The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

 
I picked this one up for the RIP challenge, as I've heard it compared to books like Shadow of the Wind and The Book of Lost Things. I'm pretty sure I'm the last blogger to read this book, so I'm not going to do much recap. This has been called a book for book lovers as our narrator, Margaret Lea, is the operator of a bookshop and longtime bibliophile, preferring the company of books to the company of people. As the novel moves forward, Margaret finds herself working with an incredibly famous though reclusive author, Vida Winter. Winter has hired Margaret to tell the author's untold life story. The novel holds certain parallels to Victorian classics that are mentioned throughout; most notably Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Turn of the Screw, to name a few.

For me, the narrative had a few moments of suspense but overall I found the twists underwhelming and the plot filled with conveniences.  The biggest problem that I had with the book was that I found it to be over-narrated; characters and ideas rarely spoke for themselves, instead our narrator told us everything, including the obvious, and never let me assess things for myself. The narration made the story too accessible, giving it an almost juvenile, corny feel:

Everybody has a story. It's like families. You might not know who they are, might have lost them, but they exist all the same. You might drift apart or you might turn your back on them, but you can't say you haven't got them. Same goes for stories.

Aside from that it was an engaging story in parts, but lacking in its delivery. I know I'm in the minority with this one, it just didn't do it for me.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford

“Governments and fashions come and go but Jane Eyre is for all time.”

I'm a little late to the Thursday Next party, but I'm happy to now be a part of it! The Eyre Affair is the first novel of the Thursday Next Series and it was such a fun read. Fford has created an alternate history in which the lines between reality and fiction become blurred and people can literally step into the pages of a book, meet its central characters, and experience the setting for themselves. With that they can also manipulate the outcome of the novel and even kidnap fictional characters. Enter LiteraTec Thursday Next, a literary protector of sorts, working to maintain the authenticity of great works of literature.

The barriers between reality and fiction are softer than we thing; a bit like a frozen lake. Hundreds of people can walk across it, but then one evening a thin spot develops and someone falls through; the hole is frozen over by the following morning.

If you haven't already guessed, this is definitely a book for book lovers as it's filled with literary references. I don't want to give away much of the plot, because the not knowing is what makes it so enjoyable. The story is incredibly imaginative and odd, but I mean that in the best possible way. I will say it took me about 100 plus pages to really get into the book, so don't get discouraged if you pick it up and feel confused or removed; if you keep going I promise you will be rewarded in the second half of the novel. I should also mention you'll probably enjoy this book much more if you have already read or are very familiar with Jane Eyre. I wouldn't say Rochester and Jane are main characters per se, but their story is at the forefront of the novel (hence the title The Eyre Affair) and the bits in which they appeared were among my favorite parts of the book. Fford did a great job maintaining the genuine feel of the characters and I appreciated the novel that much more because of those details.

All in all this was a fun, substantial read. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys studying literature and those who love Jane Eyre. A special thanks to Alley for recommending this book so highly. There are currently a total of seven books in the Thursday Next series and I look forward to picking up the second, Lost In a Good Book.

Publisher: Penguin, 2001

The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

If you haven't read Carlos Ruiz Zafon yet, you should soon. Let me tell you, you're in for a treat. The Prisoner of Heaven is the third novel in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, but don't let that deter you from picking it up immediately. One of my favorite things about this particular series is that the books don't have to be read in succession. The plot of each book in connected in a circular way, linking people and details across generations and back again. As it is described in the introduction to the novel, "Each individual installment in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series can be read in any order, enabling the reader to explores the labyrinth of stories along different paths which, when woven together, lead into the heart of the narrative."

I will say that The Shadow of the Wind still remains my favorite of Zafon's books, but his two follow-ups are truly fantastic reads. I'm not going to go into too much detail of these books because it really is best to go into them knowing very little. What I will say is that the series is a true testament to books themselves and all the magic they hold; it's about the human desire to understand their past and to make sense of the world in which they live. It highlights the strengths of friendship and family, but also examines the darker side of human nature and the evil of which we are capable. 

