers, which I read earlier this year and loved.  Of course, this one was beautifully written, with breathtaking, evocative prose that flowed seamlessly, which is a writing style I've come to expect from Lily King.   With that said though, this was actually a bit of a tedious read for me, especially the first half of it, mostly because I found it difficult to engage with the subject matter (which I'll get into later).

The story revolves around three talented anthropologists — Nell Stone, Schuyler Fenwick (Fen), and Andrew Bankson — who spend much of their time living among the tribes of the South Pacific (along the Sepik River in New Guinea) in order to research them.  Nell has already established a name for herself in the field, having written a book that was well-received and made her famous.  Her husband Fen is intelligent but has an aggressive personality, which gets further aggravated as he feels more and more overshadowed by his wife's success and by her magnetic personality.  Bankson is a fellow anthropologist studying the Kiona tribe along the River, and after being rescued from the brink of suicide by the couple, he becomes drawn to them.  Over the course of the few months they spend together, their collective brilliance helps them produce their best work (which only becomes apparent later), but at the same time, they develop an intimate yet fiery relationship that ends up spiraling out of control and ultimately threatens to consume them.

As I mentioned earlier, it was hard for me to get into the story at first, mostly because I had no interest whatsoever in anthropology (or any of the sciences for that matter). With Lily King's writing here so incredibly atmospheric, plus the research was so well-done, there were many detailed descriptions that honestly ended up going a bit over my head.  To this point, I guess it also didn't really help that much of the story was the "slow burn" type where the focus was more on character than plot (though actually these are usually the types of stories I love).  So in a sense, I technically only truly engaged with the story a little after the halfway mark when things started actually happening.  Having said that, I couldn't put the book down after that and pretty much read through to the end in one sitting.

Lily King states in her Author's Note that this story was inspired by Margaret Mead and a moment described in a 1984 biography the famous anthropologist, but the story itself is a completely different one and does not in any way mirror Mead's real life experiences.  Even so, after I finished reading this book, I was fascinated enough with the story that I couldn't help doing further research of my own and looking up some information about Mead so I could better understand the inspiration behind the scenes. For me, this is the beauty of historical fiction, especially the well-written kind, where the story impacts me in such a way that I feel compelled to do follow up reading and/or research on my own.  

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this one, as I found the writing enthralling and though a word of warning that there are some graphic, explicit descriptions in here that might be a turn off for some.  For me personally, I love the way Lily King writes and so the overall experience was well worth the effort, despite a few uncomfortable scenes here and there.  King actually has a new short story collection out this month, which I can't wait to get my hands on (it's been pre-ordered and should arrive at the end of this month).  I also intend to continue exploring her backlist, which will take some time, but I know will be well worth the effort.

Review: How Much of These Hills is Gold (by C. Pam Zhang)

My Rating: 4 stars

I've actually been wanting to read this book since it came out last year, but hadn't gotten around to it until recently, when one of my book clubs chose it as a monthly read. Going into this one, I will admit that I was a bit wary, as I'm not a fan of westerns (which is what this was billed as), but I was attracted to the premise of a story about a Chinese immigrant family in the American West during the gold rush era, which, of course, is not often seen in mainstream fiction. Now after having finished this, I would say that it was definitely different from what I expected, both in its bold, lyrical writing as well as in the way the story technically defied categorization in terms of genre and theme — there were elements of a western, yes, but there were also historical elements as well as magical realism that drove aspects of the story.

Majority of the story is told from the perspective of Lucy, who is twelve when we first meet her. Her Pa has just passed away and with her Ma gone for 3 years already, she and her eleven year old sister Sam are now left to fend for themselves in the mountains of the West. As they set off to bury their Pa, Lucy and Sam encounter situations that test the strength of their bond as siblings, as well as their ability to overcome their family's past. The narrative later moves further back to the past and explains the backstory to this family, giving us insight into how a Chinese family such as theirs ended up in a community where few others looked like them. Initially lured to the "golden mountains" by the promise of gold and riches, the reality couldn't be more different — weighted down by a secret in their past as well as the instability of prospecting, they switch to a grueling living by coal mining, which unfortunately does little to improve the family's situation. A third narrative moves the story 5 years after Pa's death, with Lucy and Sam reuniting again after having gone their separate ways — both siblings have changed in some ways, but underneath, they are also still the same. They decide to set off again, together this time, in pursuit of a better life in a place they can truly call their own.

