Loving Eleanor - Susan Wittig Albert

Persevero Press, February 1, 2016.

 

Three Stars

 

Lorena “Hick” Hickok, one of the first female AP reporters in the 1930s, narrates this novel about her lifelong relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Throughout Eleanor’s husband’s campaigns and presidency, to Eleanor’s own work in service to the American people, Hick stood by her with love and friendship. Now, at the end of her life, Hick has decided to tell the true story of her love for Eleanor.

 

In 1932, Hick was assigned with covering the presidential campaign and election. During her time spent following Franklin Roosevelt, she became close with his wife Eleanor and learned that her marriage was mostly for political show. Although Franklin was involved in a long-term affair with his secretary, Eleanor was trapped in the marriage and prevented from finding her own lover. The two women form a bond of mutual respect that develops into a strong friendship – and eventually into romantic passion.

 

With the backdrop of the Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal, and World War II, we see through Hick’s eyes that Eleanor Roosevelt was a strong, intelligent, complex woman in her own right. Hick is willing to give up everything for Eleanor, but the First Lady is committed to her role as co-leader of the country – not just as a figurehead, but by actually making positive change in the world.  

 

This is of course a fictional memoir of Hick, as she describes her time “loving Eleanor.” She explains what their relationship meant for her own life and career, as well as the ways that she influenced Eleanor – especially in her advocacy for women. Love is an important part of the story, but the novel is truly about these two strong women whose paths collide as they attempt to change the world. Despite the historical setting, this is an easy, accessible read.

 

As Eleanor and Hick mature, their relationship becomes less stormy and passionate, and instead settles into an enduring friendship, which has been captured in the thousands of letters that passed between the two women. Although these letters are part of the historical record (and of course open to interpretation), I had no idea that the romantic relationship between Eleanor and Hick is considered to be factual by most historians. After reading this, I look forward to learning more about Eleanor Roosevelt and the policies she helped to create.

 

Although I was interested by the historical aspects of this novel, it is ultimately a love story – showing all the phases of a relationship and how it perseveres in the face of obstacles. I appreciated the story, but I didn’t like the tone of the novel, which rang false and even seemed a bit juvenile at times. Regardless, it was still well worth the read.

 

I received this book from Persevero Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trail of Broken Wings - Sejal Badani

Lake Union Publishing, May 1, 2015.

Three Stars

Trail of Broken Wings is a semi-autobiographical novel about three daughters who were abused by their father throughout their childhood. They have all moved on and created successful lives for themselves, but when their father suddenly falls into a coma, all three girls are drawn back to their childhood home to support their mother and make peace with their feelings towards their father.

The youngest daughter, Sonya, has been estranged from her Indian-American family for many years, travelling around the world as a photographer. Her oldest sister, Marin, is a successful career woman with a stable marriage and a teenage daughter who may be repeating Marin’s own history. The middle sibling, Tricia, also has a seemingly perfect marriage, but she is afraid to have children because of what she witnessed in her own childhood – and her fears are driving away her husband.

Each of the girls have conflicted feelings about whether their father will survive his coma – and as they reconnect with their mother Ranee, they learn about her role in his trauma. Throughout their childhood, they experienced aggression, bullying, and outright cruelty, and they came to feel responsible for the toxic environment surround them. Marin and Sonya were severely beaten, but Tricia was exempt, and the girls never understood why she was given special treatment – until her suppressed memories return, revealing shameful and shocking secrets.

The sisters and their mother tell a heartbreaking story that shows how different people respond to abuse within the same family. The abuse shapes the way they develop throughout the rest of their lives, although some of the sudden personality changes were hard to believe. It was interesting to see the effects of Ranee’s Indian culture on her actions, as she tried to explain why she was unable to stand up to her husband and protect her children.

The novel is built around well-timed plot twists that pop up just when things started to drift, although they were often predictable and one-dimensional. It is an intimate description of child abuse and domestic violence, and even though it often felt emotionally manipulative, it was obviously a tough topic for the author to explore. Unfortunately, the ending seemed contrived and unrealistic, but it was the revelations throughout the novel that kept it interesting.

I received this book from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To Capture What We Cannot Keep - Beatrice Colin

Flatiron Books, November 29, 2016.

