Olive Kitteridge - Reread

 

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Fiction

2008

Finished on March 22, 2025

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.

As the townspeople grapple with their own problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition—its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

It's been a little over a decade since I read Olive Kitteridge, so my second time felt almost like reading a new book. Over the years, I had forgotten a lot of the details of the stories in which Olive is not the main focus, but the overall premise of the book was etched in my mind after watching the miniseries (starring Frances McDormand). The bleak vignettes, and Olive's unlikeable character, make for a melancholic read, but I grew to like Olive and was left with a sense of hope as I read the final pages.

My earlier review of Olive Kitteridge can be found here. I gave the book a slightly higher rating in 2014, but not by much.

Looking Back - South of Reason

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

South of Reason by Cindy Eppes

Fiction

2002

Finished on March 10, 2002

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Everybody wondered why the Sanders family had come back to Rosalita, Texas, and moved in next door to Lou Jean Perry. It was apparently the absolute last place they should want to be, though thirteen-year-old Kayla Sanders had no idea why. As the summer heat intensified, Kayla's brittle mother's motives for moving next to bright-spirited Lou Jean would become clear, but not before Kayla discovers that passion listens not to the mind's reason but to the heart's demands. Writing with poignant intensity, Cindy Eppes draws on her Southern roots in a coming-of-age story told by a narrator straight out of Eudora Welty, yet indelibly stamped with a distinctive, contemporary style.

My Original Thoughts (2002):

Complex. Rich in detail. Mystery of sorts. Set in 1968. For those who like coming-of-age stories. Fans of The Secret Life of Bees will enjoy this one.

My Current Thoughts:

Try as I might, I can't remember a thing about this book!

Beyond That, the Sea

 

Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash

Fiction

2023

Finished on March 12, 2025

Rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent)

Publisher's Blurb:

A sweeping, tenderhearted love story, Beyond That, the Sea follows two families living on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the young woman who will call them both her own.

As German bombs fall over London in 1940, working-class parents Millie and Reginald Thompson make an impossible choice: they decide to send their eleven-year-old daughter, Beatrix, to America, where they hope she’ll stay safe.

Scared and angry, Bea arrives in Boston to meet the Gregorys, who fold her into their world. She adjusts to their affluent lifestyle and grows close to both Gregory boys, one older and one younger, filling in the gap between them. Before long, before she even realizes it, life in America feels more natural to her than her quiet, spare world back in England.

As Bea comes into herself and relaxes into summers on the coast in Maine, the girl she had been begins to fade away, until, abruptly, she is called home to London when the war ends.

Desperate as she is not to leave the Gregorys behind, Bea dutifully retraces her trip across the Atlantic. As she returns to post-war London, the memory of her American family stays with her, never fully letting her go as she tries to move on, pursuing love and a life of her own.

As we follow Bea over time, navigating between her two worlds, Beyond That, the Sea emerges as a beautifully written, absorbing novel, full of grace and heartache, forgiveness and understanding, loss and love.

I loved this book! I've read dozens of novels set during World War II, but Laura Spence-Ash's debut is the first I've read about a British child taking refuge with a family in America. Told from eight perspectives, readers are privy to the inner thoughts and emotions of each main character. Usually, this many POVs would be clumsy and confusing, but the author's use of short, alternating chapters keeps the story flowing smoothly. Even with the short chapters, I was quickly drawn into the lives of each character, all of whom are fully drawn and believable. The linear narrative also aides in the seamlessly woven story of both families, spanning nearly forty years (1940-1977). 

I can't begin to imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for parents to send their young children off to either the countryside or to another country during the Blitz.

That is what's worrying Millie. How small life would seem when Beatrix got back. There would be no fancy parties or baseball game outings or trips to the symphony. She's happy, of course, that she seems so well cared for. She seems to have a nice group of friends. But that will make the return more difficult. She will no longer be a little girl. She no longer is a little girl. They sent her away so she could have a childhood. They hadn't realized, though, that their decision meant that her childhood would, instead, be taken away from them. Millie feels as though something has been stolen from her, never to be returned.

