Review: The Piano Tuner (by Chiang-Sheng Kuo)

My Rating:  3 stars

I don't remember how this book got onto my radar, as I'm not as familiar with Taiwanese literature as I am with Hong Kong literature, but seeing that this was a short novella, I decided to pick it up last minute as a way to round out my January reads.  

Overall, this was a good story, but a bit confusing and hard to follow.  The structure was a nonlinear one that jumped back and forth in time, which normally wouldn't be too much of a problem, but this one also happened to jump back and forth between first person and third person narrative voice as well (a few times, it jumped to second person too, which completely baffled me) — both of these things combined, along with the lack of distinctive breaks between the narration, plus lyrical prose that bordered on abstract in some places, made this an unnecessarily exhausting and tedious read.  The entire story was narrated by the eponymous piano tuner, but presented in snippets of his thoughts that seemed to run together jumbled between his past and current lives, making it difficult to truly understand what was going on at times with the story.

It also didn't help that the ending was very abrupt — the type of ending that seemed to stop in the middle of a thought —  to the point that I thought perhaps I was missing a few pages of the book (which, thinking about it now, is still possible, as the version I read was an ARC that I downloaded several months back, which, according to my e-reader, ended at the 99% mark and didn't have any other pages after it, not even an acknowledgments page).  

I think this had the potential to be a meaningful, emotionally nuanced story, but the structure and the switching of the voices was too distracting and unfortunately drowned out that part of the story.   Perhaps it would've been better for me to read this one in its original language (Chinese) rather than the translated version, as I honestly can't help but feel that maybe something got lost in translation somewhere.  While I don't regret reading this one, plus there were actually some elements of it that I really liked (such as the parts where the narrator talks about the piano pieces and the interesting backstories of the artists), the experience overall was underwhelming.  If I'm able to find the Chinese version, maybe I'll try that and see if my experience is any different…for now though, this definitely more of a borderline 3 star read for me.

Received ARC from Arcade Books via Edelweiss.

Review: Portrait of a Thief (by Grace D. Li)

My Rating:  4.5 stars

When I first read the premise for this book, I was really excited — I mean, how often is it that we get to see a heist story written by an Asian author?  Though having said that, calling this a heist story is a tad bit inaccurate, as it was so much more than that.  To me, the heist part was more of a secondary arc in the story — the core narrative was actually a well-told, nuanced exploration of Chinese-American identity, of colonialism and the repatriation of art, of culture and history, of immigration and the Chinese diaspora, of love and loss and the weight of family expectations, etc.  In a sense, the heists were merely a means to an end, a jumping off point for the journey of self-discovery that the five main characters — "the crew" of Will, Irene, Lily, Daniel, and Alex — embark on.  

For me, as a member of the Chinese diaspora, this examination of identity and belonging was deeply and wholeheartedly felt.  I resonated with different aspects of each character and also recognized the inner struggles that motivated many of their actions.  This was also a story about relationships, with its many nuances as well as complexities, and the flawed characters trying to navigate them:  with Will and Irene, it's their inability to truly understand each other deep down that creates a sibling love/hate rivalry where they are constantly competing against each other; with Daniel, it's his inability to let go of past loss and hurt that drives a wedge between him and his father;  with Alex, it is the weight of family obligation and responsibility, where unspoken expectations affect every decision she makes;  with Lily, it's the search for belonging, trying to understand her roots and making something of herself in the hopes that she can stop feeling so adrift.  The five of them, each with different insights into the world that drive their motivations, are brought together by a shared culture and an impossible job offer that could change their lives in both good ways and bad.  