Four Stars

To Capture What We Cannot Keep is a historical romance set against the backdrop of the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1887. Caitriona is a widow working as a chaperone, who travels to Paris with her two young charges – a wealthy brother and sister who have come to Europe to gain experience before marriage. Cait is supposed to be helping Alice meet eligible bachelors, but when they are introduced to Emile Nouguier, engineer and co-designer of the tower, he is more interested in Cait.

Emile and Caitriona first meet in a whimsical scene, travelling over Paris by hot air balloon. They are living in a revolutionary time, filled with contrasts – while Cait feels compelled to follow the traditional lifestyle of a widowed woman, she is also intrigued by the bohemian world she finds herself in. The novel asks questions about class and gender, and whether the constraints of either one can be overcome.

Caitriona and her young companions experience the glamour and intrigue of 19^th century Paris, but they also witness the dark underbelly of the city, including its brothels and opium dens. It was fascinating to read about the details of art and society, and especially the construction of the Eiffel Tower, which I did not know much about. And even with all this historical information, it never felt overwhelming – the facts were always presented as a natural part of the story.

I wasn’t completely captivated by any of the characters, and the love story fell flat (although I did like the imperfect ending), but what made this book so enjoyable is the beautiful setting – Colin truly captured the excitement and innovation of the era. I loved reading about the rise of the Impressionists and the great strides in architecture – everything is so novel and thrilling. The Eiffel Tower was the largest manmade structure at the time, and Emile’s character passionately describes the intricacies of its engineering techniques.

This novel has a slow, quiet pace, and yet it manages to confront some really important issues of morality, creating conflict between the characters. They feel compelled to fit into the constraints of the time period, even though they are trying to change society’s rules – especially Caitriona, who is stronger than she seems at first. If you’re looking for an intelligent, thoughtful romance novel, this is it – and you might learn a few things while you’re at it.

I received this book from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Jekyll Revelation - Robert Masello

47North Books, November 8, 2016.

 

Five Stars

 

The Jekyll Revelation follows two parallel timelines, and two very different men – who may be more alike than they realize. Rafe is an environmental scientist working in the drought-stricken Topanga Canyon in California, where he finds an antique steamer trunk in a dried-up lake bed. Inside is a journal that tells a shocking story about the life of Robert Louis Stevenson and the macabre inspiration for his famous novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

 

Rafe spends his days tracking animal poachers in the canyon, and his nights reading Stevenson’s journal – as he reads, the novelist’s story is slowly revealed to us as well. When Stevenson travelled to Switzerland with his wife and stepson to be treated for his lung disease, he was given a curative potion with some unexpected side effects. He experiences blackouts and half-memories of unusual events. The potion inspires him to finish his novel about Jekyll and Hyde, and it is performed as a play in London not long after. The play receives rave reviews – until it seemingly inspires a copy-cat, later identified as Jack the Ripper. Stevenson himself becomes a prime suspect, although he becomes suspicious of someone else close to him.

 

As Rafe speeds through the journal, intent on finding out the identity of the Ripper, he begins to witness some shocking occurrences in his own time. Aside from the journal, Stevenson’s trunk contained other items that could trigger the Jekyll and Hyde curse all over again – most suspicious is a mysterious flask filled with an unidentified liquid. When Rafe tries to dispose of the trunk’s dark contents, the potion ends up falling into the wrong hands.

 

Stevenson’s journal entries feel impressively authentic to the writing style of his original time. Although Rafe is living in another century and across the world, he becomes entirely wrapped up in Stevenson’s story. In most novels with parallel stories, I usually prefer one and suffer through the other – but in this case, both settings were completely compelling. Jekyll and Hyde is often rewritten in different disguises, but this novel truly feels fresh and original. Although some scenes were somewhat weak and contrived, the overall effect was very successful.

 

Although this novel is set (partly) in a historical era, it doesn’t exactly fit that genre – it is a gothic mystery with a dash of horror, interspersed with modern scenes that emphasize the many ways that men can become monsters. Masello has played with the timeline here in places, but it is still very authentic to Stevenson’s life and seems to be very well researched. I will definitely be looking out for more of Masello’s novels, which feature real historical characters with a twist.

 

I received this book from 47North Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Life of Souls - Jack Ketchum & Lucky McKee

Pegasus Books, November 8, 2016.