This novel would have been a 5-star read had there been more tension, and had the conclusion not been so predictable. I also dislike the author's dialogue format. Instead of a new paragraph for each person speaking, she embeds the conversation within a paragraph, often several sentences in length. Additionally, the words are in italics rather than quotations marks. There were times when it was hard for me to distinguish who was speaking. These quibbles aside, this is an excellent novel and one I look forward to reading again. I'm also eager to see what Laura Spence-Ash has to offer next. And I'd love to find more books (fiction or nonfiction) about the evacuation of British children during World War II.

I echo Alice Elliott Dark's sentiments:

"I was utterly captivated by this beautiful story from the first page to the last. The characters are so real, their feelings so well portrayed that I had to keep reminding myself that I don’t actually know them. But I do! And I will return to the book to experience the well-wrought details of these lives again. This is a new favorite novel, and I can only hope Laura Spence-Ash has more coming soon." Alice Elliott Dark, Author of Fellowship Point and In the Gloaming

More or Less Maddy

 

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova

Fiction

2025

Finished on March 6, 2025

Rating: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

With her signature “deep empathy and insight” (Booklist), Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova has crafted another profoundly moving novel that makes complicated mental health issues accessible and human. More or Less Maddy is destined to become another classic like Still Alice.

Apart from Remember, I have read all of Lisa Genova's books, beginning with her brilliant debut novel, Still Alice. I have great respect for Genova's ability to put a face on numerous neurological conditions, entertaining while educating her readers with each unique story. In More or Less Maddy, the author's empathetic portrayal of a young woman with bipolar disorder is a tough read. Maddy is not a likeable character, but I came to sympathize with her once I understood that she wasn't making poor choices because she's an irresponsible college freshman, but rather that she was struggling to accept her mental health issue. After several setbacks, and with the support of her family, Maddy is able to fulfill her dream to become a stand-up comic, and Genova leaves her readers with a hopeful conclusion. 

I enjoyed More or Less Maddy, but it isn't one of my favorites by Lisa Genova. The storyline is uneven, often repetitive, and the comedy shows (and Taylor Swift obsession) held no appeal for me. Would it have been more enjoyable if Maddy had a different career path, and an obsession for an actor or musician whom I admire? Perhaps. But I'm glad I read the book if only to have a deeper understanding of those dealing with bipolar disorder, including their families and friends.

An estimated forty-six million people worldwide have bipolar disorder. Almost seven million people are diagnosed with bipolar in the US, slightly more than the number diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and this is a much younger crowd, with onset typically occurring in the late teens and early twenties. Bipolar disorder is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide, and the tenth leading cause of death in the US. (Lisa Genova)

Recommend.

Link to my reviews of Lisa Genova's books:

Still Alice (5/5) - Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

Left Neglected (5/5) - Hemispatial Neglect, aka Left Neglect Syndrome

Love Anthony (4.75/5) - Autism

Inside the O'Briens (4.75/5) - Huntington's Disease

Every Note Played (4/5) - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Boundary Waters

 

Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger

Cork O'Connor #2

Mystery

2010

Narrated by David Chandler

Finished on March 6, 2025

Rating: 2/5 (OK)

Publisher's Blurb:

The Quetico-Superior Wilderness: more than two million acres of forest, white-water rapids, and uncharted islands on the Canadian-American border. Somewhere in the heart of this unforgiving territory, a young woman named Shiloh -- a country-western singer at the height of her fame -- has disappeared.

Her father arrives in Aurora, Minnesota, to hire former sheriff Cork O'Connor to find his daughter, and Cork joins a search party that includes an ex-con, two FBI agents, and a ten-year-old boy. Others are on her trail as well -- men hired not just to find her, but to kill her. 

As the expedition ventures deeper into the wilderness, strangers descend on Aurora, threatening to spill blood on the town's snowy streets. Meanwhile, out on the Boundary Waters, winter falls hard. Cork's team of searchers loses contact with civilization, and like the brutal winds of a Minnesota blizzard, death -- violent and sudden -- stalks them.

Meh. 

I enjoy having a series to read over the course of a year or two, and once I got caught up on Susan Hill and Deborah Crombie's mysteries, I thought it would be nice to give William Kent Krueger's books a try. I re-read Iron Lake to refresh my memory of the cast of characters, as well as Cork's backstory, and enjoyed it quite well. I began reading Boundary Waters, but struggled to stay engaged, so I switched to the audiobook. Unfortunately, I didn't care for the reader, and my interest continued to wane, but I stuck with it to the end. I'm not sure what it was about this particular mystery that failed to entertain me, but I'm not compelled to move on to #3 (Purgatory Ridge). I have two more recent releases in the series on my shelf, and since I've learned over the years that the later installments in a mystery series tend to be better, I may give them a try. We'll see.

