Review: Paris Never Leaves You (by Ellen Feldman)

My Rating: 2 stars

This is a difficult review for me to write, as I really wanted to like this book, but there were just too many things wrong with it, to the point that the negatives ended up outweighing the few positives.  I was initially drawn to this book because of the premise and also the genre of historical fiction being one of my favorites.  The first chapter actually started off okay, but unfortunately, the more I read, the more I found it difficult to get into the story – my attention would start to wander and next thing I knew, I was skimming pages rather than actually reading.

The biggest problem I had with the story was its structure.  Going into this, I was expecting an alternating timeline between wartime Paris and 1950s New York as mentioned in the premise.  I'm fine with alternating timelines, as I read a lot of historical fiction and am used to seeing that with the genre.  Usually, with dual timelines, there is an identifier that clearly differentiates the past from the present – be it separate chapters with the timeframe indicated at the start, or, if within the same chapter, a marker of some sort or even a transition sentence or two.  For some reason, none of that existed in this book, at least not in the copy I received.  There was no clear delineation whatsoever between the two timelines, no transition or anything – each chapter seemed to start in the present, but then a few paragraphs in, it would seemingly jump to the past and then later jump back to the present.   For example – there would be a scene where the main character Charlotte is talking to her daughter Vivi, who is 14 years old in the present (1950s New York), about something, then in the next paragraph, Vivi is described as being asleep in the back room of a store while there is some drama going on in the front room...it took me a bit to realize that paragraph was actually describing something that occurred 10 years ago when Charlotte was still in Paris and Vivi was only 4 years old.  There was no transition sentence or even a few words to indicate that Charlotte was thinking of a past memory – in fact, the entire sequence would be written in the same present tense voice, which made it feel like everything was happening in the same timeline when they obviously weren't.  This made the story very confusing and extremely hard to follow.  Not only that, it also made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters, as I was too distracted trying to sort out the timelines and ended up not paying as much attention to what was happening with the characters.

Speaking of the characters....as if the timeline thing wasn't confusing enough, the way some of the characters were written was a bit all over the place.  There were some sections where a character would be referred to by their first name, but had not been introduced or mentioned previously, making it feel like the character was randomly dropped into the story without explanation of who they were – a few times I actually had to go back and re-read previous sections to see if I may have missed something.  Interestingly enough, there were also some sections where the opposite occurred – there would be paragraph upon paragraph describing someone doing something or interacting with someone else, but the entire time, only the gender pronoun (he or she) would be used and no name would be mentioned. 

I also had an issue with the way the historical elements were incorporated into the story.  In some of the chapters, a historical situation would be brought up and the description of it would go on for pages and pages, sometimes to the point that it felt disconnected from the rest of the plot.  Basically, the historical elements didn't blend well into the story, which made me feel at times that I was reading a fictional story with random history lessons haphazardly inserted in places where it didn't make sense.  But then in other sections, there would be no historical element at all, just some soap opera-ish drama and/or back-and-forth dialogue between some of the characters.

Overall, this book was a chore to read, as the serious flaws with the execution made it mostly not work for me.  Unfortunately, the basic structural issues were too overwhelming and therefore hard for me to ignore, which is a shame, as I felt the story did have potential.  With that said, I'm a bit of an outlier here, since there are plenty of positive reviews for this book, so I would suggest checking those out as well for a more balanced perspective.

Received ARC from St. Martin's Griffin via Edelweiss.

Review: Musical Chairs (by Amy Poeppel)

My Rating:  5 stars

This was such a charming, delightful read!  I honestly can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book (years at least!).  From the story to the characters to the plot to the descriptive writing (and everything in between), there were so many things I adored about this book that I honestly don't know if I can do it justice even with a lengthy review.  Where do I even start?  Ok, perhaps with one of the elements that made this story so good:  the quirky, yet realistically drawn characters who, despite their flaws, turned out to be so endearing.  I love the fact that the two central characters in this story, Bridget and Will, have such a unique, special, long-standing relationship — one that transcends both friendship and romance and instead is akin to family, with a shared bond closer even than siblings.  To say that the family dynamics in this story are complicated is an understatement — I would say that "dysfunctional" is a better term to describe this family, albeit in a completely lovable and irresistibly charming way.  I adored nearly every character in here (both human and pet alike, lol, though of course, special shout-out to Ronaldo, the funniest parrot on the planet in my opinion).   Some would say that there were too many characters in the story and it was hard to keep track, but I was actually fine with it, as I appreciated the different perspectives that each character brought to the story.  In fact, I'm glad the author, Amy Poeppel, structured the story the way she did — basically allowing us to see the various events from each character's viewpoint while at the same time giving us insight into the characters' backgrounds.

