Quick Reviews of Notable New Books

Reviewer: Lauren Pinchin; age 28; married; Eugene, Oregon.

Lauren’s assessment: Covering an awe-inspiring range of history, geography, and individual experience, this short-story collection is filled with themes of dreaming and resignation, yearning and failure. The stories that resonated with me the most were those in which the settings were so vivid and complex that they nearly became characters themselves. (“Wickedness” and “Nebraska”—in which the state of Nebraska assumes a form that is both human and godlike—are two such tales.) I enjoyed being able to pop into a different point of view or theme every few pages. And it was a delicious challenge to draw connections between the stories’ at times oblique but compelling conclusions.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Zoe Saint-Paul; age 44; married with two children; Baltimore.

Zoe’s assessment: Set in 1972, this story of espionage, temptation, and deceit centers on Cambridge University graduate Serena Frome as she joins the ranks of Britain’s elite intelligence agency, M15, and falls for the subject whom she’s tracking. Although I wanted to like Serena, I ultimately found her too shallow and aloof to be engaging. Thankfully, the plot is entertaining and the writing is stellar, making Sweet Tooth a worthy companion for a long train ride or a vacation.

To buy: $27, amazon.com.

Reviewer: William Belcher; age 34; married with two children; Greenwich, New York.

William’s assessment: Rooted in the harsh, unsettled landscape of southern Portugal in the 1900s, this book is a sweeping family saga that spans three generations and explores the stirrings of revolutions during the establishment of the Portuguese Republic and in the lives of rural workers throughout the 20th century. At times, reading it can be slow and laborious, but it’s worth your while to persevere. The book is a fascinating, personal portrait of a nation and its people. What’s more, this is a great example of Saramago’s distinct voice and style, famous for its insightfulness and inventiveness and keen use of parable and irony.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Anne Glenn; age 28; married; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Anne’s assessment: The stories in this collection are not just tales about characters; they are also powerful portraits of humanity as a whole. Some of the stories resonated so deeply with me that I felt as if I had experienced the events in them myself. And although the point of view, subject matter, setting, and plot differ in each story, the theme of love (filial love, true love, love discovered, love buried deep within) is threaded through them all. Remarkably, despite their brevity, the stories convey emotions and relay situations better than any novel I’ve ever read.

To buy: $27, amazon.com.

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Reviewer: Angelica Martin; age 26; single; Los Angeles.

Angelica's assessment: At age 17, David “Lizard” Hochmeyer finds his world shattered when both his parents are mysteriously murdered. In the decades that follow, he and his sister devote themselves to piecing together the crime—even though it means ruining their lives in the process. Their fascinating journey highlights the importance of steering your own fate, and it left me pondering where my own life will lead.

To buy: $25, amazon.com. 

Reviewer: Yael Zoldan; age 37; married, with five children; Passaic, New Jersey.

Yael's assessment: I was moved by this memoir, in which the Pulitzer Prize–winning author recounts growing up as the only child of a mother who is smart, beautiful, and determined but also confrontational, flighty, and plagued by anxiety. She dreams of a time when she and Richard can break free of their small town in upstate New York. “Don’t I deserve a life? Don’t I deserve to be happy?” she asks him. But her sadness, needs, and fear are a heavy burden on her son, who feels responsible for her fulfillment. The book examines: Is it possible to live for ourselves and for our parents at the same time?

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Angela Livengood; age 31; single; Plano, Texas.

Angela's assessment: Kim Thúy and her family lived a life of relative wealth and comfort in Saigon until the Vietnam War forced them to flee to a Malaysian refugee camp. This autobiographical novel recounts Thúy’s hard life in the camp as well as her family’s eventual arrival in Canada. Thúy seems to be one of those rare people who can live through difficult circumstances without becoming at all bitter. Written with stark honesty and incredible wisdom, Ru is a story of survival and triumph. I strongly recommend it.

To buy: $14, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Molly Antos Morey; age 28; married; Chicago.

Molly's assessment: Set in the late 1700s, this novel follows two Swedes as they use a practice of fortune-telling they call “the Octavo” to anticipate threats on the life of their beloved ruler, King Gustav III (who reigned from 1771 to 1792). Layered, absorbing, and rife with interesting fictional characters and genuine historical detail, Engelmann’s work kept me in suspense from the first page to the last.

To buy: $27, amazon.com. 

Reviewer: Meena Sajwani; age 30; married; New York City.

Meena's assessment: This gripping tale of a man’s unraveling centers on Greyson Todd, a 1970s film-industry hotshot who is plagued by bipolar disorder and who leaves his family to travel the world. I have suffered from mental illness myself and can attest to the authenticity of Garey’s depiction. Greyson’s constant negative thoughts, sleepless nights, and attempts to numb himself remind me of my own hidden past. In life, we break sometimes. This book brilliantly reminds us not to judge people in these moments but rather to have compassion.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Angelica Martin; age 26; writer; Los Angeles.