I do have one complaint about this book; I wanted it to be longer. Compared to the first two books in the series, this one was notably shorter, at just under 300 pages. However, I'm excited to report that the conclusion of The Prisoner of Heaven is left somewhat open-ended, which gives me much hope there will be more from Zafon, and hopefully soon.

Publisher: Harper Collins, 2012 

The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst

Bestselling novelist Octavia Frost has just completed her latest book—a revolutionary novel in which she has rewritten the last chapters of all her previous books, removing clues about her personal life concealed within, especially a horrific tragedy that befell her family years ago. On her way to deliver the manuscript to her editor, Octavia reads a news crawl in Times Square and learns that her rock-star son, Milo, has been arrested for murder. Though she and Milo haven’t spoken in years—an estrangement stemming from that tragic day—she drops everything to go to him. The “last chapters” of Octavia’s novel are layered throughout The Nobodies  Album—the scattered puzzle pieces to her and Milo’s dark and troubled past. Did she drive her son to murder? Did Milo murder anyone at all? And what exactly happened all those years ago? As the novel builds to a stunning reveal, Octavia must consider how this story will come to a close.  


I first heard about this book nearly a year ago over at Farm Lane Books and quickly added it to my TBR. After completing Love in the Time of Cholera I wanted something a little more fast paced and turned to this. It did the trick. I read it fairly quickly and it even kept me up fast my bedtime once. The structure of the novel was unique and I enjoyed how the plot unraveled. However, at times it felt like the mystery element of the plot fell on the back burner to Octavia's nostalgia for her past and her coping with a family tragedy, which worked out fine for the novel as a whole but since I picked it up hoping to read a mystery, I was a little let down. Aside from the suspenseful plot, Octavia's meditations on writing and fiction itself were among my favorite parts. 

I've always known that the best part of writing occurs before you've picked up a pen. When a story exists only in your mind, its potential is infinite; it's only when you start pinning words to paper that it becomes less than perfect. You have to make your choices, set your limits. Start whittling away at the cosmos, and don't stop until you've narrowed it down to a single, ordinary speck of dirt. And in the end, what you've made is not nearly as glorious as what you've thrown away.

In addition to themes of fiction and writing, the novel explores the bond between mother and son and the idea that we may not really know those who we trust. I did feel like the narrator was a little too whiny at times, which took away from my interest in the plot and my interest in her troubles. I also would have liked to see a greater parallel between Octavia's excerpts from her own novel, the book within the book, to the actual novel itself. Other than those gripes, the novel as a whole worked. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, quick read.


Publisher: Anchor, 2010

Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

Tom Violet always thought that by the time he turned thirty-five, he'd have everything going for him. Fame. Fortune. A beautiful wife. A satisfying career as a successful novelist. A happy dog to greet him at the end of the day. The reality, though, is far different. He's got a wife, but their problems are bigger than he can even imagine. And he's written a novel, but the manuscript he's slaved over for years is currently hidden in his desk drawer while his father, an actual famous writer, just won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His career, such that it is, involves mind-numbing corporate buzzwords, his pretentious archnemesis Gregory, and a hopeless, completely inappropriate crush on his favorite coworker. Oh . . . and his dog, according to the vet, is suffering from acute anxiety.Tom's life is crushing his soul, but he's decided to do something about it. (Really.) "Domestic Violets" is the brilliant and beguiling story of a man finally taking control of his own happiness--even if it means making a complete idiot of himself along the way.

Novels satirizing corporate America have been done many times over. I was worried the theme would feel overdone, like a reworking of a book I have already read. Lucky for me, this wasn't the case at all. Domestic Violets was a fresh take on the disillusionment of corporate america and the "40-hour prison sentence." It had me laughing out loud and really rooting for Tom. I hoped he would figure out the obstacles holding him back and keeping him from growing to his full potential. (Not only is Tom struggling in the workplace, he is also falling short in the bedroom.) I wanted to see him succeed and I wanted him to be happy. I found myself concerned with his future, his marriage, and his career. Of course Tom is flawed and we watch him make mistakes along the way, some ridiculous and some reasonable.

