The Piano Teacher (mini review)

The Piano Teacher

by Janice Y. K. Lee

audiobook:10.75 hours

narrated by Orlagh Cassidy 

From my library's website: 

In the epic tradition of The English Patient, this gripping tale of love and betrayal is set in war-torn Hong Kong. It is 1942, and Will Trusdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, has fallen headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But when WWII strikes, Will is sent to an internment camp, while Trudy remains outside. Trudy is forced to form dangerous alliances with the head of the Japanese gendarmerie, whose desperate attempts to locate a priceless collection of Chinese art lead to a chain of terrible betrayals. Ten years later, Claire Pendleton comes to Hong Kong and meets the enigmatic Will. As long-buried secrets start to emerge and she begins to understand the true nature of the world she has entered, Claire learns that sometimes the price of survival is love.

My Thoughts 

I'm torn about this book. On the one hand I really, really liked Will's story. Once it got started it completely sucked me in. This part of the book is what I was hoping for from Heart of Lies. The characters were so real and their lives often so unexpectedly (to them) tragic that I did not want to stop listening. On the other hand, Claire's story, though somewhat interesting, seemed superfluous. It was merely a vehicle to bring out Will's story, and in my opinion Will's story could easily stand on it's own.

So, overall a really good book BUT you have to wade through Claire's story off and on to get there.

Dueling Monsters Kickoff: Go Dr. Moreau!

And so begins the Duel!

If you are joining in on the side of Dr. Moreau (or are at least giving him a chance) let me know in the comments.

The read-a-long starts today and you can post your review any time this month. On Oct. 15th I'll put up a call for reviews - post your link in the comments there whenever you get your review up.

And if you want to be a traitor and side with Jill and Cthuhlu (boo! hiss!) you can sign up at her blog today.

Go Moreau!

Love Times Three

Love Times Three:

Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage

by Joe, Alina, Vicki, and Valerie Darger with Brooke Adams

audiobook: 9.25 hours

narrated by Jamie Lurie, Eliza Foss, Kathleen McInerney, and Karla Kendrick

About the Book

Joe is Independent Fundamentalist Mormon and he has three wives. Together they wrote this book to help counteract the often incorrect assumptions about their culture and way of life.  Told through four perspectives, the book gives a look at the reasons behind their decision to live a polygamous marriage and the challenges and blessings that are part of their everyday lives.

Why I Read It

I was a huge fan of the HBO series Big Love and am fascinated by people who can make polygamous marriage work. This book sounds like a realistic look at a successful family; I wanted to see how they do it.

My Thoughts

One of the first things that caught my attention was the fact that this family was part of the basis for the HBO series Big Love; series creators pulled lots of details from a magazine article that profiled the Darger family anonymously. Apparently the show included quite a few situations that were taken directly from the Darger's life. Of course there were lots of other situations that were purely created for the show (and Joe was quick to point those out).

Another interesting part of the book for me was the actual relationship between Joe's wives. Alina and Vicki were cousins who both became interested in the same man. Knowing that they wanted to be part of a plural marriage they decided to pursue Joe as a pair. About ten years later, after the collapse of her own plural marriage, Vicki's twin sister Valerie became Joe's third wife. An usual situation in so many ways.

The "everyday" part of the book was the most fascinating to me, dealing with sister wives and loads of children and sharing a husband. And of course there were the logistical challenges of a family with 24 children (5 in diapers!). Since I have just one child this was the craziest part of the book for me - I can't imagine dealing with a family that large, let alone sharing my husband with other wives.

This book was a quick and easy listen. It gave me a lot of insight into a culture, religion, and lifestyle that I am not all that familiar with.  I found it well written and well narrated, and definitely worth listening to.

The Hum and the Shiver (and giveaway)

The Hum and the Shiver

by Alex Bledsoe

352 pages

About the Book

from the author's website:

No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the mountains of East Tennessee. When the first Europeans came to the Smoky Mountains, the Tufa were already there. Dark-haired and enigmatic, they live quietly in the hills and valleys of Cloud County, their origins lost to history. But there are clues in their music, hidden in the songs they have passed down for generations…. 

