Tag: book review

Absolution by Alice McDermott

Officer wives stationed in Vietnam at the beginning of the War. I expected garden parties, sucking up to the wives of the senior officers, etc, but instead was thrown into the tumultuous era with confusion, secrecy, courage and multiple complex and interwoven ethical issues — all within the expectations and social mores of the time and place. Tricia is a young wife, married to an up and coming lawyer on loan to Navy intelligence; Charlene is a practiced corporate wife who takes charge with abandon and scoops Tricia up in her personal whirlwind. But the whirlwind is focused on “doing good” in the middle of an environment in which any good is extremely hard to find, and the ethical and socio-political questions that triggers are worth the price of admission to me.

I was so impressed by the descriptions of not only the (exotic) setting, but the interactions between wives and their husbands, other wives, native staff, and the local population. Each character was introduced with real depth, not to mention plenty of opinions. Mc Dermott did a great job of articulating the many different views of the war (at the time) through different mouths — all as perceived by Tricia, the young and naive wife who had never been encouraged to have opinions of her own.

The story was told through the unusual format of three long, saga-length letters between Trish and Charlene’s daughter Rainey (who was quite young when they met in Vietnam). The epistolary format was interesting because Tricia is recalling events from decades before, so there is introspection and retrospection layered on top of the memories. It is full of events, regrets, analysis, and the perspective that comes with time — all masterfully done.

To be honest, the start was quite slow, and I probably would have given up if I hadn’t been reading it for a book club. The topics, while intellectually interesting, were relatively depressing — after all, there is nothing about the Vietnam War that could be considered uplifting or even instructive. Still — beautifully written with an attention to the kind of detail that tells an entire (mini) story with just a sentence or two, and a different perspective and insight into a period of history that added much to my understanding.

Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty (Sci Fi / Mystery)

The third in Lafferty’s Midsolar Murder series starring Mallory Viridian — one of the few human inhabitants of a sentient space station. Human murders tend to occur when Mallory is around (the reason explained in book one or two), which is why she made such an extreme relocation. Turns out that Mal is very good at *solving* the murders that occur and that provides a nice story to show off the fantastically quirky world Lafferty has created teeming with creative alien cultures, sentient mechanisms, and the “fun” everyone has trying to get along.

Each book adds more to the world — while I would recommend reading books one and two first, the author does a decent job of giving you the info you might need if you don’t. In this installment, a one-of-a-kind ship is making its way to the station with massive holodeck like capabilities and the physical embodiment of the entire Internet (including fan fiction sites — this is important!). And it is carrying … a mystery fan convention. What could go wrong?

I like Lafferty’s world building — more focus on alien cultures than alien tech which I find much more interesting. The mystery is a nice excuse to roam around meeting strange beings. I really like the bonding between sentient ships and stations with (often human) hosts. Plenty of action, but not the super stressful kind. Lots of fun to read — I always look forward to the next one, and I’m happy to say that she writes quickly!

Thank you to Ace and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 1st, 2025.

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith (Literary Fiction)

Four currently non-communicating siblings (who used to be closer than close), three big secrets, and a sudden trip to North Dakota bring to a head the lives of the four Endicotts: Gemma, Connor, and twins Jude and Roddy — all in their 50s by the time the story takes place. Gemma — the “normal” one, currently fighting IVF battles; Connor — author of a “tell all” book on the family (while claiming it is fiction with “emotional truth” rather than “literal truth”); Jude — a megastar with constant nightmares; and Roddy — an almost has-been soccer star on the verge of marrying his partner, Winston, while trying to make a comeback.

They had a fairly non-traditional childhood — going for long and extremely disorganized annual summer road trips with the mother who left the family when the youngest was eight. With flashbacks to fill in the blanks and the highly itinerized trip to the wilds of North Dakota to propel the action, the story grabs you from multiple angles and just won’t let you go.

I liked the characters a great deal — they each had a principled core, with frank reflection and sincere longing to reconnect. I’d be happy to be their friends (my ultimate positive assessment!). While there was plenty of drama — as there is in every life — it was (to me) more of a “real” drama, rather than a manufactured and overly manipulative one. The pacing was excellent, and I found the story heartwarming — not because good things necessarily happened, but because of the honest understanding and connection that occurred.

Heart the Lover by Lily King (Literary Fiction)

Lily King is a beautiful writer with clear, succinct, and poetic prose that puts you squarely in the head of the narrator. Starting in college where she meets two brilliant men in her 17th-century Lit class (Sam and Yash) and continuing through relationships and family to a surprising ending, our narrator’s perceptions, reactions, feelings, and actions (or inactions) are bluntly on display as friendships, love, passion, loss, and eventual reckoning twirl around in the procession that becomes a lived life.