A Month in Summary - February 2025

Little Whale Cove

Depoe Bay, Oregon

February 2025

So how is everyone? Spring is just around the corner and while many dislike Daylight Savings Time, I am looking forward to longer days, if only to get outside for a second walk after dinner. We are beginning to have warmer temps, and hopefully the nasty wind and rain that we had last week (we lost power for a few hours) is now behind us.

In an effort to keep my sanity, yet remain informed, I'm cutting back on my social media feeds, only glancing at headlines and trying not to dive too deeply into Substack articles. I do still follow a couple of medical writers since I don't trust the media to keep us informed about any potential health issues, but other than that, Instagram and Facebook are not going to drain my mental health. More reading. More walking. More jigsaw puzzles. Maybe even more baking, which will make my husband and mother very happy. :)

I had a very good month of reading, although I didn't get much read in the way of audiobooks. My concentration was lacking, I listened to NPR too much, and the rainy weather kept me from walking outside. We'll see how it goes in March. But I read an outstanding novel for book club and can't wait to discuss it. It's one that I'd love to listen to on audio for a second reading. 

Books Read (click on the title for my review):

 

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger (4/5)

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz (4/5)

The Stolen Child by Ann Hood (3/5)

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (5/5)

Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout (3.5/5)

The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell (4/5)

Movies & TV Series:

Maigret - "This [2016] crime drama is based on Georges Simenon's world-renowned fictional French detective Jules Maigret. Rowan Atkinson plays the legendary detective who features in 75 books written by Simenon." We loved this series!

Moonflower Murders - "... an adaptation of the 2020 mystery novel of the same name by British author Anthony Horowitz and the second novel in the Susan Ryeland series." We enjoyed watching The Magpie Murders series, but this one fell short of our expectations.

Deadwind (Season 3) - Meh. Dark, depressing, and probably one we won't remember in another week or so. 

McDonald & Dodds (Season 3) - We enjoy this lighter mystery series and plan to watch the next season later in the month.

The Bear (Season 3) - Definitely not as good as the previous seasons, but I'll tune in for the fourth season. Gotta see what happens! 

Puzzlemania:

Getting back to the occasional puzzle to ease my anxious mind!

Family:

My beautiful Auntie Sue passed away after a tough fight with cancer on February 17th. She was my dad's younger sister, and after moving to Oregon, Rod and I were fortunate enough to travel down to Santa Rosa on numerous occasions to spend time with both Sue and her husband Rob. Sue was such a smart, funny, kind-hearted woman and we will miss her beyond measure.

The Distance Between Us

 

The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell

Fiction

2004

Finished on February 26, 2025

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Gripping, insightful, and deft, The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell is a haunting story of the way our families shape our lives, from the award-winning author of Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait.

On a cold February afternoon, Stella catches sight of a man she hasn't seen for many years, but instantly recognises. Or thinks she does. At the same moment on the other side of the globe, in the middle of a crowd of Chinese New Year revellers, Jake realises that things are becoming dangerous.

They know nothing of one another's existence, but both Stella and Jake flee their lives: Jake in search of a place so remote it doesn't appear on any map, and Stella for a destination in Scotland, the significance of which only her sister, Nina, will understand.

Once again, Maggie O'Farrell has held me enthralled with yet another creative, if not topsy-turvy novel about the ties that bind one's family and how we never really escape our pasts. As with her other books (except for Hamnet), O'Farrell's structure is non-linear and she employs multiple POVs, juggling all narratives with great skill. Having read her debut novel (After You'd Gone) last month, I was prepared for this format and didn't find The Distance Between Us difficult to follow, enjoying it better than that earlier novel. I'm excited to read The Hand That First Held Mine, which is next in line for my "Year of Reading Maggie O'Farrell" challenge. 

Abide with Me

 

Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout

Fiction

2006

Finished on February 21, 2025

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

In her luminous and long-awaited new novel, bestselling author Elizabeth Strout welcomes readers back to the archetypal, lovely landscape of northern New England, where the events of her first novel, Amy and Isabelle, unfolded. In the late 1950s, in the small town of West Annett, Maine, a minister struggles to regain his calling, his family, and his happiness in the wake of profound loss. At the same time, the community he has served so charismatically must come to terms with its own strengths and failings–faith and hypocrisy, loyalty and abandonment–when a dark secret is revealed.