As it turns out, the novel is much more than a satire on corporate American. It also highlights the complications and oddness of modern family life, and the oddness of modern life itself. It's about not getting to where you thought you'd be at a certain point in your life and making the most out of where you are. It's about figuring out who you are and how you can get to where you'd like to be, and the struggles you face along the way.

I am next to her, listening to her. I want to touch her but I can’t, because she’ll wake up and I’ll have to explain this. I want to touch her, but I can’t, because I’m angry at her and she’s angry with me, and even though I love her, I don’t like her as much as I should. She’s right next to me. I’m alone and she’s alone. We have never been farther apart.

Because the central characters of this book are writers, there are a handful of jokes that center around famous authors and literary references. Those jokes were among my favorites. Overall, this is a funny and clever book. Norman's voice is fresh and cutting. I don't think it's a must read, but I did enjoy the novel very much. If you are looking for a humorous, intriguing plot, fully realized characters and some literary humor, this one is for you.

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2011

Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages by Michael Popek

It's happened to all of us: we're reading a book, something interrupts us, and we grab the closest thing at hand to mark our spot. It could be a train ticket, a letter, an advertisement, a photograph, or a four-leaf clover. Eventually the book finds its way into the world-a library, a flea market, other people's bookshelves, or to a used bookstore. But what becomes of those forgotten bookmarks? What stories could they tell?

By day, Michael Popek works in his family's used bookstore. By night, he's the voyeuristic force behind www.forgottenbookmarks.com, where he shares the weird objects he has found among the stacks at his store.

Forgotten Bookmarks is a scrapbook of Popek's most interesting finds. Sure, there are actual bookmarks, but there are also pictures and ticket stubs, old recipes and notes, valentines, unsent letters, four-leaf clovers, and various sordid, heartbreaking, and bizarre keepsakes. Together this collection of lost treasures offers a glimpse into other readers' lives that they never intended for us to see.

I have been following Michael Popek's blog Forgotten Bookmarks for well over two years now and I was delighted to have won a Friday giveaway a few weeks back in which Michael gave book titles that had been featured on his blog (and in his book), as well as a signed copy of his book. A week or so later I recieved a box of books that contained the following:

Photo from Forgotten Bookmarks

Not only was I excited to have won some of the same editions that I had seen featured on the blog, but I was also happy that Michael Popek had included a copy of his own book, which I had had my eye on ever since it was featured on NPR's Book Seller's Picks of the year's freshest reads. If you follow the blog Forgotten Bookmarks, you'll find the book to be quite similar in content, but even better because it's in book format.

If you've ever read a used book and found something stuck between the pages, left behind from a past reader, and felt a jolt of curiosity, even excitement, then you'll enjoy this book. There are chapters that include, among others, "Photographs," "Letters, Cards, and Correspondence," and" The Old Curiosity Shop: From Four-Leaf Clovers to Razor Blades." Popek explains his love of forgotten bookmarks in the introduction of the book, including several anecdotes describing the first few memorable pieces of ephemera he came across as a used bookseller:

One day, I came across a copy of a fairly common microwave cookbook - the sort of published by the appliance manufacturer to make a few extra dollars. By then, it was habit for me to flip through the pages looking for a lost treasure, and this book didn't disappoint. Near the end of the book, I spread the pages to discover a very large marijuana leaf, dried and pressed and in perfect condition. There was something about a pot leaf stuck inside this hurry-up cookbook that sent me into hysterics. I had visions of the impatient stoner, desperate with hunger, reaching for the book and marking a recipe with the item closest at hand.

Some of the "bookmarks" featured are funny, some angry, some sad, but all interesting. Even better, I found a treat inside the pages of Popek's book itself. He was kind enough to include one of the original forgotten bookmarks that he featured in his book. It is pictured on page 93 and was found in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig, published by William Morrow and Company, 1974. (I also received a copy of this book in the prize pack.) I was delighted to find this forgotten bookmark and share some of the excitement that Popek experiences when he finds other forgotten bookmarks.

All in all, this book was a delight to read. Popek keeps the commentary to a minimum throughout, explaining that he would rather present the "material in this book more like a museum curator than a critic." I found that Forgotten Bookmarks speaks to the importance of physical books, as keepsakes and depositories, highlighting a time before ereaders, even before emails, when writing letters and developing film were the norm. For me it evoked an odd sense of nostalgia for a time that I barely got to experience for myself. It really is a testament to books and the unique ways reading can bring us together.