I can’t quite put my finger on why I like her writing so much — it isn’t overly emotional, and yet it feels so real. Even while telling us what is in our narrator’s mind (I’m not sure we ever get her real name, though the guys nickname her Jordan), it feels like she herself is not really sure of what is happening, or even what she wants to have happen. I guess I like that she captures the (constant) confusion of real living in a way that most authors don’t. She also thinks about and discusses things that I find interesting — philosophical musings, literary analyses, human moral behavior, even some speculative fiction style ruminations. The story was poignant, beautiful, essential, sad, and unpredictable.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on October 7th, 2025.

Becoming Baba: Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Meaning in America by Aymann Ismail (Memoir)

This is a well-written and illuminating memoir recording Ismail’s personal experience of building a life as American Muslim. In many ways, this is a typical “child of immigrants” story — finding a balance between the traditional values and expectations in which he was raised and the not-so-traditional American culture in which he lives — but the story is somewhat atypical because being a Muslim in America is not always an easy thing to be. The memoir focuses primarily on the topics in the subtitle — how to live a good and meaningful life, be a good Muslim, be a good husband and father with the definition of “good” being something that evolves over time with a great deal of thought and discussion.

I read this book to better understand the Muslim religion and those who practice it — especially in light of the pretty scary practices of the more extreme Muslim groups which (unfortunately) seem to have control over the places most Muslims live. I did get a much better understanding of what I would called “American Islam” vs extremist Islam from Ismail’s 15 short “Who’s Afraid of Aymann Ismail?” video episodes than I did from the book, which didn’t obviously differentiate between the two. I got the impression that Ismail didn’t think he should have to explain that, but to those of us who have met few Muslims but read a lot of (scary) news, the clarification of his video series helped a lot. In the memoir, his comments on both 9/11 and the Israel Hamas war were complaints about the negative impact on American Muslims without a word of condemnation of the attackers or acknowledgement of the pain of the victims. This disturbed me. To be fair, Ismail is unashamedly anti-Israel and doesn’t seem to feel the need to understand “the other side” at all, though one of his video episodes focussed on man who had tried to do that — and was roundly attacked by the Islam community. At any rate, I did enjoy most of the video series, and gained some real education on topics that had not been clear to me, and when I step away from the political (which was NOT the focus of the memoir) I found it to document a well reflected journey that supports values I could easily relate to.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 8th, 2025.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Literary Fiction)

This book is so beautiful, so elegant, and so full of depth I’m finding it almost impossible to write a meaningful review. Sybil Van Antwerp — a woman in her 70s — has lived a full life as a distinguished lawyer, wife, mother, and friend but over the five years of this epistolary novel, she has cause to reflect on her choices, her options, and her very real regrets. Through letters to (and from) friends, relatives, neighbors, stubborn academic deans, a precocious (and somewhat troubled) child of a colleague, a disgruntled (with reason) person from her past, and yes, the tech support person who helps her with the DNA test kit gifted her by her son — we are able to know Sybil with a depth difficult to reach even with those we are closest to.

Sybil (and Evans obviously) turns letter writing into an art form — these letters were simultaneously beautiful to read (clear, to the point, brimming with essentialness) and a piece of a puzzle as the archivist in me sought to piece it all together. I found myself in a constant state of intellectually stimulation while simultaneously moved to wonder or tears. I loved her letters to authors — Joan Didion, Larry McMurtry, and Ann Patchett to name a few — and their letters in return (I’m quite curious about how the author did that). I loved her taste in books as depicted by the exchanges with her sister-in-law — Ishiguro, Verghese, Patchett, Sue Miller, Stegner — so many of my favorites.

The writing, pacing, closure — all incredibly well-done. I wish I could remember how I even found this book — it wasn’t through my regular channels. For me, this was one of my top reads — I’m having trouble thinking of a book I liked more.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Literary Mystery)

Read this in a single sitting — impossible to put down. The story has typically good twists and this time delves into bitcoin, trust issues, and a whole new meaning for deep storage, but what I have always liked about Osman’s books are his characters. The core Thursday Murder Club members (Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Joyce, and Ron), the somewhat unwilling police “friends,” and the various colorful criminal elements have all returned along with some new parts — and they are all as intriguing as ever. Osman’s characters have not run out of depth or surprises as often happens in series. Plenty of fun!

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on September 30th, 2025.

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (Literary Fiction)

Mia’s family is unusual to say the least. Half Korean, half white, a working mother and a stay-at-home father, wildly different fraternal twins (Mia and John), and a younger brother (Eugene) who has both Autism and Angelman’s Syndrome (also known as the Happiness Syndrome as it is characterized by a happy demeanor). While Mia is hyperlexic (new word for me) and ultra analytic (sinking often into her vortex mode as in “warning, warning you’re sinking into a vortex of over analysis”), her twin John is ADHD, with a heavy emphasis on the H. Their mother is a linguist (who once helped with the libretto of a Vulcan opera) and their father is engaged in some very interesting “Happiness” research while caring full time for the now teenaged Eugene.