This was an emotional read and one that was so beautifully written — lyrical, poetic, and so full of imagery. With that said though, as much as I loved the style of writing, I felt like the beauty of it transcended the story a bit — I'm not sure how to explain it, but I felt like, at times, I got so caught up in the depiction of a scene that I actually forgot where I was in the story and had to go back and reread. There was also an abstract quality to the writing that sometimes overshadowed the plot itself. From a historical perspective, as a few other reviewers already pointed out, there were some inaccuracies that those familiar with the time period and the history of the Chinese workers in the U.S. during that time may not be able to overlook, though for me personally, it didn't bother me too much.

In terms of character development — Lucy and Sam were characters I couldn't help but love, regardless of whatever flaws they may have had. I connected deeply with both characters, to the point that I didn't want the journey with either one of them to end. Perhaps it is because of my affinity for both of them that I didn't take to the ending too well (and that's all I'm going to say about it so as not to give anything away).

Overall, this was a worthwhile read that I definitely recommend, one that I'm also glad I finally got around to reading, however belatedly. This was a strong debut from C. Pam Zhang and I definitely look forward to the next work from her.

Review: The Family Chao (by Lan Samantha Chang)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

This one doesn't publish until February 2022, but I received an advance copy early for review and I'm so glad I did, as I enjoyed it immensely. Supposedly this is a modern day retelling of Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, but as I've never read that Russian classic, any parallels were lost on me.  Instead, I was able to experience Lan Samantha Chang's exquisite novel on its own merit and I was honestly quite impressed with the brilliant way that the story was told.  At its heart, this is an immigrant story about a Chinese man named Leo Chao who settled with his wife Winnie in the small community of Haven, Wisconsin over thirty five years ago.  Like many immigrants, Leo struggled to make a name for himself in a community where very few people looked like him, but eventually he was able to open Chinese restaurant The Fine Chao — though it can be argued that his true crowning achievement was having three handsome sons to carry on the family name.  The eldest, William (who goes by the nickname "Dagou" or Big Dog), the head chef at the restaurant, is charismatic and larger than life (in both physical stature and personality), while second son Ming is the most successful, having built his own career and life away from the family; the youngest, James, is the good son — the college pre-med student who is passive, obedient, and full of love for everyone.  All three sons are reuniting for Christmas in the small town where they grew up, called to gather by their mother Winnie, who has moved out of the house she shared with their father, giving up all her worldly possessions for "tranquility" at the Spiritual House that is run by Head Abbess Gu Ling Zhu Chi.  We quickly find out that the family patriarch, the man responsible for serving some of the finest Chinese food this side of Wisconsin, is actually despised and hated:  by most of the town due to him being an "outsider" whose success in pursuing the American Dream is resented by those in his predominantly white community who feel he is undeserving, and also by his own family due to him being a brash, tyrannical narcissist and philanderer who has no respect for his wife and also delights in mocking his sons (in other words, he pretty much lives for terrorizing his family).  It is almost time for the annual Chao family Christmas party and even though things will be different this year with all the issues in their family, a tradition is a tradition and the party must go on.  But after the party, Leo Chao is found dead — presumably murdered — in the basement of his restaurant and his sons suddenly find themselves thrust into the spotlight when one of them is accused of killing him.  That spotlight tightens even more during the trial as intimate details about the family's dysfunctional dynamics are revealed — at the same time though, it also shines a light on the inherent prejudices of a seemingly pleasant small town when its people are tasked with determining the fate of someone they've never considered as one of their own.