Publisher: Perigee Trade, 2011

The Thieves of Manhattan by Adam Langer

"Writing a book can be a profoundly optimistic act; expecting someone to read, buy and publish it is always a phenomenally presumptuous one."

I didn't know much about this book before I started to read it, except that after I reviewed How I Became a Famous Novelist, Greg from The New Dork Review of Books suggested I read The Thieves of Manhattan. Well, I'm happy I listened to Greg once again, because this book was awesome. However, most of the fun that came along with reading this book was that I didn't know where it would take me, so I'm not going to give too much away.

The Thieves of Manhattan is essentially a riff on the publishing industry's literary fakes and hoaxers (James Frey, anyone?). It follows a down-and-out aspiring short story writer and the web of lies in which he becomes tangled. It's equal parts funny, thrilling and snarky. Aside from the exceedingly suspenseful story line (I read this book in one day), I especially enjoyed the plethora of literary slang Langer threw into the novel. A handy glossary in the back of the book clarified each and every one. For example:

kowalski n. A sleeveless white T-shirt of the sort favored by the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee William's A Streetcar Named Desire, in which he is depicted by the playwrite in one instance as wearing "an undershirt and grease-stained seersucker pants."
daisies n. Dollars, from Daisy Buchanan, a character in F. scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, about whom Jay Gatsby remarks, "Her voice is full of money."
salinger v. To live in seclusion, after the reclusive author J. D. Salinger

This is a book for book lovers. Although this novel explores the lives of those who lie to get ahead, it is a testament to the modern human condition and just how far we will go to achieve success. Truly a page-turner, The Thieves of Manhattan is fun, smart, and I can't recommend it enough.

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau, 2010

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

I read Middlesex earlier this year and it quickly became one of my favorite books. It's no surprise that Eugenides won the Pulitzer in 2003 for this grand narrative that weaves together the story of three generations Greek-Americans and explores, among other things, the idea of splits and divides within our identity, our desires, our families and our place in the world. Middlesex was so amazing that it took Eugenides nine years to finalize his follow-up, the much anticipated The Marriage Plot. I couldn't wait until October 11th to buy Eugenides latest, and I also couldn't shut up about it. Then the lovely and generous librarian Melissa Rochelle from Life:Merging came to my rescue and offered to mail me her ARC, which basically made my week.

The Marriage Plot has been dubbed a "romance," but I wouldn't let that classification deter you from this book if it's not your thing, because it really is so much more than that. On the surface it is a love triangle, but it also examines the confusion and angst of early 20-something college graduates; the uncovering of identities and the difficulties of deciding what direction your life will take, when you don't even know exactly what you want to get out of it. This novel, among other things, explores exactly how we get where we do, even when we aren't planning on it. As Eugenides explains, "People don't understand their lives or what happened to them; they only think they do." One of my all-time favorite bands, The Talking Heads, has a popular song that Eugenides quotes in his epigraph: And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?/And you may tell yourself,/This is not my beautiful house./And you may tell yourself,/This is not my beautiful wife. I think that epigraph really captures the ideas Eugenides takes on in The Marriage Plot.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be done with it? To be done with sex and longing? Mitchell could almost imagine pulling it off, sitting on a bridge at night with the Seine flowing by. He looked up at all the lighted windows along the river’s arc. He thought of all the people going to sleep or reading or listening to music, all the lives contained by a great city like this, and, floating up in his mind, rising just about the rooftops, he tried to feel, to vibrate among, all those million tremulous souls. He was sick of craving, of wanting, of hoping, of losing.

I should also mention the plethora of bookish details and our lead character, Madeleine, an English major who is writing her dissertation on the marriage plot; the plot device that characterized the Victorian novel, whether or not the hero and heroine would get married. Eugenides takes 19th century notions of love and compares them to our modern day counterparts. Can we have a modern-day love story that is just as romantic and unforgettable as Wuthering Heights or Daniel Deronda despite the complications of prenups, gender equality, sexual liberation, and divorce?

