It's mad, it's gay, the lusty month of May! (lyrics from the movie Camelot). Welcome to springtime and all the flowers, grass and tree pollen you can stand (in my case, that's very little). For those of us who love the sunshine and still-tolerable temps in the 60s, but loathe all the allergy-inducing flowers and pollen, there's always hunkering down in your cozy book nook or bed indoors and reading while the sunshine beams through your windows and doors. I've been really stressed with my home situation, so I've been reading voraciously, and thus I have 4 books to review during the first week of the month....go me!
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl is the second fiction novel that I've read by this marvelous author and former restaurant critic. All of her non fiction books are delicious and delightful, and because I enjoyed her fiction book about a food magazine, I was nearly certain that this novel would be a hit with me....and I was right. The prose is rich and smooth and the plot is light, airy and yet has some beautiful emotional gravitas that will have readers laughing and crying in equal measure. Here's the blurb:
Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head, and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean. Oysters, she thought. Where have they been all my life?
When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading “Go to Paris.” Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. But when her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.
Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store, where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and for the first time in her life Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress—and embarks on an adventure.
Her first stop: the iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces Stella to a veritable who’s who of the Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, she begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.
As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.
Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head, and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean. Oysters, she thought. Where have they been all my life?
When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading “Go to Paris.” Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. But when her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.
Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store, where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and for the first time in her life Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress—and embarks on an adventure.
Her first stop: the iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces Stella to a veritable who’s who of the Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, she begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.
As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.
I drooled over nearly every page of this book, even the ones that weren't about food. Oh to be a Tumbleweed at Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare and Company, the hangout of the "Lost Generation" of famous writers and artists! To sleep in such an iconic bookstore and get to browse the shelves all day long! What a dream come true! And Stella's finding such rare and gorgeous French fashion designer dresses and suits! Amazing! And then there's the food, of course, described in loving detail by an icon of cuisine, Reichl, who never met a gourmet dish that she didn't love. This is a book to savor and enjoy for as long as possible, however, I read it over two days and found myself wanting more of this sublime world immediately. I'd give this captivating novel an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys French cuisine and fashion.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown was a book that was recommended to me at least half a dozen times from a variety of sources, such as email newsletters, websites, Facebook book groups, video blogs and podcasts. It seemed to garner rave reviews and was called "groundbreaking" more times that an earthquake. This dystopian thriller/adventure novel was, indeed, a fast read, but it certainly wasn't worth all the hype, IMO. Here's the blurb:
“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”
“I live for you,” I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
This book hearkens back to previous science fiction/fantasy novels that addressed social problems and sought to bring the struggles of the downtrodden, be they poor, people of color, women, or those in the LGBTQ community to light so that a revolution might be fomented. While I understand that it's important to show that societal castes (with the poor and outcaste at the bottom and the wealthy and powerful at the top) are both horrific and unsustainable, I don't think all the violence and ugly bloody scenarios are necessary to make that point. I understand that we're supposed to be amazed by Darrow and his transformation into a wealthy brute and strategic genius, due to his upbringing in the mines of the lowest social caste who live in starvation and darkness and are basically slaves. the problem is that we're supposed to empathize with his burgeoning love of being wealthy and powerful. I didn't empathize with that, as Darrow originally wanted to stay within his caste, marry his love Eo, and have a family and a small quite life. He wasn't interested in politics or revolution, but those around him forced his hand by pandering his need for revenge to pave the way for the poor people's revolution, which, by the end, I'm not sure that Darrow even wants to be party to. I felt the prose was fairly standard, though the plot was fleet of foot, and made this book a page-tuner with a disappointing ending. I'd give it a B, and only recommend it to those who like blood, gore and war in a world where most of the women are relegated to mostly traditional roles. Personally, I will not be reading the second book in the series.