Given the premise of the story (a murder mystery involving the American-born sons of Chinese immigrant parents), I was actually expecting this to be a typical immigrant story, but it turned out to be very different (in a good way).  Like many immigrant stories, this one also highlighted the hardships and sacrifices as well as the injustices that the members of the immigrant family endured, however what surprised me was how the author, Lan Samantha Chang, was able to tell the story so masterfully in a way that was humorous and witty yet also respectful and good-natured. Of course, suffering (as well as people dying) is no laughing matter and the prejudice that immigrants in this country face is a serious issue to contend with, but to be able to approach these difficult topics in a way that brings needed attention to them in an honest yet humorous way is definitely no easy feat.  As a Chinese American daughter of immigrant Chinese parents who grew up in a household that straddled two completely opposite (and at times conflicting) cultures, I could absolutely relate to the Chao family at the center of this story.  The idiosyncrasies of various members within the same family, the unique pressures that define the lives of immigrant families, the struggles with identity and belonging, the oftentimes fruitless but nevertheless enduring effort to try and reconcile seemingly insurmountable cultural differences, the micro-aggressions and unconscious biases that many of us who come from immigrant families can't help but be keenly attuned to (whether we want to be or not), the constant struggle between being embarrassed by and ashamed of where we came from versus a sense of prideand being grateful for who we eventually become — many of these shared experiences with various characters in the story resonated deeply with me.  

I personally found this book to be clever, astute, funny, and yes, delightful in the sense that reading it felt like I was sharing in on an inside joke with family that only those of us who came from a similar place in society would understand.  With all that being said, I am keenly aware that other people who choose to read this book may have an entirely different reaction to it, which, of course, is fine.  I still wholeheartedly recommend it, regardless.

Received ARC from W. W. Norton & Company via Bookbrowse First Impressions program.

Review: Shiner (by Amy Jo Burns)

My Rating: 5 stars

I had actually received an ARC of this book over a year ago and even though, at that time, I had every intention of reading it, life unfortunately got in the way and that was that.  It wasn't until recently, when one of my book clubs chose this for our monthly read, that I remembered about the ARC, so I went and dug it up.  I will admit that the slow pace of the story in the beginning turned me off a bit initially, as did the characters, several of whom I found annoying at first with the way they behaved.  What drew me in though was the beautiful, immersive writing — almost lyrical in its cadence — and as soon as I started to understand what the author, Amy Jo Burns, was trying to do with the story, I became fully engaged in the lives of these characters, several of whom I grew to love by the end of the story.  

Though much of the narrative revolves around Briar Bird, the snake handling preacher who rules the mountaintop with his 'White Eye' legend, the heart and soul of the story are actually the "women who give this mountain its splendor" but who get nothing in return — women like Ruby (Briar's wife), Ivy (Ruby's best friend), and Wren (Briar and Ruby's teenage daughter).  I love the strong female characters in this story, all of whom have no choice but to forge their own path of survival in a land of men whose power often went unchecked and unchallenged.  This is also a story about the complexities of human relationships and how messy and convoluted they can become.

Structure-wise, the narrative is divided into 4 main sections, each told from the perspective of one of the main characters: Wren (the snake handler's daughter), Ivy (the fearless best friend), Flynn (the moonshiner).  Through these segments, we gradually gain insight into the lives of these characters: their triumphs and tragedies, their joys and their heartbreaks, their strengths and their fragilities.  Having said that, I thought it was interesting how central of a role Briar played as the instigator of nearly every negative incident, yet we get to hear from every other character except him — whether this was done deliberately or inadvertently, I don't know, but I feel it was a brilliant move nonetheless, as it gives voice to those who are expected to stay hidden: the wives and daughters living in the mountains of Appalachia, isolated from the outside world, not necessarily by their own choice.

This is the type of book that is difficult to read due to its subject matter, yet at the same time, it's also an absolutely necessary and worthy read.  With its themes of doing the best with the little you have, finding strength in the face of desperation and suffering, survival through sheer determination and grit, the overall tone of the story is melancholic and despondent, yet also hopeful, especially with Wren's coming of age story and her will to survive in spite of the fates her mother and Ivy suffered.

This is a debut that I highly recommend, one that perhaps takes a little patience to read, but definitely worth the effort.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

Received ARC from Riverhead Books via Edelweiss.