The novel had reached is apogee with the marriage plot and had never recovered from its disappearance. In the days when success in life had depended on marriage, and marriage had depended on money, novelists had a subject to write about. The great epics sang of war, the novel of marriage. Sexual equality, good for women, had been bad for the novel. And divorce had undone it completely.

Well, in my opinion, I don't want a retelling of the marriage plot. I want a reinvention of it, something equally as satisfying, but post-modern, which is exactly what Eugenides delivered. I adored this book. Eugenides prose is just as beautiful and detailed as it was in Middlesex, and his characters just as memorable. The plot maintains a steady pace, even as the characters develop and change. Upon finishing the book, I gave it a big hug, because it has one of those endings that you can't help not to hug it. As I mentioned in some post-reading thoughts, this book had the most satisfying ending of any other book I've read this year. I'm so tempted to share a passage from the ending (if you've read it I'll bet you know the one!), but I'm worried it would be a spoiler. So instead, I'll tell you this one is well-worth the read. You can buy The Marriage Plot at bookstores everywhere today. A big thanks to Melissa for lending me her ARC.

If you're interested in learning more, I'd like to direct you to Nymeth's review of The Marriage Plot.

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011

Book Lust by Nancy Pearl

Back in May Thomas at My Porch had a Book Lust Giveaway - to my elation I won and received Book Lust in the mail the following week. I've been reading through it casually for the last couple of weeks, noting titles to add to my TBR.

Nancy Pearl is a reading rock star. She has worked as a librarian and bookseller, is a regular commentator on NPR, won the Women's National Book Association Award and exudes an unmistakable enthusiasm for books. In Book Lust: Recommended Reading For Every Mood, Moment and Reason, Pearl breaks down her recommendations by category, making it easy to peruse based on one's literary taste. Such lists include grit lit, les crimes noir, first novels, food for thought, Russian heavies and New York, New York. She features a nice variety of both fiction and non-fiction topics.

What I like best about this book is that it will remain a reference point for me when I want to step out of my reading comfort zone and try something new. I especially will use when I am in the mood for non-fiction, as I don't often get non-fiction recommendations. Thanks again Thomas for this great book. I will continue to go back to it for recommended reading.

Publisher: Sasquatch Books, 2003

I read because...

Reading has always brought me pure joy. I read to encounter new worlds and new ways of looking at the world. I read to enlarge my horizons, to gain wisdom, to experience beauty, to understand myself better, and for the pure wonderment of it all. I read and marvel over how writers use language in ways I never thought of. I read for company, and for escape. Because I am incurably interested in the lives of other people, both friends and strangers, I read to meet myriad folks and enter their lives- for me, a way of vanquishing the “otherness” we all experience.

 -Nancy Pearl, Book Lust

The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

The Brooklyn Follies and I spent four glorious days together. I wish it would have lasted longer, but it had to end sometime. This is one of those books that took me in from the start. Paul Auster has this gift that makes me wish I could abandon all of my commitments and simply sit outside and read his books for days on end.

Brooklyn has long been known for the possibility of second chances since immigrants began flocking to New York in the late 1800's. It seems that this is a timeless curiosity, as Auster implies the borough still has this special hold on it's inhabitants. But here is the thing about The Brooklyn Follies, it's not a book I can summarize in a way that will draw you in unless I give the good parts away. So, you'll have to settle for the generalization that this novel is gracefully strange and compelling, so full of human truths, you can't help but connect with it.

When you've lived as long as I have, you tend to think you've heard everything, that there's nothing left that can shock you anymore. You grow a little complacent about your so-called knowledge of the world, and then, every once in a while, something comes along that jolts you out of your smug cocoon of superiority, that reminds you all over again that you don't understand the first thing about life.

Of the Auster I've read, this is my favorite. If you enjoy an interesting and suspenseful story with a deeper meaning behind it, you will certainly enjoy this book. If you identify with themes of redemption, second chances, and the power of human connections, then read this. There are also wonderful bookish details embedded throughout that I can't imagine any bibliophile would be disappointed with this novel.