Tyler Caskey has come to love West Annett, “just up the road” from where he was born. The short, brilliant summers and the sharp, piercing winters fill him with awe–as does his congregation, full of good people who seek his guidance and listen earnestly as he preaches. But after suffering a terrible loss, Tyler finds it hard to return to himself as he once was. He hasn’t had The Feeling–that God is all around him, in the beauty of the world–for quite some time. He struggles to find the right words in his sermons and in his conversations with those facing crises of their own, and to bring his five-year-old daughter, Katherine, out of the silence she has observed in the wake of the family’s tragedy.

A congregation that had once been patient and kind during Tyler’s grief now questions his leadership and propriety. In the kitchens, classrooms, offices, and stores of the village, anger and gossip have started to swirl. And in Tyler’s darkest hour, a startling discovery will test his congregation’s humanity–and his own will to endure the kinds of trials that sooner or later test us all.

In prose incandescent and artful, Elizabeth Strout draws readers into the details of ordinary life in a way that makes it extraordinary. All is considered–life, love, God, and community–within these pages, and all is made new by this writer’s boundless compassion and graceful prose.

Over the years, I've read several of Elizabeth Strout's novels, but somehow missed this one when it came out nearly two decades ago. In an effort to read through Strout's books in order of publication, I was eager to get this one at the library, going in cold, ignoring the publisher's blurb, as is my habit. As I've learned from reading more recent works by Strout, her characters lean toward the eccentric and outspoken, and Abide with Me is no different, full of colorful (and not always likeable) characters. This quiet story is beautifully rendered, but it's as bleak as its winter setting. I was tempted to stop halfway through as I read more and more about the unkind, gossipy community, but continued, anxious for little Katherine, as well as her father. The ending was satisfactory, but getting there was rough going. Unless you share my determination to read all Strout's works, I would say this is one to skip. Having said that, Abide with Me would make for a good book group selection as there is plenty to discuss.

All the Colors of the Dark

 

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Fiction

2024

Finished on February 17, 2025

Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding)

Publisher's Blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that spans decades.

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.

When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.

Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, All the Colors of the Dark is about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.

Brilliant novel! I couldn't read this one fast enough, but didn't want it to end, even after being close to 600 pages in length. The short chapters make for a propulsive reading experience, and the last 100 pages intensified the pace, revealing multiple twists and surprises that made it easy for me to continue reading well past midnight. 

I read and loved We Begin at the End, and Whitaker's new novel is as good, if not better! I'm tempted to read it again (maybe on audio, which I hear is outstanding) to see how it unfolds now that I know all the secrets, none of which I once suspected. Not only is this a great coming-of-age novel and a thrilling mystery, but the writing is beyond measure. I love the author's use of language, pausing to re-read his lyrical passages, envisioning the scenes and characters he so deftly creates with his imagery. (His acknowledgments are also a joy to read.) Patch and Saint, as well as Norma, Chief Nix, and Sammy are so well rendered, and they all worked their way into my heart. I do love a feisty, young protagonist like Saint!

Chris Whitaker is a masterful storyteller, and the intricate layers of this tale are superbly conveyed. Highly recommend, entirely and absolutely!

The Stolen Child

 

The Stolen Child by Ann Hood

Fiction

2024

Finished on February 10, 2025

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

For decades, Nick Burns has been haunted by a decision he made as a young soldier in World War I, when a French artist he’d befriended thrust both her paintings and her baby into his hands—and disappeared. In 1974, with only months left to live, Nick enlists Jenny, a college dropout desperate for adventure, to help him unravel the mystery. The journey leads them from Paris galleries and provincial towns to a surprising place: the Museum of Tears, the life’s work of a lonely Italian craftsman. Determined to find the baby and the artist, hopeless romantic Jenny and curmudgeonly Nick must reckon with regret, betrayal, and the lives they’ve left behind.

With characteristic warmth and verve, Ann Hood captures a world of possibility and romance through the eyes of a young woman learning to claim her place in it. The Stolen Child is an engaging, timeless novel of secrets, love lost and found, and the nature of forgiveness.