The other thing I loved about this story was the humor.  Most people may prefer "deliberately funny," but I'm actually more of a fan of subtle humor — the kind that comes across so naturally that you don't even realize how hilarious it is until you find yourself suddenly laughing out loud (and getting sideways glances from people around you).  This kind of humor is extremely hard to pull off well, especially in written format where words always convey the intended emotion properly — yet Poeppel absolutely mastered it here!   I don't know how she did it, but she was able to make the story consistently funny in a thoughtful, respectful way, even while exploring some pretty heavy topics.  Again, not an easy feat by any means.  I talk about emotional resonance a lot in my reviews because this is a key component for me when it comes to reading.  How does the book make me feel?  What was the reading experience like?  These (among others) are the types of questions I ask myself after each book and the answers help me figure out what rating best aligns with my feelings.  One of the things that many of my 5 star reads have in common is that they move me to tears in some way (which isn't easy given that I can be quite the cynic when it comes to emotions).  With this book, while it didn't move me to tears exactly (though a few scenes were mighty darn close to doing so), it did move me to (constant) laughter, which is even harder in my opinion given the type of humor I prefer. 

I also like the fact that there was depth to the story and, like many of the best books out there, a meaningful message that was both thought-provoking and poignant.  My favorite scene is the toast that Edward Stratton (Bridget's father) gives at the wedding, which, aside from being one of the most best scenes I've ever read in a book, also perfectly captured the brilliance that Amy Poeppel was able to achieve with this story:  hilarious and heartfelt!   The brilliance wasn't just in the story though....the many nuances with the book's title – in reference to a website, the menagerie of characters and their various positions as they go through life, the throwback to the actual music component in the story, etc. – and the way it tied into the story in such a significant way, also added a fun dynamic to reading this book.

Obviously, I enjoyed this one tremendously and so of course would wholeheartedly recommend it!   If you want a smart, well-written, hilarious story with lots of heart that also features a wonderfully eclectic group of quirky but lovable characters, Musical Chairs is all that and then some.  Those who know me know that I'm a picky reader and usually very stingy with my 5 stars (case in point – out of the 38 books I've read so far this year, not including this one, I've only rated 2 of them 5 stars), but this book absolutely deserves it!  And yes, I have every intention of going back and reading Amy Poeppel's backlist, as I've been told her previous novels are great as well.

Received ARC from Emily Bestler / Atria Books via NetGalley

Review: The Jane Austen Society (by Natalie Jenner)

My Rating: 4 stars

 

Ever since reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time back in junior high (many many moons ago), I became a Jane Austen fan and never looked back.  Over the ensuing decades, I’ve of course read all the rest of Austen’s work and, like many fans, admire her more and more with each read/re-read.  Unlike other fans though, I’m not fond of retellings of Austen’s works, so I try to stay away from those as much as possible.  With that said, if a book is ABOUT Jane Austen or her works and not a retelling, then I will gladly read it without hesitation, doesn’t matter whether fiction or non-fiction.

Given my long-time admiration for Austen, I went into Natalie Jenner’s debut novel The Jane Austen Society with a high level of excitement and anticipation.  The premise of a fictional group of fans living in the small English village of Chawton (Austen’s final home) after the Second World War who are determined to preserve the legacy of their favorite author — what a dream premise for Austen fans!   As a work of historical fiction, the elements of time and place were especially well done, with Chawton and the Great House feeling so realistic, as a reader, I definitely felt transported.  I also found the characters quite charming, but what I loved especially was the fact that each character came from vastly different walks of life and, given their respective backgrounds, probably would not have been brought together if not for their love of Austen. Each character endures personal struggle of some sort and as they unite to form the Jane Austen Society, the bond that develops between the members helps each one open their eyes and work through their issues.

While I did enjoy the story and characters quite a bit overall, my biggest complaint is that the pacing was way too slow — I actually struggled with getting into the story until around the halfway mark.  One of the things that kept me going however, were the discussions about Austen and her novels that the various characters engage in, discussions which I found interesting to read.  Indeed, Natalie Jenner was able to weave her admiration and respect for Austen (and her works) into the story in a way that, as an Austen fan myself, made me proud.  

I would definitely recommend this book for fans of Jane Austen and/or her novels, as I feel that is the audience this was written for and would probably appreciate this story the most.   But then again, I’m speaking from the perspective of an Austen fan...I’d be curious to see if non-fans or those who’ve never read Austen would have the same opinion.

Received ARC from St. Martin’s Press via Edelweiss.

Review: The Color of Air (by Gail Tsukiyama)

My Rating:  5 stars

Gail Tsukiyama is an author I’ve been wanting to read for awhile.  I’ve had a copy of her most famous work, Women of the Silk, on my bookshelf for years, but unfortunately haven’t had the chance to read it yet.  Well, that might change now after reading her newest work The Color of Air, which I enjoyed to the point that I want to go back and explore her backlist while waiting impatiently for her next work.   