She had the story, and when a person is lucky enough to live inside a story, to live inside an imaginary world, the pains of this world disappear. For as long as the story goes on, reality no longer exists.

Publisher: Picador, 2006

The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby

So this is supposed to be about the how, the when, and the why, and what of reading - about the way that, when reading is going well, one book leads to another and to another, a paper trail of theme and meaning; and how, when it's going badly, when books don't stick or take; when your mood and the mood of the book are fighting like cats, you'd rather do anything but attempt the next paragraph, or reread the last one for the tenth time.

The Polysyllabic Spree is an account of the books Nick Hornby buys and reads over the course of a year. It's made up of a collection of essays he wrote for The Believer in which he chornicles his literary andventures month by month. Even though Nick Hornby reads some serious stuff, he doesn't take it too seriously in this column. He writes about books in a way that makes me:

a. happy I'm an avid reader

b. want to read more books
c. wish he never ended this column

The Polysyllabic Spree is hilarious as well as dignified. He writes about books and the act of reading with such heart and humor. I can't help but think the majority of bibliophiles are quite similar because this book is me; someone who struggles to keep up with their reading appetite, continuously buying books faster than she can read them. This is also Nick Hornby. Nick Hornby and I are the same person (not really at all - he's far more interesting and funny than I'll ever be).

Books are, lets face it, better than everything else. If we played Cultural Fantasy Boxing League, and made books go fifteen rounds in the ring against the best of any other art form had to offer, then books would win pretty much every time... Even if you love movies and music as much as you do books, it's still, in any given four week period, way, way more likey you'll find a great book you haven't read than a great movie you haven't seen, or a great album you haven't heard.

There are so many bookish truths in this collection of essays I could offer you 25 passages that are equal parts awesomeness, but instead I'm just going to tell you to read this book. It's that good. Just be prepared for your TBR list to grow.

Publisher: Believer Books, 2004

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

"If you happen to pass 84, Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me? I owe it so much."

I can't remember where I first heard about this book, but it seems to be making the rounds. It's a delightful little read that consists of a collection of letters between Helene Hanff and and Mark Doel, a book buyer for Marks & Co. in London. The letters span 20 years starting in 1949 and offer a glimpse into post-war England and a timeless love for books.

I love inscriptions on flyleaves and notes in margins, I like the comradely sense of turning pages someone else turned, and reading passages some one long gone has called my attention to.

84, Charing Cross Road speaks to the love of books and the connections readers make with one other as a result. It's an account of bibliophilia at its finest. If you enjoy books about books, I highly recommended this charming little number. The fact that it's non-fiction and this correspondence actually took place makes it all the more worth while.

Publisher: Avon, 1970

The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly

This was a fun read for Halloween. It is dark, but also lighthearted, evoking a Hans Christian Anderson/Brothers Grim tone. We meet Daniel, a young boy who lost his mother. He and his mother shared a love for books. She taught him at a young age the importance of books and storytelling. After his mother passes, Daniel's books begin speaking to him, luring him into a world of crooked fairy tales and evil creatures.

One of the things I liked best about this book was Connolly's dismissal of a typical "happily ever after" theme. Fairy tales are retold in a twisted and bleak manner, offering a new outlook on Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, to name a few. Even the ending rejects the conventional. Ultimately the tone is hopeful, but Connolly doesn't sugar coat anything and instead opts for a darker, cheerless tone, perfect for Halloween.

This is a great book to read when you want a captivating story. It's a true modern fairy tale about transitions and the loss of innocence. I'm tempted to compare it to The Shadow of the Wind, as they are both suspenseful books about books. However if you didn't enjoy The Shadow of the Wind don't write off The Book of Lost Things. I would recommend this book to the true bibliophile, someone who loves to not only read books, but to admire and collect them as well. It's a fun suspense for the book lover, exploring how books shape the world around us and our imagination. It captures the trills, the fears and the triumphs that are held in books.

Publisher: Atria Books, 2006

Stories Were Alive...