Private Bronwyn Hyatt, a true daughter of the Tufa, has returned from Iraq wounded in body and spirit. But her troubles are far from over. Cryptic omens warn of impending tragedy, while a restless “haint” has followed her home from the war. Worse yet, Bronwyn has lost touch with herself and with the music that was once a part of her. With death stalking her family, will she ever again join in the song of her people, and let it lift her onto the night winds?

Why I Read It

Come on now, didn't that summary intrigue you in the least?! It completely captured my attention and I immediately agreed to be part of the PR by the Book book tour.

My Thoughts

Once I got halfway through this book I COULD NOT put it down - I stayed up until 2am on a weeknight because I simply HAD to know how everything would turn out. If that isn't a great recommendation then I don't know what is!

But seriously, this is a fantastic book. Take a wounded female Iraqi War veteran, toss her into a music-filled mountain culture, and throw in a bit of old-world mystery and magic and you get a wonderfully original story.  The poor girl finally makes it home after being shot and partially blown up only to have her mother tell her that a ghost has been hanging around waiting to give her a message. Say what?!?! This mix of modern and magic may make you think of Urban Fantasy but the book is anything but Urban and it doesn't fit with my idea of UF. Not sure what exactly I would call it, but it's good!

The Tufa people were created by the author but  based on a real group of people whose origins are unknown. You can read about it on his website if you are interested. The fact that the idea for the Tufa came from real people made me love this book even more - the world, though magical, seemed all the more possible.

This book is meant to be the first in a series about the Tufa. I'm excited about that because I definitely want to get to know these characters better. That said, for those who don't want to be sucked into a series, this book also works as a stand alone novel. Although there is an overarching storyline that will continue into the next book, the plot of this book comes to a satisfying conclusion by the end; no cliffhangers to torment you until the release of the next book (I'm thinking of you, Maggie Steifvater!).

I hope many of you will give this unusual book a shot - I'm thinking it may be one of my top reads this year!

Giveaway 

Thanks to PR by the Book I have one copy of this fantastic novel to give away.

The Rules:
- This giveaway is open to the US/Canada.
- To enter leave a comment on this post.
- If your email address is not easily accessible via your blog, please include your email in your comment.
- A winner will be chosen randomly on Oct. 11 and will be contacted by email.
- The winner must reply to my email within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Thanks and good luck! I hope that the winner enjoys this book as much as I did!

to my NOVA blogger buddies ...

For all my Northern Virginia blogger buddies, I don't know if any of you are interested but Kiddo's ice hockey team plays in your area several times this season (in one of the 36 games between now and February).  I, of course, would love to meet up with other bloggers, and Kiddo, of course, would love more people cheering for his team at away games. :)

He'll be playing in the following cities:

• Ashburn
• Reston
• Ft. Dupont
• Charlottesville

If you are interested in coming to a game, let me know and I'll get you all the details. And if you are in MD/DC area, he'll also be playing in these cities:

• Frederick
• Hagerstown
• Laurel
• Chevy Chase
• Rockville

Man, I'm going to be exhausted after this season, not to mention the mileage I'll be putting on my car. :)

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

by Helen Simonson

audiobook: 13 hours

narrated by Peter Artschuler

From my library's website:

You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart. The Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?

My Thoughts

At first this book bored me. I got through one or two discs and almost gave up. I didn't like the Major - he was opinionated and stuffy - and nothing else about the story captured my attention. But then. I don't know exactly what it was that happened but something caught me and I fell headlong into this story. Turns out that I really did like the Major after all, in spite of his flaws, and I was rooting for him to overcome his own prejudices and those of his neighbors. But then. Say what?! Things at Mrs. Ali's house went a bit batty to say the least. And in my opinion the bit of violence that occurred only served to reinforce stereotypes about Muslims. (Did anyone feel that way? I'm talking about what the aunt did ...) But then. I got into the story again and was rooting for the Major and Mrs. Ali.