I really enjoyed this story and of course, since I related to it in a profound way, I highly recommend reading this one  — however it's important to go into it with the right expectations.  Despite what the people marketing this book would have you believe, this is very much a character-driven story rather than a plot-driven one — which is why, as so many reviews already pointed out, even though this is supposed to be a heist story, there is actually not much "action" that happens.  The blurb for the book mentions that this story is "Ocean's Eleven meets The Farewell" — having watched both of those movies, I would say the overall feel of this one, especially with its nuanced exploration of identity and relationships, is closer to The Farewell than the Ocean's franchise.  I mention this because it seems that quite a few readers picked this one up expecting an action-packed heist story similar to Ocean's Eleven, but came away disappointed.  This is definitely not an action or adventure story…even calling it a thriller is a huge stretch, in my opinion. Regardless though, to me, it was a great story with an interesting premise and endearing (albeit flawed and sometimes frustrating) characters.  This was fantastic debut novel and now I can't wait for author Grace D. Li's next book (which I heard is forthcoming very soon)!

Review: A Man Called Ove (by Fredrik Backman)

My Rating:  5 stars

I know I'm super late to the party with this book, but hey, better late than never, right? Actually, A Man Called Ove has been on my TBR for years and the paperback copy had been sitting on my bookshelf for just as long. I was originally "intending" to finally read this book last year, as I had read Anxious People (my first exposure to Fredrik Backman's work) the year before and loved it.  But then one of my book clubs decided to read Beartown, so I picked up that one next, and of course, like everyone else who read that book, I fell hard for the characters (and the story) — so much so, in fact, that as soon as I turned the last page, I immediately picked up the sequel Us Against You and flew through that. Then, just when I was experiencing major  Beartown withdrawal, I miraculously scored an advance copy of The Winners (the third and final book in the trilogy) and devoured that 688 page tome in one sitting (and even though I cried through much of that book, I still loved every minute I spent reading it).  After that, I spent the last couple months of the year fighting the urge to re-read the entire trilogy all over again (mostly because I had a boatload of other books that I knew I had to get to). Anyway, I've digressed…so I decided to finally pick up A Man Called Ove because I knew the American movie remake starring Tom Hanks would be out this month and since I MIGHT go watch it (I'm still on the fence technically), I figured now would be as good a time as any to read the book.  Also, in another stroke of perfect timing, I attended the Livestream interview that Fredrik Backman did with the Center for Fiction last week where he talked about Ove as well as the movie adaptation, among other things (the entire interview was absolutely fantastic — I came out of that interview loving Backman even more than I already did, lol).  

So yes, I finally read Ove and it was as amazing as I expected it to be.  From the story to the characters, I loved every aspect of the book, which had me laughing one minute and crying the next minute.  Backman is one of those rare writers who is so adept at striking that perfect balance between sad and serious in his stories (which are my absolutely favorite type of stories to read!).  Just like with his other novels, in A Man Called Ove, Backman explores the many nuances of the human condition that are resonant and relatable — themes such as loneliness, community, society ills, prejudice, grief and loss, parenthood, friendship, etc. — and ties everything together into a masterful story that is heartwarming and poignant, sad and somber, yet also funny and ultimately hopeful, all at the same time.  

Now after having read 5 of Backman's novels (I intend to be a completist and read all of his works at some point), one of the things I've noticed about his writing is that it is always so earnest and full of heart.  After watching his most recent interview, I realize now how much of his own vulnerabilities he both knowingly and unknowingly incorporates into his stories — for example, with the character of Ove, he reflects his own awkwardness in social situations, his difficulty communicating with people, his wife being his main connection to the world and other people, etc.  The way Backman is able to be so "spot on" when writing about the various aspects of the human condition — our feelings, emotions, relationships — it imbues his stories with an honesty and sincerity that makes his works especially accessible and endearing.

It's probably obvious already that Backman is one of my favorite authors — I will pretty much read anything he writes at this point.  With that said, I haven't actually read all of his backlist works yet, but as I mentioned earlier, I very much intend to be a Backman completist, so it's just a matter of time before I get to the rest of his books.  I am absolutely looking forward to it!

Review: The Writing Life (by Annie Dillard)

My Rating:  3 stars

One of my goals this year is to continue my quest to read as many books about the craft of writing as I can.  This month, I decided to pick up Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard's famed book of essays on the craft, The Writing Life, which I had heard many good things about. 

