Dear friends. Did you know that very few new books are published between now and January? Publishers like to focus on their best selling books, plus recipe and other books suitable for gifting, as we approach the holiday season.
Fortunately all the books I'm reviewing today were read by me several weeks ago, as a NetGalley reviewer. They're all out this month - October - except where indicated.
Waiting for a Party by Vesna Main (general fiction, literary fiction) 5 stars
An exceptional book.
92 year old Claire is waiting to be taken to the birthday party of a 102 year old friend. As she waits, her mind wanders to her marriage and subsequent romances after her husband Bill died.
Claire has a contemporary voice and the book doesn't come across as nostalgic ramblings. Instead, there are astute observations and learnings about relationships.
Claire married Bill, 20 years her senior, as a young woman, and their roles were very traditional. He constantly referred to her as "my dear, little Claire" and it's clear that as she reflects on the relationship, and what her friend Michael has since said, he didn't see her as an intellectual equal. She can't bring herself to criticise Bill and says he gave her the stability she needed, as an orphan. She doesn't talk much about being childless and how Bill had had a vasectomy after his child with his first wife died. Instead, she has "adopted" an adult man as her son, after they had an ill-fated fling.
Claire dives into relationships and one night stands after she is widowed, and is wistful that she won't ever experience physical love or romance now she is in her 90s. "She has realised that regardless of age, everyone needs love, or, at least, everyone dreams of being loved. But when she considers that, the word yuck comes to mind and she admits to herself she would be ashamed to say the sentence about the need for love in front of anyone else for fear of sounding as a heroine from a pulp fiction novel. "
I loved the book and Main's writing. Thank you for bringing us a voice so clear and loud to our attention from an extraordinary generation.
This book is published on 15 November. Thanks to NetGalley and Salt Publishing for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.
The Good Daughter by Sarah Edghill, General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers (5 stars)
I devoured this in two sessions and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sarah Edghill is superb at capturing the challenges and small triumphs of midlife. Her characters are always realistic, authentic and relatable.
Eve, at 45, is finding that everyone wants a chunk of her time. Her mother has moved into a care home and hates it, constantly ringing Eve and saying she’ll kill herself if she has to stay there. In the early stages of dementia, she exhibits bewildering changes in temperament.
Her normally well behaved six year old has been accused of bullying at school. And her ex has accused Eve of being a bad mother, saying he and his new wife want Daniel to live with them, hundreds of miles away in Glasgow.
Eve has also discovered her mother has a secret which shakes her to the core.
There’s a lot of humour despite all this. How realistic is the scenario of the unattached next door neighbour bringing round his strimmer and lawnmower, and then getting grumpy when Eve’s long grass is just, er, too long? Fortunately Jake later recovers from this, and Eve’s subsequent mistake in declining a comedy night.
A delight.
The Drowned by John Banville, General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers. (5 stars)
John Banville is a fine writer who elevates the crime thriller to an art form. There are so many things that took my breath away in this latest Strafford and Quirke novel I don’t know where to start.
Firstly there’s the authenticity of the 1950s setting in rural Ireland. Banville is a master of taking us back in time. The strained smiles and awkwardness; the behaviours, the words unsaid. Even the sound of dust motes hissing on the gas fire.
There’s his understanding of the perennial pursuit of women by men, and the sometimes jaded attitude of women, at that time, in accepting unwanted advances or even marriage proposals, because they had to.
Three of the men in this story would be described in the 50s as “Lotharios” – brooding detective Strafford, who has an uneasy relationship with dour pathologist Quirke, whose daughter he is seeing. Widower Quirke was briefly seeing a woman connected to the crime of the last book. And then there’s the protagonist of The Drowned, a man who claims his wife has gone missing.
The most amazing sleight of hand though is how Banville makes us pity the paedophile, hiding from society and constantly in fear of being falsely accused of a new crime.
A truly remarkable book.
The Woman who Went Over Niagara Falls in a Barrel by Caroline Cauchi (General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction) (4 stars)
I remember as a child hearing about a woman who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel. I was thrilled to learn more about Annie Edson Taylor in a new fictionalized account of her life, The Woman Who Went Over Niagara Falls in a Barrel by Caroline Cauchi.
Annie, a former teacer, was 63 and considered an old woman when she became the first person to succeed in her daring exploit in 1901.