And it bugs me that the book brought up a very important issue then simply brushed it aside: can a mixed religion marriage really work? The Major's minister brings this up in conversation at one point. He complains that parishioners come to him asking for his blessing on their marriage to someone of a completely different religion and they are hurt when he questions their decision. The minister wants to know if he is supposed to deny what he believes to be true, or if the couple is each going to deny what they believe in order to be happy together. The conversation ends there and the end of the book doesn't give any better of an ending to the discussion in my opinion. I mean, if people are nominally religious and marry outside their faith, that shouldn't end up being an issue in the marriage. But if people are true followers of their religion then the fact that their spouse believes something totally different will cause huge issues, even if those issues are never openly discussed. (Am I alone in thinking this?!)

So on the whole I did enjoy this book but it also had some flaws. I'm glad I kept listening to it as I really enjoyed parts of it, but at the same time the ending - though I thought it fit the story and was beautifully done - will continue to bug me for reasons mentioned above.

Doc (the latest by Mary Doria Russell)

Doc

by Mary Doria Russell

416 pages

About The Book

Using the best historical documentation available, Mary Doria Russell brings to life John Henry Holliday, the man behind the overblown myth of Wild West gunslinger Doc Holliday.  From his childhood in antebellum Georgia and his dental education in the North through his diagnosis of tuberculosis and his move West, the reader learns about the real John - the talented dentist who above all things loved his mother. If you think you know Doc, you've got another thing coming!

Why I Read It

First off, it's by Mary Doria Russell. I would read a GROCERY LIST if that woman wrote it! Seriously, she is the author of some of the best books I've ever read: The Sparrow, Children of God, A Thread of Grace.

Second, it's Doc Holliday! Who doesn't love Doc Holliday?! Especially when played by Val Kilmer in Tombstone:



My Thoughts

This book was not exactly what I expected but once I got past that I really and truly loved it. I thought I'd see Doc's adventures in Tombstone told from a new perspective; when the book ended prior to that I was a bit shocked. So just know up front that the OK Corral and the whole Tombstone story aren't included, and you'll be fine.

Otherwise, LOVED this book. As always, Russell's writing is gorgeous and she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. She doesn't just tell Doc's story in straight narrative format. Rather she adds in asides from time to time that touch on later events or the myths that grew up about them. Imagine someone telling you a story and occasionally interrupting himself to throw in a related bit of info - it's like that. I found it fascinating, and it didn't pull me out of the story in any way.

One of the things that always troubles me about historical fiction is this: how much of the story is true? Russell addresses that in the front of the book with an extensive character list and in the back with a detailed authors note (which I read before starting the actual book). The character list shows actual historical figures in regular print and any fictional characters in italics; very few characters are italicized. The author's note explains what liberties Russell took with the story and where she stayed with historical fact. Basically what she did was create a fictional character who knew Doc and the Earps and she killed that character off. The investigation into his death allows Russell to bring in real historical figures and events and show who Doc really was.

As I said, I really and truly loved this book. I recently expressed disappointment in another book dealing with the Earps and Doc Holliday - comparing that one to this book shows what a brilliant author like Russell can really do.

Oh, and I definitely heard Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday in my head as I read this book - what a treat!

Your Thoughts

Are there any authors who are to you like Mary Doria Russell is to me?

Wherever You Go

Wherever You Go

by Joan Leegant

253 pages

About the Book

Yona, Mark, and Aaron don't know each other but their lives will soon intersect in a very dramatic way. Yona is in Israel to try to heal the broken relationship with her sister and put her own life back together in the process. Mark is returning home to Israel to teach a college course while reevaluating his religious beliefs. Aaron is adrift in Israel after his plans fall apart, but he finds purpose in life when he joins a group of settlers building a new community. An act of terrorism and the resulting explosion will affect these three very different people and turn each of their lives in a new direction.