Three Stars

This is a novel of psychological suspense about a troubled family and their dog – believe me, it is much darker than it sounds. This is not a feel-good story about a girl and her loyal pet. The Cross family is emotionally dysfunctional and their poor decisions are continuously shocking. They face life-changing events, without any sense of emotional growth, making things even worse.

Delia Cross is a talented, up and coming actress, and at eleven years old, her career is just beginning. Her successes support her entire family, including her father Bart, who spends money faster than she can make it, and stage mom Pat, who is living vicariously through her daughter. Delia’s twin brother Robbie just wants a normal life, but he becomes reclusive and introverted in the shadow of his famous sister. Between her mother’s pill-popping, her father’s heavy drinking, and her brother’s practical jokes, Delia struggles to relax during her time off.

The family dog Caity seems to be the only calming force in Delia’s life – the two share a special connection, and Delia relies on her for a sense of quiet understanding after a difficult day. A Queensland Heeler, Caity is an incredibly loyal dog, although not all members of the family deserve it. When a tragic accident puts Delia’s career on hold, everyone in the Cross family reevaluates their roles in her life. Pat tries to turn Delia’s accident into a publicity stunt, but the young girl stays true to herself and her own morals. Caity the dog seems to be Delia’s only supporter, and she tries to protect the girl from her family, leading to shocking consequences.

Caity cannot always protect Delia, but they know they can be together, even in the afterlife. This novel is emotional and sometimes melodramatic, but never sentimental. The relationship between a girl and her dog is powerful, and their connection is eerie at times – this was reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s novels, which is not surprising considering he provided a cover quote for this novel. The Secret Life of Souls is surprising in plot as well as tone, and while I wasn’t expecting the direction it took, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened at the end.

I received this book from Pegasus Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pull Me Under - Kelly Luce

Farrar, Straus & Giroux, November 1, 2016.

 

Four Stars

 

Chizuru Akitani was born in Japan to an American mother, now deceased, and a Japanese father, Hiro Akutani – a famous violinist and “living national treasure.” Chizuru never felt like she fit in, especially at school. When she was twelve years old, she fatally stabbed a school bully and ended up in a juvenile detention facility, alone and disowned by her father. When she turns eighteen, Chizuru is encouraged by the Japanese government to leave the country and never return – so she moves to the United States and creates a new future for herself.

 

Now named Rio Silvestri, the former Chizuru is living a conventional life in Boulder, Colorado – she is married with a young daughter and a career as a nurse. In response to the tragedies of her childhood, Rio takes care of people at work, but she neglects herself and her family. Her husband and child know nothing about her past – until her father Hiro dies and she receives a mysterious package from his estate. For the first time in twenty years, Rio feels compelled to return to the country of her birth. She arrives in Japan just in time for her father’s funeral, where she meets a former teacher and learns more secrets about her past.

 

Revelations about her childhood inspire Rio to embark on a spiritual journey with her teacher, Danny. Their pilgrimage takes them on a difficult path to various temples where they meet a sweet young boy who is just as confused about his place in the world as Chizuru once was. The plot takes an emotional turn, bringing a sense of shocking immediacy to Rio’s journey, but her feelings are never fully fleshed out.

 

There is always an emotional barrier between the reader and the characters, making it difficult to relate to them. It feels very Japanese, and it is described in the book as a distance created by manners – while “honne” is how you truly feel, “tatemae” is the self that you show the world. This is a story of child-on-child violence, as seen from the perspective of a juvenile offender, and yet it is strangely cold and emotionless. The concept is provocative and intriguing, but it is missing some essential human responses.

 

Rio is an avid runner, and she uses this pastime to metaphorically run from her past – on her journey, she finally changes direction and begins to run forward, towards her life with her husband and daughter. Her story is one of identity, and an exploration of our ability and willingness to change. There was a lot of potential psychological depth here, but it was not completely followed through. On the positive side, the writing is lovely – sparse yet lyrical – and I felt fully immersed in the intricacies of Japanese culture.

 

I received this book from Farrar, Straus & Giroux and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Faithful - Alice Hoffman

Simon & Schuster, November 1, 2016.

Four Stars

Alice Hoffman has recently written some fantastic historical novels, such as The Dovekeepers and The Marriage of Opposites, but Faithful brings back her classic style – a coming of age story edged with her own kind of magic realism. She is an expert at character building, especially in the form of ordinary young women who experience extraordinary events.