Reading Now: The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly

Before she came ill, David's mother would often tell him that stories were alive. They weren't alive in the way that people were alive, or even dogs and cats... Stories were different: they came alive in the telling. Without a human voice to read them out loud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath the blanket, they had no real existence in our world. They were like seeds in the beak of  a bird, waiting to fall to earth, or the notes of a song laid out on a sheet, yearning for an instrument to bring their music to being. They lay dormant, hoping for the chance to emerge.

This is one of the funnest books I have read all year. It is well written and fastastically whimsical. Review upon completion! Have a great weekend. 

The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay

I found this book on Flashlight Worthy's list of Literary Thrillers for Book Lovers. Well, it was less literary than I'd hoped, and the "thriller" was more of a subdued mystery that detailed a long lost Melville manuscript. While the book-lover in me liked the details of the novel and its incorporation of all things bookish, I thought that the overall story was lacking. For one, it was about 100 pages to long. I realized I was halfway through the novel and still waiting for something to happen. Hay takes much to long to set up a plot that climatically disappoints. I'm all for a lengthy exposition if the rest of the novel delivers. This one did not.

Throughout the ladder half of the novel I found myself reading quickly and intently so I could find out how it ended and so it would do just that; end. I hadn't wasted 300 pages just to put the book down and not find out if the Melville manuscript existsted and the story behind it. So, in that regard, the novel was somewhat "flashlight worthy". But, I've now learned that "flashlight worthy" isn't synonmous with "a great book".

As far as mysteries go, this one was set up just fine, and was made more exciting because it revolved around stolen manuscripts and famous american authors and their secrets, but the execution was lacking. Certain details didn't add up, like why didn't Rosemary read the shred of paper from the letter before she destroyed it? She had weeks!

Like I said, the only thing that made this book tolerable were the literary references, which I enjoyed.

It was my own fault. The fault of a girl who had loved the likes of Pip, Darcy, Knightly, Mr. Rochester (all the usual suspects) without genuinely registering their common quality - they were fictional.

Other than these details that made me smile and the fact that most of the story took place in a fabulous bookstore, I wasn't impressed.

I should also mention that while this particular book wasn't up my alley, I have found many great books from Flashlight Worthy recommendations, including others that were on this very list (for instance, The Shadow of the Wind).  Yes, I still have faith in Flashlight Worthy. 

Publisher: Doubleday, 2006

That bookstores are such places is always hoped for...

Reading now: The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay

When I was looking for new mysteries/dark fiction to read for the R.I.P. Challenge I stumbled across The Secret of Lost Things on a Flashlight Worthy List Literary Thrillers for the Book Lover. The synopsis explains the book is "a literary adventure that captures the excitement of discovering a long-lost manuscript by a towering American writer and an evocative portrait of life in a bookstore very reminiscent of the world-famous Strand." In the novel, the bookstore meant to represent The Strand is named "The Arcade".

So, The Stand is my all-time favorite bookstore and I knew had to immediately buy this book; fifty pages in and it is living up to it's potential. Here is a beautiful passage that uniquely captures the experience and abidance of The Strand.

Understand, The Arcade itself is a city; itself, an island. That bookstores are such places is always hoped for but The Arcade is like the original wish behind such hopes. The Arcade was population, mass, the accomplishment of a city. Books were stacked like teeming New Yorkers, invisible inside their buildings, but sensed as bees in a hive. The hum of life issuing from the crowds that filled the city I had begun to experience, but in The Arcade that buzzing life was made calculable in things. Chaps always told mother and me books were minds on the shelf. Here is seemed true, books didn't seem inanimate, a kind of life rose from the piles heaped on tables before me.

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I've mentioned before how much I loved Shadow of the Wind, Zafon's first novel translated into English. The prequel, The Angel's Game (which was published after Shadow of the Wind) is equally as compelling, albeit much darker. What makes the The Angel's Game so good is the story, which isn't to say it's not well-written because it is. But for me it was the story that sucked me in. Chapter by chapter I just wanted to know what would happen next.

We meet David Martin when is a struggling writer living in Barcelona circa 1917. Within the first page Martin states, "A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story... A writer is condemned to remember that moment, because from then on he is doomed and his soul has a price." As the story unfolds, Martin is commissioned to write a book for a mysterious publisher of religious texts and eventually realizes that by accepting this work he has in fact put a price on his soul.