Why I Read It

The author pitched this book to me and I was intrigued by the summary. The topic and setting were out of my normal reading habits yet they captured my attention.

My Thoughts

I loved this book! It was one of those where I wanted to read it non-stop until the end, but since I couldn't do that I had to sneak in a few pages whenever possible. So, so good!

Each of the three main characters, Yona, Mark, and Aaron, felt to me like real people. Their personalities, actions, and motivations all made sense. Their relationships (most of which were broken in some way) also felt real - a parent's disappointment in an adult child for choosing a different life, a sister's anger over a personal betrayal, a son's opinions forced aside by an overbearing parent, and so many, many others.

I could understand how each character got to his/her place in life, and each subsequent action made sense based on that character. This is important to me - I really don't like it when a character behaves in a way that doesn't make sense with what I know about him/her.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this book. I really, really loved it and will be lending my copy to some local friends very soon.

A Side Note

In reading other reviews of this book I saw that Ryan @ Wordsmithonia has an issue with the portrayal of one of the secondary characters. I kept this in mind while reading as I wanted to see if I had the same reaction. I didn't. I see Ryan's point, but in my mind this particular character was not completely stable (not sure if he was mentally ill or not, but something was definitely not right with him) and his actions were a manifestation of that.

Dueling Monsters 2011: H.G. Wells vs. H.P. Lovecraft

It's that time of year again,

time for Dueling Monsters! 

In this third year of our reading challenge, Fizzy Thoughts and I are delving into some early science fiction/horror stories as we pit H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau against H.P. Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu.

Fizzy Thoughts will host the Cthulhu side and I'll host the Dr. Moreau side. The challenge officially begins on October 1, and you'll see posts at each of our blogs that day announcing the kick-off.  You can choose to read one or both of the books - whatever works for you. 

Sometime during October you will post your review of your chosen book(s) on your blog and provide us with the link (we'll each have a post on our blog for that specific purpose). On Halloween Day, October 31, I'll recap all the Dr. Moreau posts on my blog and Fizzy Thoughts will recap all the Cthulhu posts on her blog.

You don't have to officially sign up now, just start thinking about it. If you do decide to join us feel free to grab a button or two or three. 

I'm looking forward to this duel and I hope you are too!

BEA Book Review: The Beekeeper's Lament

The Beekeeper's Lament

by Hannah Nordaus

288 pages

About the Book

The subtitle of this book is "How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America" and that is really what the book is about. The author profiles one of the largest (and most interesting!) beekeepers in the US and shows how vitally important bees are to each and every one of us. She also presents the myriad problems facing beekeepers and their bees in today's world.

Why I Read It

This book was in the swag bag I received at the Harper Collins cocktail party at BEA earlier this year. The title and the cover intrigued me so I was excited to bring it home with me.

My Thoughts

I LOVED this book! Who knew bees (and their keepers) could be so fascinating?! And I honestly had NO CLUE about the massive numbers of bees being moved around the United States in order to pollinate all the farms that stock all the stores across the country.

I was marking pages left and right as I read this book. Here are some of the tidbits that fascinated me:

• About 20 years ago a bee disease killed off almost all of the feral bees in the US - today there is approx 2% of the pre-1987 feral bee population, and those 2% are likely escapees from beekeepers' hives.
• Due to various diseases in the current bee population, the Western honey bee would not survive without the intervention of beekeepers.
• Most farms and orchards WILL NOT produce crops if they don't contract with beekeepers to pollinate their fields/trees. The country's mono-crop landscape cannot support wild pollinators, even if there were enough in the local area to do all the pollinating. And the addition of pesticides makes this an even larger problem.
• Did you know that, by US Postal Code, the Postal Service is required to deliver live bees by mail? Fascinating!

If you have any interest in agriculture, insects, quirky people, strange businesses, or little-known topics, you should definitely give this book a try. It is well-written and fascinating non-fiction and I highly recommend it.