I love the way Tsukiyama writes — in a style that is quiet and gentle, yet the story still packs a punch.  With this book, Tsukiyama takes her time with the narrative — slowly, chapter by chapter, we learn about the Japanese-American family at the center of the narrative, but more than that, we also learn the stories of those around them, all members of the close-knit community in the town of Hilo, Hawaii.   Set against the historical context of the Mauna Loa volcano’s eruption in 1935, this event was woven beautifully into the story, with its juxtaposition against the return of the town’s beloved young doctor Daniel Abe and the secrets that slowly come to light, both within the family and in the community.  A sense of anticipation permeates the story — both in terms of the aftermath of the eruption (the question of the lava flow’s direction and what will happen to those in its path) as well as the revelation of long-held secrets within the family and the community —and we are left to wonder, as the story progresses, what the path forward will be for all the characters.   From a historical perspective, Tsukiyama also weaves into her narrative the lesser known history of Asian indentured servitude on Hawaii’s sugar plantations.  Uncle Koji’s story of how his family arrived in Hawaii from Japan as contracted immigrant workers on the plantations -- a stint that was only supposed to last 3 years but turned into a lifetime.  Related to this, there is also Razor’s story and what happened to him as one of the workers on the plantations, snippets of which are shared through Koji’s memories of his best friend, but also through Razor’s own “voice” at the end of some of the sections.   The way that the past and present blended together so seamlessly, this worked well from a narrative structure perspective.

Speaking of the characters, this was one of those rare instances where I loved the entire cast of characters, whether major or minor.  Each character was unforgettable and grew fonder to me with the progression of the story from one chapter to another and all the way through to the end.  Daniel, Koji, Samuel, Wilson and Mano, all were great characters, but the ones that left the biggest impression on me were the women in the story – Mariko, Nori, Mama Natua, Maile, Leia, the Hilo Aunties.  I was moved by the strong bond that they all shared – an unbreakable bond that continued to endure not only through all of life’s ups and downs, but also was strong enough to even transcend death.  One of the unique aspects of Tsukiyama’s storytelling is her ability to portray all her characters with such tenderness and compassion.  These are characters who endure a lot, plus there are the complicated family dynamics, the conflicts, the drama that inevitably follows, yet the underlying message of hope and resilience is so strong.   At its core, this is also an immigrant story, but one that is lovingly told as well as rooted in hope from the getgo. 

I enjoyed everything about this book, from the characters, the story, and of course, the incredibly atmospheric writing.  The lush descriptions of the island’s landscape, as well as its history and people, gave such a tremendous sense of time and place – to the point that the setting came alive almost as though it were a character itself.  Loved this one and definitely recommend it!

Received ARC from HarperCollins (HarperVia) via NetGalley.

Review: Tell Me Three Things (by Julie Buxbaum)

My Rating:  4 stars

I haven't been much of a YA reader for many years already — so long in fact that I can actually count the number of YA novels I've read over the past decade on one hand.  The reason I don't regularly read YA isn't because I have anything against the genre of course — rather, it has more to do with the fact that, after reaching a certain age and already having a certain amount of life experiences as well as insights under my belt, I sometimes find it hard to relate to the themes and characters often explored in books from the genre.  There are different reasons why I read and indeed, the way I experience a book each time will not be the same, however one thing that I look for each time I read is being able to connect to the story and/or the characters in some way.   Given everything that has been going on recently, both in the world and personally in my own life, that connection has become increasingly important in helping me better understand and make sense of things.  With all that said, one of the things I've noticed with my own reading experiences in recent years is that this connection to a story or characters or (in the case of non-fiction books) subject matter, more often than not, can happen unexpectedly – and sometimes without me even realizing it until afterwards when I'm sitting down to write a review and start reflecting on what I read.  This is exactly what happened with author Julie Buxbaum's Tell Me Three Things, her YA debut novel from 2016.  

To be very honest, this is not a book that I probably would've picked up on my own – the main reason I chose to read it is because it is one of the recommended books in my book club's summer reading guide, plus friends who've read it seemed to enjoy it (also my library hold for the book happened to come through).   It turns out that I ended up enjoying this one more than I thought I would.  Sure, the premise is simple, the plot is not tremendously exciting, and much of the story as well as the ending are super predictable – but that's fine because I wasn't expecting a complicated read and instead wanted something light and fun, which this book definitely delivered.  What worked for me the most with this book though were the characters, especially the main protagonist of the story, Jessie.  Even though I'm not a teenager and I finished school eons ago, I still absolutely connected with Jessie and the emotions she went through navigating the strange new environment she suddenly found herself in after moving across the country – new family, new house, new school, new friends etc.  Part of why I connected so strongly with Jessie though is because she reminded me so much of how I used to be in high school – bookish, quiet, solitary, not having many friends, not being much of a talker because I'm terrified of saying the wrong things and so would much rather "write" what I wanted to say than verbally say it, etc.  It felt nostalgic (and perhaps a bit surreal) to re-visit that period of my life through the eyes of a character whose personality hewed so closely to my own – an experience that doesn't come around often, that's for sure!

Overall, I found this to be a delightful read – funny, sweet, light-hearted, poignant and sentimental where it needed to be but not overly so.  Also, I loved the structure of the story, with the text messages between Jessie and "Somebody-Nobody" and also with her other friends interspersed so seamlessly throughout.  This type of structure can be risky depending on how it's done, yet Julie Buxbaum pulled it off so beautifully here.  It's been a long time since I've had so much fun reading a book, but more significantly, it provided a much-needed respite during this trying time.  Glad I got the chance to read this one and definitely recommended!