Shelby is a teenage girl growing up on Long Island, when a car accident puts her best friend Helene in a coma and derails Shelby’s entire future. Helene becomes a sort of local spectacle, with neighbours making pilgrimages to her bedside because they think she can perform miracles. Meanwhile, Shelby won’t even visit Helene because she is carrying so much guilt over the accident. Her feelings manifest themselves in a suicide attempt and too much time wasted in her parent’s basement – but eventually she finds a way to move on, in New York City.

In the city, Shelby is in a relationship with a boy from her hometown – he adores her, but she just cannot accept his love. Instead, she is obsessed with Chinese food and strays of all kind, especially dogs in all shapes and sizes that she rescues off the streets of New York City. She can never fully connect to her boyfriend, and eventually realizes that she must leave her past behind completely in order to move forward.

Although her relationship with her boyfriend is unsuccessful, Shelby experiences many other complex and powerful relationships – the most meaningful one was with her mother, as they reconnect later in life. Shelby seems to surround herself with a collection of lost souls, and she eventually finds hope in her heartbreak. Her mental instability, brought on by the car accident and never properly dealt with, is only somewhat resolved by her final stable relationship.

Throughout her time in New York, Shelby receives unsigned postcards with perfectly timely messages, such as “say something” or “want something” – she feels like she is being watched over by an angel who always knows exactly what she needs to hear to move forward. It turns out that her “angel” was closer than she realized, giving her a sense of faith and wonder, in herself and in the world around her.

Although I often felt emotionally manipulated by Shelby’s character, especially watching in frustration while she cannot or will not help herself, I do feel like it was a realistic portrayal of the time and energy it would take to recover from such a tragedy as Shelby experienced. This novel is an exploration of the depths of grief and guilt, but it is also about recovery and redemption, as Shelby learns that every life is worth saving.

I received this book from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Witches of New York - Ami McKay

Penguin Random House Canada, October 27, 2016.

 

Three Stars

 

In her new novel, McKay returns to late 19^th century New York City, and revisits the character of “Moth” from her last novel, The Virgin Cure. Now known as Adelaide, she has opened a tea shop with another woman named Eleanor St. Clair. Eleanor is a medical student and a “keeper of spells” – in other words, she identifies herself as a witch. Two hundred years after the Salem Witch Trials, she is able to practice small acts of “witchcraft” such as palmistry and discussing women’s health issues, but the world is still a dangerous place for strong women such as Eleanor and Adelaide.

 

The two women use their shop, named Tea and Sympathy, to help the women of Gilded Age New York with many problems, including reproductive issues that are largely ignored by the male doctors of the time. They work in secrecy, making their potions and cures seem trivial to outsiders – but in fact, their work is fundamental to the rights of women.

 

Adelaide and Eleanor are soon joined by a third woman, Beatrice – desperate for employment, she shows up unexpectedly at the tea shop and becomes Eleanor’s apprentice. As she works in the shop, she begins to see things and hear voices, and she can’t be certain whether she is touched by magic or if she is going mad. Eleanor has a healthy respect for Beatrice’s new powers, but Adelaide sees a profit to be made from them – she introduces Beatrice to Dr. Quinn Brody and has him test her for the ability to communicate with spirits. However, Adelaide’s exploitation of Beatrice’s condition will put all three women in danger.

 

When Beatrice unexpectedly disappears from the tea shop, there is no way of knowing whether she is running from her friends or whether she has been taken against her will. As Eleanor and Adelaide work to find her, they are forced to confront their own pasts as well. Their journey exposes the dangers of being strong, powerful women at a time when this labelled them as witches.

 

This novel is well-researched and well-written – it is a history of women’s rights at a time when there weren’t many. It shows the strength that can be found when women work together, to gain control over their own reproductive health. These three women are forced to navigate the glamour and the dangers of the city using any means possible, even witchcraft. The novel is atmospheric and even sometimes magical, but the plot is unfocused and loses momentum at times. While it is not as strong as McKay’s first novel, The Birth House, it is still a compelling story that will likely be followed with a sequel or even a series. If it does, I will certainly keep reading about these strong, impressive women.