One day, the father goes missing and a very distraught Eugene — the only witness — makes it home on his own in a disheveled mess — without the ability to communicate anything about what occurred. What follows is an intricate plot to solve the mysteries of both the missing father and the essence of Eugene, complete with detectives, crowdsourced clues, behavioral specialists, plenty of confusion and misdirection, and some real surprises. The plot is engaging enough to attract most readers on its own, but what intrigued me was the obsessively interesting characters. The inner meanderings of our narrator (Mia — explained in the first pages as her compulsive need to digress) traipsed through philosophy, neurology, linguistics, human perception, music and emotion, modes of communication, and most especially the tools and abilities for understanding oneself and others — especially those others who do not function in the same way as yourself. Lots of research on conditions such as Eugene’s woven seamlessly into the narrative. While none of this would get in the way of a plot-oriented reader finding fulfillment, to me it was a Disneyland of intellectual treats that actually propelled the story forward.

Apropos of nothing, the author had a fantastic working vocabulary — I particularly liked the phrase “titular panache” — tickled me.

Highly recommended!

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey (Literary Fiction / Mystery)

A coming-of-age story told by a precocious 12-year old set in the time of the Yorkshire Ripper (late 70s). Miv and her best friend Sharon decide to find the Ripper themselves when their world starts falling apart due to the constant threat. They start by compiling a list of suspicious things about the people around them, and as they pursue investigations on multiple fronts, they learn a great deal about life. The unfolding stories of various people in their community are always instructive — some in bad ways and others in good. Miv learns about bullies, racism, grief, and even domestic abuse, but also about the importance of standing up for yourself and others, doing the right thing, tolerance, curiosity, friendship and love.

I liked the writing a great deal — Miv’s voice is unique, appealing, often humorous, and a good deal more exposed than an actual person might agree to. Never overdone or overly dramatic, but also never, ever vapid. I loved the way we got to know characters who appeared one way but easily morphed into a more complex (and much more likable) person with a little time and exposure. The ending was a real surprise, but well done and thought provoking.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on December 2nd, 2025.

Before I Forget by Tori Henwood Hoen (Literary Fiction)

This is the long-delayed coming-of-age story of a 26-year old going home to care for her Alzheimer-ridden father. And let me immediately reassure you that there is absolutely nothing depressing in any of it. What I began reading with trepidation (I’m not looking for depressing stories!) pulled me forward with increasing amounts of humor, human insight, and beyond touching moments (so yes, I teared up frequently, but from seeing substance, not sadness).

Cricket quits her job as an underutilized gofer for an over-the-top healthcare company that peddles an infinite array of body rejuvenation at very high prices. Instead, she heads to her favorite place (their home in the Adirondacks) and her beloved father — neither of which she has seen since a decade old tragedy left her beyond bereft and thoroughly guilt-ridden. From here the story takes off in unexpected ways with engaging characters, possible connections to the spiritual world, some unexpected business opportunities, and many chances to rethink the past. Throughout all of it, Cricket moves toward self understanding, forgiveness, and a stronger connection to those about her.

The writing is very good — the prose, pacing, and plot elements all perfectly tuned to Cricket’s growth without demeaning the roles of others in her story. I loved the insight and the messaging and the way Cricket always behaved in a principled manner — even when she was confused or afraid. I loved the different out-of-the-box ways dementia was portrayed, without downplaying the difficulty and loss. I loved the way personality traits could be interpreted in opposites: was someone passive or patient? Complacent or content? Insatiable or intrepid?). And I loved the humor applied to the situations and characters — particularly the buffoonish commentary on new age health gurus and products (see some of my favorite quotes below).

One of my favorite books this year.

Some great quotes:
“I am only 26, which means I am essentially a larva. In contemporary America, childhood can last well into one’s 30s, 40s, and even 50s.”

“What if Alzheimers isn’t just a slow death? What if it’s another dimension entirely – an ascension even? Humans are so fixated on our minds that we see their loss as a tragedy. But what if it’s a gift? Maybe the erosion of memory clears space for something truer. Maybe the intellect gets in the way of the heart, until little by little, it doesn’t.”

“My mother once told me I was too passive, but I prefer to think of myself as patient. There are some problems that solve themselves if you simply wait a while.”

“I have a vague feeling that, when it comes to my life, not only am I sitting on the sidelines, but I’m playing the wrong game altogether. As I look around at the leftover mess from the weekend, I think: I’m ready to be something other than young.”

“I was impressed by her confidence and conviction – two things I was lacking. When you are full of questions, you are drawn to people who look like answers.”

“You could spend all day exfoliating, lifting, moisturizing, resurfacing, deep conditioning, buffing, harmonizing, depilating, and rejuvenating your bodily surfaces, but at the end of that day, your soul will still ache for what it really wants: freedom from the consumptive cycle of never feeling or looking quite good enough. We’ve conflated health with vanity. It’s not that I don’t believe in healing; I just don’t believe you can buy it for $78 an ounce.”

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on December 2nd, 2025.