At the start of the book it’s 1901 and she is living in lodgings provided for women down on their luck. The women who live there can’t afford to pay rent so they earn their keep by cooking and cleaning.
Annie is emotionally stilted, having carried unresolved grief since the death of her son in the year he was born, followed by the death of her husband two years later when she was 20.
A recurring theme is women helping each other. Cauchi reveals that Annie published a memoir in which she said she undertook the stunt to earn money to help two women who lived at the boarding house. This story of two friendships forms big part of the story.
Annie found it hard to get backers for her audacious stunt. Eventually a showman agreed to fund the cost of the special barrel she designed. Annie will pay him back from promotional earnings afterwards. Her age is recorded as 43.
The terrifying stunt is beautifully recorded and we can almost imagine we are crammed into the reinforced and sealed barrel, unable to hear anything except the mighty roar of the water.
Annie survived, unlike countless others who attempted the same feat. Her “manager” stole the barrel and did promotions without her. Her success faded very fast and she ended up in a pauper’s grave in the 1920s. Fortunately a campaign to rectify this saw her being re- buried in Stunter’s Corner at Niagara.
I loved how indomitable and determined Cauchi made Annie. She was entirely unlike women were supposed to be at this time, demure, quiet and the property of men. It’s wonderful that her achievement has been made visible again.
Honeybee by Dawn O'Porter (New Adult | Romance | Women's Fiction) 3 stars
Flo and Renee, who used to be best friends, are both back on Guernsey and, after a brief reunion, living and working together.
My first impression of Renee is that she was disorganised, chaotic and careless. Flo, on the other hand, was a capable office manager, sensible and professional. Well, first impressions are often wrong!
I was more drawn to the two older women in the story, Aunty Jo with her bee hives and Lillian, still working in her 80s and wearing gorgeous clothes.
Flo and Renee both struggled with unresolved issues relating to their parents, which in the case of Flo and her mum, annoyed me.
I did feel Flo should try to see things more from her mum's perspective, and make more of an effort. The "ham sandwich" incident at a restaurant was cringe-city. The humour was a bit hit and miss. I wasn't convinced O'Porter fully succeeded in mixing the humour with the serious topics of belonging, alcoholism and grief.
Sugaring Off by Fanny Britt (Literary Fiction) (4 stars)
Alex is a wealthy middle aged man who fills his time with expensive hobbies. In Martha’s Vineyard he has bought a sugar "farm" and has hired one of the previous owners to show him how to make taffy (a confection known as chews in the UK), and tap maple trees for maple syrup.
He has a problematic relationship with his daughter, having had sporadic time with his two children since his divorce.
He’s also still surfing, inexpertly, and careers into a young woman on his surfboard, Celia, causing catastrophic damage to her knee.
This causes fractures across Alex’s life. His girlfriend of 10 years, Marion, can’t stand how he’s become a snivelling and self pitying wreck. He tries to get close to the family who ran the sugar farm for years, to extract their fortitude and strength. Marion seeks diversion in flings.
Everything comes to a head at Marion’s 40th birthday party.
Not an easy read, and very rambling and fractured at the beginning. But has some astonishing moments of insight.
His Ex- Wife by Maria Frankland (Mystery and Thrillers), 4 stars
Here's an intriguing proposition. On a frighteningly snowy might, Natalie and her new husband arrive at his parents' house for Christmas. Natalie is already nervous, knowing Dominic's parents think he has married beneath himself. But then she finds his ex wife Carla is also staying - and Dominic's parents can't do enough for her.
Before Christmas is over there will be a dead body and two people close to death.
I enjoyed how Frankland manipulates our perceptions, changing our view of the characters. The treacherous snow and cold lends another level of terror. An engrossing and enjoyable read.
Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell (General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | Nonfiction (Adult) 3 stars
I haven't read a Scarpetta for several years and I found this one strangely under-powered and slow. It took until chapter 13 before Scarpetta and Marino (photography) actually started the autopsy.
I was a bit incredulous at the UFO angle. Persevered and it finally got a bit more pacey, but still lacked the tense and thrilling finale I was expecting.
A few days ago I heard Cornwell talking about the book on a podcast and the two hosts both raved about the book. It just goes to show we will never all like the same things!
I hope you enjoyed this month's selection and have found at least one book that piqued your interest. What are you reading? Do share in the comments.
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