Like I said, the story itself will suck you in. Zafon is an amazing story teller. His novel is filled with intrigue, suspense and murder (which make it a great summer read) but also offers much more than that. The Angel's Game speaks to the power of literature and it's importance. We are taken to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books where Martin says, "This place is a mystery. A sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and the soul of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hands, a new spirit...". If you are a reader who loves the idea of books - a reader who loves the smell and the feel of books and the notion that they can offer everything from understanding to compassion to an entirely new outlook of the world - then you will like this book. There were also many literary allusions throughout the novel, from Great Expectations to Jane Eyre, which, as a book lover, I really enjoyed.

I also want to mention that this book offers a strong sense of place, by which I mean the city of Barcelona is almost like a character itself. The backdrop of this city adds a lot to the novel, both in terms of beauty, uniqueness and mystery. As far as places go, this seems like a great one.

All in all I really liked this book. However, I think I liked The Shadow of the Wind more. So, if you haven't read either I suggest you start with the ladder. Each offer two unique story lines that focus on two different yet connected generations, but one isn't necessary to understand the other.

The New York Times also did a nice review of the book that you can read here. I enjoyed the ending, when they say, "The pleasures of “The Angel’s Game” are guilty ones. As he did in “The Shadow of the Wind,” Ruiz Zafón provides, along with sex and death, a nice slide show of old Barcelona, a handful of affectionate riffs on favorite books (among them that other, very different mysterious- benefactor tale “Great Expectations”) and a pervasive sense of the childish joy of credulity — of surrendering to a story and letting it take you where it will, whatever the consequences."

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Year of First Edition: 2009

Friends Made Of Paper and Ink

Reading now: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon


"Even then my only friends were made of paper and ink. At school I had learned to read and write long before the other children. Where my school friends saw notches of ink on incomprehensible pages, I saw light, streets, and people. Words and the mystery of their hidden science fascinated me, and I saw in them a key with which I could unlock a boundless world, a safe haven from that home, those streets, and those troubled days in which I could sense that only a limited fortune awaited me."

So far this book is proving to be equally as good as Shadow of the Wind. Like Zafon's earlier work, this too is a book about books and brings us back to the "cemetery of forgotten books". Ohhh it's just so good! If you are a reader who loves the idea of books - a reader who loves the smell and the feel of books and the notion that they can offer everything from understanding to compassion to an entirely new outlook of the world - then you will like this book.

If you're here from the hop, welcome! Take off your coat and stay awhile.

The History of Love: A Novel by Nicole Krauss

Let me start by saying Leo Gursky, one of the novel's protagonists, is one of the most compelling characters I have read in a long time. A retired locksmith who immigrated to the US from Poland, he is the first speaker in the novel and immediately he drew me in - I was literally laughing out loud at his witty thoughts and crazy tenancies.

"I often wonder who will be the last person to see me alive. If I had to bet, I'd bet on the delivery boy from the Chinese take-out. I order in four nights out of seven. Whenever he comes I make a big production of finding my wallet. He stands in the door holding the greasy bag while I wonder if this is the night I'll finish off my spring roll, climb into bed, and have a heart attack in my sleep."

Overall I really liked this book. The multiple narrators made it a little hard to follow at first but once Krauss established her style I couldn't put it down. The novel is actually about a fictional book The History of Love (I love books about books) and the interconnectedness of the of the people this book has affected. Of course, each plot line is creatively linked in the end in a way that made me think Wow - I really like Nicole Krauss.

"Sorry. It's a long story," I said, and part of me wanted him to ask me why I was looking for her, so I could tell him the truth: that I wasn't really sure, that I had started out looking for someone to make my mother happy again, and even though I hadn't given up on finding him yet, along the way I began to look for something else too, which was connected to the first search, but also different, because it had to do with me."

Ultimately this book functions as a conceit for the endless potential of love, however it's much more than just a love story. From the characters to the prose to the multiple plot lines - it all consumed me.

In a related note, Nicole Krauss is married to Johnathan Safran Foer. I have been meaning to read one of his books for awhile now and his wife has just inspired me further.