“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”
“I live for you,” I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
This book hearkens back to previous science fiction/fantasy novels that addressed social problems and sought to bring the struggles of the downtrodden, be they poor, people of color, women, or those in the LGBTQ community to light so that a revolution might be fomented. While I understand that it's important to show that societal castes (with the poor and outcaste at the bottom and the wealthy and powerful at the top) are both horrific and unsustainable, I don't think all the violence and ugly bloody scenarios are necessary to make that point. I understand that we're supposed to be amazed by Darrow and his transformation into a wealthy brute and strategic genius, due to his upbringing in the mines of the lowest social caste who live in starvation and darkness and are basically slaves. the problem is that we're supposed to empathize with his burgeoning love of being wealthy and powerful. I didn't empathize with that, as Darrow originally wanted to stay within his caste, marry his love Eo, and have a family and a small quite life. He wasn't interested in politics or revolution, but those around him forced his hand by pandering his need for revenge to pave the way for the poor people's revolution, which, by the end, I'm not sure that Darrow even wants to be party to. I felt the prose was fairly standard, though the plot was fleet of foot, and made this book a page-tuner with a disappointing ending. I'd give it a B, and only recommend it to those who like blood, gore and war in a world where most of the women are relegated to mostly traditional roles. Personally, I will not be reading the second book in the series.
Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden is a magic realism romance with a zingy foodie plot that fills the book with charm. I was also elated to read about being a chef on one of the Islands here in the Pacific NW, and the use of local ingredients to make magic. Here's the blurb: After a day of unrivaled disappointments, a
promising young chef finds every bite of food suddenly tastes bitter. To
save her career, she travels to the Pacific Northwest to reconnect with
her estranged mom, and discovers a family legacy she never suspected in
this delicious novel from the bestselling author of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.
American chef Georgia May Jackson has one goal—to run her own restaurant in Paris. After a grueling decade working in Parisian kitchens, she is on the cusp of success. But in one disastrous night, Georgia loses her sous-chef position, her French boyfriend, and her sense of taste! Renowned for her refined palate and daring use of bold flavors to create remarkable dishes, Georgia is devastated to discover her culinary gift has simply...vanished.
When she receives a surprising invitation from her estranged mother, Georgia flees to a small island near Seattle hoping the visit will help her regain her spark in the kitchen. As she tentatively reconnects with her mom, a free-spirited hippie eager to make up for her past mistakes, Georgia realizes there is something about the enigmatic island she just cannot piece together. Good luck charms start appearing in the oddest places. Her neighbor is a puzzlingly antagonistic (and annoyingly handsome) oyster farmer. And her mom keeps hinting at a mysterious family legacy. With the clock ticking and time running out to win her dream job in Paris, Georgia begins to unravel some astonishing secrets that make her wonder if the true recipe for a charmed life might look—and taste—very different than she ever imagined.
American chef Georgia May Jackson has one goal—to run her own restaurant in Paris. After a grueling decade working in Parisian kitchens, she is on the cusp of success. But in one disastrous night, Georgia loses her sous-chef position, her French boyfriend, and her sense of taste! Renowned for her refined palate and daring use of bold flavors to create remarkable dishes, Georgia is devastated to discover her culinary gift has simply...vanished.
When she receives a surprising invitation from her estranged mother, Georgia flees to a small island near Seattle hoping the visit will help her regain her spark in the kitchen. As she tentatively reconnects with her mom, a free-spirited hippie eager to make up for her past mistakes, Georgia realizes there is something about the enigmatic island she just cannot piece together. Good luck charms start appearing in the oddest places. Her neighbor is a puzzlingly antagonistic (and annoyingly handsome) oyster farmer. And her mom keeps hinting at a mysterious family legacy. With the clock ticking and time running out to win her dream job in Paris, Georgia begins to unravel some astonishing secrets that make her wonder if the true recipe for a charmed life might look—and taste—very different than she ever imagined.
Though it's used so often in romance and hybrid romantic fiction novels now that its become a trope, I was moved by Georgia's need to reconnect with her mother, who was a drug/alcohol addict when she was a child, (and gave her up because she wasn't able to raise her), and is now battling late-stage cancer. Georgia proves to be the better person by forgiving her mother for being a terrible parent (and forgiving her father for lying about her mother and not allowing the two to communicate long distance), and realizing that she only has a limited time to bond with her mother before she passes, and therefore she opens her heart to not just her mother, but also to the handsome NW fisherman who is, of course, an incognito tech millionare (because you can't expect a gal to fall for a guy with no money who fishes for a living, right?!) and all-around good guy. Though it's not as good as Sarah Addison Allen's books, it shares some DNA with them. I'd give this easy-reading, sweet novel an A-, and recommend it to anyone who loves stories of food and family and forgiveness.
Scavenge The Stars by Tara Sim is a YA fantasy retelling of the Count of Monte Christo, with a female protagonist and some very dystopian world-building. Once I picked up this novel, I couldn't put it down, though it was generally too dark a story for my tastes. Here's the blurb:
No comments:
Post a Comment