Angelica’s assessment: It’s 1905, and in well-to-do Princeton, New Jersey, a curse has taken hold. As a result, all of the local daughters are disappearing. When one man, Josiah Slade, sets out to find his missing sister, he crosses paths with the town’s most formidable players, including President Woodrow Wilson and the famous muckraking author Upton Sinclair, each of whom has his own unsettling reactions to the occurrences. A chilling tale of psychological thrills and a riveting reimagining of history, The Accursed is worth reading—more than once.

To buy: $28, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Molly Antos Morey; age 28; publicist; Chicago.

Molly’s assessment: Full of clandestine affairs and glamorous crimes, this novel had the potential to be an addictive page-turner, but in the end it didn’t hold my attention. The story centers on a contemporary wealthy American couple (Ben, an overworked lawyer, and Helen, a high-profile publicist) and shows how their marriage and lives fall apart as they climb the socioeconomic ladder. The plot was contrived and predictable, and the characters never came alive. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations for the book (I work in public relations and hoped to find a strong connection with Helen). Still, this read disappointed me.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Angela Livengood; age 31; teacher; Plano, Texas.

Angela’s assessment: Who among us hasn’t wished that she could instantly change her life? This story of magical realism reveals what happens when one family is given the power to do just that. Over three decades, each member of the family at the center of this book discovers that he or she has a superhuman ability. (One can become invisible; another can read others’ thoughts.) But as with many things in life, these abilities don’t yield the results the characters—or the readers—expect. Before reading What the Family Needed, I would have jumped at the opportunity to wave a magic wand and make some changes. But this book showed me that even minor alterations can have major, unintended consequences.

To buy: $27, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Yael Zoldan; age 37; writer; Passaic, New Jersey.

Her take: Each chapter in this poignant novel is a portrait of a person living or working at a nursing home in a small town. We meet Joanna, a hospice volunteer; Sadie, a retired schoolteacher and resident; and Ben, an aging magician who lives at the home and wants to make himself disappear. Each character wrestles with major questions: What happens to our dreams after we die? What memories, if any, do we take with us? The narratives prompted me to examine my own life and the legacy that I would like to leave behind.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Andrea Bledsoe King; age 38; librarian; Memphis.

Andrea’s assessment: What happens when the cool girls of yesteryear become mothers of high school students? In this smart, entertaining, and wickedly funny debut novel, Hornby depicts the queen bees all grown up—and as cliquish and conniving as ever.

The story centers on Rachel, a mother on the verge of divorce—and of losing her coveted place in the school’s parent pack. I found the story, which tracks Rachel’s journey beyond her social circle, amusing and relatable—especially since, like Rachel, I’ve dealt with queen bees as both a teenager and an adult.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Evan Sarah Epstein; age 32; communications specialist; Seattle.

Evan’s assessment: Jumping between the early 1920s and the early 1930s, and between the perspective of William, a 12-year-old orphan, and Liu Song, the mother who abandoned him, this book slowly reveals how William came to live in an orphanage and what his mother has done since she left him there. It also brings Depression-era Seattle to vivid life, from the vaudeville theaters to the candy shops to the dank boarding houses. Although the narrative overflows with tragedy—poverty, abuse, and suicide all come into play—a strong sense of hope persists from the first page to the last. Through all their struggles, both William and Liu Song believe that somehow, someday, life will get better. And in the end, happily, it does.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Diana Colvard; age 58; conservation-programs specialist for U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency; Sherwood, Arkansas.

Diana’s assessment: Imagine if the people we’ve lost—months, years, even decades ago—suddenly came back to us, with no memory of having died and without having aged a day. This well-written work of magical realism depicts that strange scenario, focusing on Jacob, a boy who drowned at age 8 in 1966 and has suddenly returned to his aging parents. Filled with suspense, the story compelled me to keep reading—but in the end, it left me feeling empty. Based on what the author wrote in the author’s note, it seems he wanted the book to help readers remember and connect with their own deceased loved ones. But as I read this book, I never once thought of my beloved dad, who passed away three years ago. It’s an entertaining read, for sure, but not a meaningful one.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Katrine Poe; age 54; English professor; Woodstock, Illinois.

Katrine’s assessment: Remember The Big Chill, the 1980s blockbuster film about a group of college chums who reunite following the sudden death of their mutual friend? Norman Rush’s Subtle Bodies has a similar premise, but the execution isn’t nearly as charming. The book attempts to present a complex examination of how friends grow apart in the decades following graduation, but the characters are so emotionally immature, they seem to have graduated just a few years earlier. All I could think of was how the people I know have grown and developed in the years since our graduation, while these insufferable characters most certainly have not.