Indeed, when I started the book, it was actually very engaging and I found myself highlighting many insights that resonated with me. Unfortunately though, as the book progressed, it started to become less and less accessible to me.  Dillard's prose is elegant and lyrical and yes, her metaphorical descriptions of things are beautifully rendered — but there was too much of it, in my opinion, to the point that it felt overwhelming, and after awhile, it became harder and harder to pay attention.  My mind started to wander and I ended up having to re-read things several times — putting the book down and picking it back up a few days later did help, but not by much.  Luckily, the book was very short (a tad over 100 pages), so I was able to push through and finish it (though it took me nearly a week to do so, which bothered me a bit).

Overall, I think this book just wasn't for me, especially at this moment in my life.  While I appreciated the insights it provided (I did write down a few things that were helpful and that I definitely want to remember), it came across a little too highbrow and abstract for me in some places — which is why I decided to go with a median rating of 3 stars.  Perhaps if I were to revisit this book at a later time, when my journey as a writer is more mature, I will have a better appreciation for it.

Review: The Violin Conspiracy (by Brendan Slocumb)

 My Rating:  4 stars

 

I’ve read my fair share of thrillers / mystery novels over the years and while occasionally, I’ll come across one that completely blows me away (a recent example that comes to mind is Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot), there comes a point where most of the thrillers I read start to sound so similar that I feel like it’s a waste of time to pick them up.  Given this context, when one of my book clubs decided to choose a thriller for our monthly read, I couldn’t help but feel just a tad bit weary – I even debated at one point whether I should pick this one up or not.  In the end, I decided to go for it, and I’m so glad I did because this one turned out to be more than just a “run-of-the-mill” thriller.  In fact, I would even say that the thriller / mystery aspect was more of a sub-arc than the main story (more on this later).

 

Ray McMillian has a passion for playing the violin and also the natural talent to match, but as a Black kid growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has neither the resources nor the opportunities to realize his dream of becoming a professional musician.  Aside from the fact that his family doesn’t support him – his mom wants him to get a “real” job in order to pay the bills, while the rest of his aunts and uncles are to absorbed with their own lives to care about his impractical dreams – there’s also the reality of the inherent racism in the classical music world, which Ray has already gotten a glimpse of being the only Black kid in his high school music class (his teacher essentially refuses to teach him and the white kids go out of their way to make him feel that he doesn’t belong there).  Only his Grandma Nora, whom he goes and visits every couple of months, loves and supports him unconditionally.  On one of his visits, his grandma gives him a fiddle that once belonged to his great-grandfather.  Later on, Ray meets Dr. Janice Stevens, a music teacher at Markham University who becomes his mentor — her support, along with his great grandfather’s precious fiddle, help Ray tap into his potential and puts him on the path to realizing his dream.  But then he discovers that the fiddle he now owns is actually a rare Stradivarius worth millions of dollars, and almost immediately, two families try to lay claim to it — Ray’s own family, including his mother, as well as the descendants of the family that had once enslaved his great-grandfather.  However, the worst is yet to come when, o few weeks before the Tchaikovsky Competition, Ray’s violin is stolen, throwing his life into upheaval and threatening everything he had worked for.  As Ray embarks on a desperate mission to find his violin, he begins to lose hope that he will ever see his precious Strad again.

 

On the surface, the narrative seems to revolve around the mystery of the stolen violin, but the story actually goes much deeper than that.  To me, the main story arc actually revolves around Ray’s journey to realizing his dream of becoming a professional violinist and the many obstacles he faced because of the color of his skin.  In Brendan Slocumb’s author’s note at the back of the book (which is an absolute must-read!), he talks about how some of the most racially charged events in the book were actually based on his own life experiences as a Black man and violinist trying to forge his path in the mostly White arena of classical music.  He also writes how, when he shares his encounters with racism with friends who don’t look like him, he usually gets a variation of the “it can’t be true / things aren’t really like that” reaction — wanting to recount his experiences as well as paint a realistic picture of the kinds of struggles that people of color face everyday, are partly what inspired him to write this book.  [Case in point:  as I’m writing this review, a story just popped up in the news about a cop in Phoenix who put a Black journalist in handcuffs when all he did was interview customers in front of a bank.]  As a person of color who also grew up in an environment where few people looked like me, I definitely  resonated with that aspect of the story and appreciate Slocumb sharing his experiences through the character of Ray.  