Having read several books (both fiction and nonfiction) by Ann Hood, I was happy to see a copy of her most recent publication on the new release shelf at my public library. The cover art is lovely, the historical references to World War I intriguing, and the setting (both in France and Italy) enticing, so I didn't hesitate to bring it home with me. I wish I could say that this is a great novel, but it lacked the depth and literary quality that I was hoping for. I struggled with the three nonlinear timelines (which at times were abrupt, pulling me out of the story), and grew impatient with the drawn-out search by Jenny and Nick. The rich details of both France and Italy kept me from giving up on the novel, but I'm guilty of looking ahead to see how many pages remained before I could start something new. 

I loved Hood's Morningstar: Growing Up with Books (memoir), as well as Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food (another memoir). The Book That Matters Most and The Knitting Circle are two of her novels that I also enjoyed a lot. The Stolen Child isn't one I need to own or will read again, but for those who are looking for a lighter read during these stressful times, this book may be just the ticket.

The Sequel

 

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

The Book Series #2

Mystery/Thriller

2024

Finished on February 7, 2025

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

(Spoiler Alert - Don't read this publisher's blurb if you haven't read The Plot)

Anna Williams-Bonner has taken care of business. That is to say, she’s taken care of her husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, and laid to rest those anonymous accusations of plagiarism that so tormented him. Now she is living the contented life of a literary widow, enjoying her husband’s royalty checks in perpetuity, but for the second time in her life, a work of fiction intercedes, and this time it’s her own debut novel, The Afterword. After all, how hard can it really be to write a universally lauded bestseller?

But when Anna publishes her book and indulges in her own literary acclaim, she begins to receive excerpts of a novel she never expected to see again, a novel that should no longer exist. Something has gone very wrong, and someone out there knows far too much: about her late brother, her late husband, and just possibly... Anna, herself. What does this person want and what are they prepared to do? She has come too far, and worked too hard, to lose what she values most: the sole and uncontested right to her own story. And she is, by any standard, a master storyteller.

With her signature wit and sardonic humor, Jean Hanff Korelitz gives readers an antihero to root for while illuminating and satirizing the world of publishing in this deliciously fun and suspenseful read.

I don't have any trips planned that involve flying, but if I did The Sequel would be the perfect book to read while confined inside an airplane. I was immediately drawn into this sequel to Jean Hanff Korelitz's previous book, The Plot, and the pages practically turned themselves. I only wish that I had read both books back-to-back. While Korelitz provides details to the backstory of her original work, I had to stop and think about that timeline and the details in that novel as I worked to untangle Anna's meticulously woven web of deceit and guile. Korelitz kept me guessing, taking me down multiple paths that I was certain would lead to the big reveal (I even grew suspicious of Anna's editor!). The ending is well-executed; no plot holes in this one! If pressed, I'd have to say that I enjoyed The Plot a tad bit more than The Sequel, but they are both very entertaining (and would make a great TV series).

Fun feature: Korelitz cleverly assigns the title of a real sequel to each chapter. 

The Sequel is most assuredly not a stand-alone. Highly recommend after you have read The Plot. 

Iron Lake

 

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

Cork O'Connor #1

Mystery

1998

Finished on February 3, 2025

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota (population 3,752). Embittered over losing his job as a cop and over the marital meltdown that has separated him from his wife and children, Cork gets by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago's South Side, there's not much that can shock him. But when a powerful local politician is brutally murdered the same night a young Indian boy goes missing, Cork takes on a harrowing case of corruption, conspiracy, and scandal.

As a blizzard buries Aurora and an old medicine man warns of the arrival of a blood-thirsty mythic beast called the Windigo, Cork must dig for answers hard and fast before more people, among them those he loves, will die.

It was 2014 when I read my first book by William Kent Krueger. Ordinary Grace came highly recommended by a coworker and as luck would have it, the author came to our Barnes & Noble for a book talk and signing.

Yes, I had my own endcap for many years.

I loved Krueger's stand-alone novel Ordinary Grace (you can read my review here) and quickly went on to read Iron Lake (reviewed here), the first in his Cork O'Connor series. I've since read This Tender Land and The River We Remember, but have not yet returned to his mystery series. With two of his most recent installments (Lightning Strike and Fox Creek) on my shelves, I decided it was finally time to spend the next couple of years catching up on the series.