 

I received this book from Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Was Not the Plan - Cristina Alger

Touchstone, October 18, 2016.

Three Stars

Charlie Goldwyn had his whole life planned out – happy marriage, adorable son and a career on partner-track at a prestigious New York law firm. However, his plans changed drastically when his wife died in a tragic accident, leaving him to be a single dad to five-year-old Caleb. Charlie spends all his time at the law firm, determined to be more successful than his estranged father. Meanwhile, Caleb is at home with Charlie’s sister Zadie, who becomes a surrogate mother to the quirky young boy.

Everything changes again for Charlie when he makes one humiliating mistake at an office party, and the video goes viral. Charlie suddenly finds himself unemployed and faced with spending his summer at home alone with Caleb – he loves his son, but the emotional distance between them is difficult. Caleb is an old soul – obsessed with natural disasters and fascinated with girls’ clothing, he is an outcast at his snobby preschool. Charlie is also intimidated by the other parents at the school, who seem to have it all together while he is struggling just to get Caleb dressed in the morning.

This Was Not the Plan explores themes of fatherhood and male identity in a surprisingly thoughtful and fresh way. Charlie and Caleb both grow throughout the novel, developing into realistic and flawed human beings. When Charlie reconnects with his own estranged father, he learns the importance of small moments and being present for family. The Goldwyn family is filled with unique, distinct characters, convincing and real.

This novel is fairly formulaic, with no big surprises or plot twists – even the truth about Charlie’s wife’s death is not all that shocking – but it doesn’t matter, because the strength of this story is in its characters. Even though the plot is predictable, it is entertaining and multidimensional. The novel is quick and light, with just a bit of an edge. It is unique because of the exploration of perceived gender roles – a single dad and a son exploring his identity – but other than that, the story isn’t all that memorable. In fact, I had to keep looking up the plot description to remind me what it was about. This book is more of a palate cleanser – a heartfelt, comforting read. It is not my usual genre, but sometimes you just need a happy ending.

I received this book from Touchstone and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Other Einstein - Marie Benedict

Sourcebooks Landmark, October 18, 2016.

 

Three Stars

 

This novel tells the story of Albert Einstein’s first wife, Mileva Maric, who was a fellow student of his in an elite physics program in Zurich. As the only woman in the program, Mileva caught Albert’s attention immediately, and they formed a strong friendship based on their common interests. Mileva was a brilliant scientist in her own right, and she falls for Albert with the expectation that the two of them will share a life as equals in love and work.

 

As Albert Einstein gained fame and recognition, he cast a dark shadow over Mileva’s achievements. They supposedly shared their work, and yet Albert increasingly refused to acknowledge Mileva’s contributions. Mileva’s part in Einstein’s special theory of relativity has been debated for over a century, with no conclusion. In Benedict’s novel, she writes that Mileva was in fact the originator of the theory – but in her author’s note, she tells us that this is fiction, although the wives of famous men are often contributors behind the scenes.

 

Mileva and Albert had a complex, troubling relationship, according to Benedict. Although there seems to be a consensus that Albert did emotionally abuse Mileva, he is portrayed here as a monster, with no facets to his personality. It’s difficult to parse out the truth from this novel – of course it is a fictional account, but the author is portraying a historical figure and so it should be rooted in truth. However, historians aren’t in agreement over the story of Albert and Mileva, and that makes this a difficult novel to read. Even the author seems to have her doubts about the truth of her story.

 

I think it is best not to read this novel as historical fact – instead, Mileva can be seen as an example of women of her time: overshadowed by a famous husband, fighting for equality and paving the way for the women of today. Mileva subsumed her own ambitions in order to support her husband and raise their children, and she hid her own discoveries so that Einstein could take the credit.

 

The relationship between Albert and Mileva as portrayed by Benedict was difficult to read, especially the dark scenes of emotional abuse. As a character study, it was well written – but without a basis in reality, it might have been better if Benedict had written about a fictional marriage. This novel was filled with extreme suffering and all-consuming melodrama, and I would have preferred more intellectual conversation between Mileva and Albert – this is the story of Einstein and his theory of relativity, and yet it lacks any scientific content. As a novel, it was good – but I felt like the name Einstein was thrown into the title just to sell books, instead of actually telling us anything real about the famous physicist and his equally brilliant wife.

 

I received this book from Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.