To buy: $27, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Carol Germinario; age 59; registered nurse; Secaucus, New Jersey.

Carol’s assessment: This poignant tale opens on the day that Charlie Crosby’s 13-year-old daughter, Kate, perishes in a car accident. The rest of the book recounts the year that follows through Charlie’s eyes, depicting how he suffers and recovers, and how the people in his community—a quaint New England town called Enon—react to him. I recently lost my spouse, and Charlie’s story brought so much of my own sorrow to the surface. It’s easy to become consumed by the question of “why”—and in so doing lose the capacity to function from day to day. Reading this book helped me feel less alone in my grief. Enon portrays the mourning process with grace and truth; it is a stunning and moving exploration of despair.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Susan Talend; age 41; stay-at-home mom; Atlanta.

Susan’s assessment: After pediatric psychiatrist Owen Lerner is struck by lightning, the only thing he wants to do is man the barbecue in his yard. As a result, his life, and the lives of his wife and three nearly grown children, are irrevocably changed. In each chapter of this book, a different character—the dad, the mom, the college-age twin sons—share how the lightning incident and its aftermath have affected them. If you enjoy character studies (and don’t need a lot of action) you’ll enjoy this book. As for me, I found it a bit difficult to get through; while the characters were interesting and the writing was, at times, beautiful, there just wasn’t enough of a plot to hold my interest.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Debra Resch; age 61; computer-education facilitator; West Creek, New Jersey.

Debra’s assessment: This is the story of the relationship of a loving couple, from their early courtship as teenagers to the golden years of their marriage in their late 70s. The book begins at the end—as Ruth prepares for her husband Peter’s retirement as head of the Derry School for Boys—and slowly backtracks to their first meeting. (Ruth, an orphan, was adopted by Peter’s parents as a child.) There are moments of love and joy, and of anger and disappointment. Although I am younger than Ruth by at least a decade, the book made me nostalgic for the places and faces of my own adolescence and young adulthood. The book’s main message is that all of life’s choices come with a price. One line sums it up quite well: “Things are never all bad, all good. A lot is gray. Most is gray.”

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Fayeruz Regan; age 37; freelance writer; Richmond, Virginia.

Fayeruz’s assessment: In a dystopian future, climate change whips up violent storms that ravage the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the resulting devastation prompts the federal government to institute a coastal boundary called the Line, beyond which there is no law and no government aid. Few residents stay in this dangerous territory, but Cohen, the main character, shattered by the loss of his wife and unborn child, is determined to cling to the once genteel landscape—until he’s attacked, robbed, and left for dead. The gripping narrative, which is amazingly devoid of clichés, follows Cohen as he moves above the Line to civilized society and plots revenge on his enemies. Many books set in the South are beloved for their haunting quality, and this novel is no exception. It’s a great read—but I think it would be an even better movie.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Sarai Narvaez; age 27; community-organization director; Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Sarai’s assessment: Seemingly out of nowhere, the residents of Coldwater, Michigan, begin receiving phone calls from their deceased family members and friends. This novel reveals how the townspeople handle these miracles and depicts the mixed reaction within the community. The calls also cause global religious conflict: Messages come from people of all faiths, calling the criteria for what earns a person a spot in heaven into question. Part mystery, part drama, and part religious fable, the book is a quick, addicting read, although at times, due to the brevity of the chapters, it feels a bit disjointed. Albom asks many questions but doesn’t always take the time to answer them.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Evan Sarah Epstein; age 32; communications specialist; Seattle.

Evan’s assessment: Two brothers sneak off in the middle of the night, but only the younger one—Matthew, who suffers from schizophrenia—returns home. Years later Matthew decides that he has found a way to bring his brother back and embarks on a mission to understand what happened that night. Narrated entirely by Matthew, this is a heartfelt story of a family learning to pick up the pieces in the wake of tragedy. I appreciated that Filer didn’t try to make sense of the schizophrenic brain; the voice always felt real and authentic. I ached for Matthew and his family and was thoroughly captivated by their story.

To buy: $25, amazon.com.

Reviewer: Susan Talend; age 41; stay-at-home mom; Atlanta.

Susan’s assessment: Loosely based on the early life of Saint Hilda of Whitby, in seventh-century Britain, this novel centers on the introduction of Christianity into a world of violence and superstition. The first 150 pages were difficult to get through because there were too many strange names, of both people and places. I felt as if I had been thrust into a strange land with no map to guide me. Eventually a plot emerged (the book centers on a strong woman and how she influences the king), and it was enough to hold my attention. But overall I was disappointed: There was no real biographical information about Saint Hilda. In the end, the only information I learned about this historic figure was what I looked up online.

To buy: $27, amazon.com.