Just as the first time I read it, Iron Lake took me several chapters before I stopped questioning my decision to read it again. By the halfway mark, I was invested in the story, and as the final chapters drew near, I couldn't stop reading, the story was so intense! I stayed up far too late, but it was a good distraction from the current news coming out of Washington, DC. I'd forgotten most of the plot, but remembered one key event, so I wasn't nearly as shocked as I was when I read the book in 2014. I'm excited to get a copy of Boundary Waters and return to Cork and the Minnesota wilderness, but I'm also tempted to re-read Ordinary Grace.

A Month in Summary - January 2025

Little Whale Cove

Depoe Bay, Oregon

January 2025

What a month. All I can say (and it sounds terribly weak and trivial) is thank goodness for the beauty of nature and books. As much as I try to stay informed, there is only so much that I can take of the current news. For many, life hasn't changed much since January 20th, but for so many others, this country is unrecognizable and a scary place to live. My heart goes out to those who are living in fear, have lost their jobs (or homes), and to those who are worried about how they will survive in this cruel new place we call The United States. 

When life gets difficult, I'm so thankful for my books. I had an exceptionally good month of reading and am excited to continue my personal challenge to read all of Maggie O'Farrell and Elizabeth Strout's books this year. I'm also reading C.J. Box and William Kent Kreuger's mystery series. I'm also focusing on the books in my stacks, but wound up with quite a few that I found at the library. Definitely want to keep supporting my local library!

Books Read (click on the title for my review):

The Guest Book by Sarah Blake (5/5)

Open Season by C.J. Box (4/5)

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten (4/5) 

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (4.5/5) - reread for book club

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths (4/5)

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell (4/5)

Naked Prey by John Sandford (4.5/5)

Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout (4.5/5) - reread

James by Percival Everett (4/5)

Movies & TV Series:

 

Shrinking (Season 2) - I was so sad when I reached the end of this season. The Thanksgiving episode really tugged at my heartstrings.

Bad Sisters (Season 2) - Bravo! I loved this show. The second season was just as good as the first. I laughed out loud a lot!

The Diplomat (Season 2) - Wow! What a great show. The last episode is quite a cliffhanger. I hope it isn't too long before Season 3 is released.

This Is Us (Season 6) - Finally got back to this show. Yes, it's sappy but I still enjoyed it. It's probably the most non-linear show in history! The Alzheimer's storyline was hard to watch.

In other news, I've become addicted to watching All About Birds' live cam in Ontario, Canada. I started watching the Cornell Lab cam, but switched to Canada's since I'm curious about the bird activity in their colder temps. 

In life married to an author, my husband had a wonderful book talk at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria (Oregon) last week. It's a marvelous facility with an outstanding staff. We were very pleased with the turnout; there were close to 60 attendees, so lots of great questions after Rod's presentation. Next stop, Third Place Books in Seattle (Lake Forest Park location) on March 31st. If you live in the area, we'd love to see you!

  

Update: I composed this post before the horrific news of the DC plane and helicopter crash on Thursday. My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost souls. Take care of yourselves, friends.

James

 

James by Percival Everett

Fiction

2024

Finished on January 28, 2025

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and ferociously funny—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.

When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature.

I can't remember if I have read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or for that matter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) or if the story is familiar from seeing illustrations and reading snippets about the book over the years. There are certainly several film versions, but none that I recognize that spark a memory of having seen them. My book group voted to read James, and I was eager to get a copy since I've heard nothing but rave reviews about Percival Everett's award-winning novel. I enjoyed the story, which is very readable and moves quickly, but it fell short of my expectations, perhaps due to the hype since its publication. Everett's powerful re-telling of Mark Twain's classic is impressive and enlightening, particularly that of Jim's "slave talk" which is used in the presence of white people. Jim gives language lessons in order for others to live safely in a racist world.

“But what are you going to say when she asks you about it?” I asked.

Lizzie cleared her throat. “Miss Watson, dat some cone-bread lak I neva before et.”

“Try ‘dat be,’” I said. “That would be the correct incorrect grammar.”

and

“White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them,” I said. “The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us. Perhaps I should say ‘when they don’t feel superior.’”

I'm looking forward to the book discussion, curious to hear if others feel more enthusiastic about the novel than I.