 

I’m terms of the “whodunnit” portion of the story — to be honest, it really wasn’t too hard to figure out (which I already did way early in the story).  With that said, I liked the inventiveness of the story in terms of how the violin “kidnapping” played out.  After a slew of similar-feeling thrillers, I find it refreshing to read a thriller that felt so different from the usual fare, even if the “mystery” portion of the story was not as strong.

 

This was an absolutely worthwhile read, though not an easy one by any means, as there were some gut-wrenching, visceral scenes that honestly made my blood boil (especially knowing some of those scenes were based on real life events).  Nevertheless, I appreciate the sincerity and honesty that comes through in Slocumb’s writing – specifically in the way he brings his characters to life.  This was a fine debut effort and I’m definitely looking forward to his second book (which is scheduled to come out in a couple months).

 

Review: The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone (by Audrey Burges)

My Rating: 4 stars

Happy New Year to all!

For my first read of the new year, I decided to start with an ARC of a book that normally wouldn't be up my alley in terms of genre, but the premise of the story interested me enough that I wanted to give it a try.  I'm honestly glad I did because I ended up enjoying this one way more than I thought I would.   

"Once upon a time, there was a house."  Such an appropriate first sentence  for a story that has both a fairy tale feel and a mysterious house as a central character.  Myra Malone came into possession of the Minuscule Mansion (essentially an antique miniature dollhouse but with no dolls) when she was six years old and since then, she became its meticulous and thoughtful "caretaker", dedicating her life to the Mansion's maintenance and upkeep such as mending broken furniture, decorating rooms with themes during holidays, etc.  Now 34 years old, Myra has been living a reclusive life in her family's cabin in Arizona ever since surviving a car accident when she was a child and spends most of her time in the attic tending to the Mansion as well as writing about her experience. Through the encouragement of her only friend (and former neighbor) Gwen, Myra begins to share her writing via blog posts and soon amasses a huge following that numbers in the hundred thousands. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Alex Rakes, who works for his family's custom furniture business, encounters a couple looking to recreate one of the Mansion rooms — when they show him pictures of the room from Myra's website, he is shocked to discover his own bedroom mirrored back to him in miniature scale.  Hoping to find out what is going on, Alex starts up correspondence with Myra and as they begin to share their respective stories as well as slowly unravel the mystery behind the Mansion, they end up going down a path that neither of them expected.

I found this story enchanting and delightful. Even though there are tragic and sad things that occur, these are handled in a thoughtful manner that doesn't diminish the seriousness of the events, while at the same time, maintaining a lightheartedness to the story that made this a compelling but by no means heavy read.  I loved the bits of humor sprinkled throughout the story, especially in the excerpts from Myra's blog posts as well as in the dialogue between the characters.  Speaking of the characters…yes, the main narrative revolves around how Myra and Alex ultimately fall in love, but this was so much more than just a love story — this was also a story about friendship and family, about hope and resilience and overcoming tragedy, about loneliness and finding a sense of connection — most centrally though was the theme of remembrance and how we carry the memories of people and places with us, even when the physical manifestation of them are gone.  

This is one of those books that doesn't fit nicely into a particular genre — some may consider this a fantasy, others may categorize it as contemporary fiction with magical realism elements (I lean toward the latter).  Whatever the category though, I appreciated the uniqueness and charm of the story, which was evident in the fact that, even though some scenes were a bit too "cutesy" for my tastes and the "mystery" part was obvious from the get go, I still found this book irresistibly hard to put down.  This was also an instance where reading outside of my usual comfort zone paid off and it's an experience I definitely recommend.  The ARC I read also had an excerpt from the author's next book, which is scheduled to come out in 2024 — it sounds just as charming and I look forward to reading it!

Received ARC from Berkley via NetGalley.