Fiction Reviews, April 15, 2011
Apr 15, 2011
Antunes, Antonio Lobos. The Land at the End of the World. Norton. May 2011. c.256p. ISBN 9780393077766. $24.95. F
The brutal war that the Portuguese waged against their rebellious African colony Angola in the early 1970s turned Portugal’s self-image as a bearer of civilization on its head. Now the author of 20 novels, Lobo Antunes (b. 1942) was a medic in Angola between 1971 and 1973, and the horrors of his experience provided the theme of his earliest novels, including this, his second, published in 1979. What readers find here is a confession to a lonely and unnamed lover by the narrator, for whom the bloodshed of the Angolan battlefields has expanded to create an entire world in putrefaction. In Luanda, shimmering shabbily in the African heat and humidity, he courts whores in tawdry cabarets while awaiting passage to the combat zone, where he will bandage amputees, debride wounds, and rotate tourniquets. VERDICT Masterfully constructed as a tapestry of words and metaphors and here presented in a new translation more conscientious than its 1983 predecessor (called South of Nowhere), this is one of the great war novels of our time. [See Prepub Alert, 11/8/10.]—Jack Shreve, Allegany Coll. of Maryland, Cumberland
Black, Benjamin. A Death in Summer. Holt. Jul. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780805090925. $25. F
In the latest release (after Elegy for April) from Black (a pen name for John Banville), Detective Inspector Hackett calls his longtime adviser, Quirke, to investigate the shotgun suicide of “Diamond Dick” Jewell, a much-despised newspaper publisher. Quirke, a pathologist with family ties to Dublin’s upper class, does not need long to determine that murder is the likely cause of death, although the exact motive remains elusive. With questionable ethics, Quirke rapidly becomes infatuated with Françoise d’Aubigny, Jewell’s captivating estranged widow, and falls off the wagon. Phoebe, Quirke’s fragile, complex adult daughter, again plays a role when she becomes acquainted with Dannie Jewell, the deceased’s sister, and begins to discover some dark secrets involving a grim orphanage and its wealthy benefactors, all members of the mysterious Friends of St. Christopher’s. VERDICT Black’s mysteries are not black and white with cut-and-dried villains behind bars at the conclusion. However, readers looking for more character development and ambiguity than Stieg Larsson’s popular Scandinavian thrillers offer will enjoy getting to know Quirke and Hackett by picking up this book and Black’s previous works. [See Prepub Alert, 12/12/10; library marketing.]—Christine Perkins, Bellingham P.L., WA
Cary, Lorene. If Sons, Then Heirs. Atria: S. & S. May 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9781451610222. $24. F
Issues of love, responsibility, property, race, and redemption abound in Cary’s (The Price of a Child; Pride) latest novel. A young Jewell Thompson abandons her son, Lonnie, to Nana Selma, who raises the seven-year-old boy on the family farm in South Carolina, “heir property” that Selma has kept for years by dint of backbreaking labor and stubbornness. At issue is Selma’s strong love of the land and how it can be maintained in a dysfunctional, scattered family. Alternating between the present and the past, the novel is weakened by slow pacing, flat dialog, and sundry legal discussions. Both the major and minor players become dull in the details. VERDICT Those familiar with Cary’s excellent 1991 memoir, Black Ice, may be tempted to give this novel a chance, but the book never really finds its rhythm and ultimately disappoints.—Sally Harrison, Ocean Cty. Lib., Waretown, NJ
Dave, Laura. The First Husband. Viking. May 2011. c.244p. ISBN 9780670022670. $25.95. F
Annie Adams’s life is on the verge of bursting into full bloom. Having moved to L.A. with her director boyfriend, she finds success as a travel writer, and Nick’s career is about to skyrocket him to fame. Then one day Nick comes home and tells Annie he’s done with their relationship. After days of depression, Annie musters the energy to dress up and hit the town, where she meets Griffin. Sparks fly immediately, and she soon finds herself married and living in a small Massachusetts town where Griffin is opening his own restaurant. But while Annie loves Griffin, she is conflicted about her new life. Griffin’s lovely ex lives around the corner, and Griffin’s brother, Jesse, and Jesse’s twin boys end up living with the newlyweds. Then Annie loses her travel column and faces life in a small town with personal complications and no job direction. When Nick arrives to take her back, she has to make a difficult decision. VERDICT Dave follows The Divorce Party and London Is the Best City in America with this page-turning story about modern love and what makes one feel safe and at home. It is sure to attract readers who enjoy Emily Giffin.—Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC
Farnsworth, Christopher. The President’s Vampire: A Nathaniel Cade Novel. Putnam. May 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780399157394. $24.95. F
Nathaniel Cade is one of the undead, a secret weapon in the arsenal of the president of the United States in the war against monsters of the Other Side. It’s the present day, and savage reptilian beasts cooked up in the laboratory of a supersecret agency are wreaking havoc. The bite of one creature turns a human into a mindless, killing nightmare. Fortunately, Cade’s superhuman strength and cunning have enabled him to destroy these monsters, but he now faces an entire army. There are plenty of chills and thrills as Cade and his mortal pal/handler Zach Barrows attempt to outwit and outmaneuver the devious mind behind this diabolical plan. The plot is so intricate that sometimes it’s hard to tell who the good guys are—except for Zach and Cade, of course. VERDICT Readers who enjoy adventure with a compelling cast of characters will enjoy this clever, witty sequel to Blood Oath.—Patricia Altner, Biblioinfo.com, Columbia, MD
Goldbloom, Goldie. The Paperbark Shoe. Picador. Apr. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780312674502. pap. $15. F
In the 1940s, 18,000 Italian prisoners of war were sent to Australia to work, some of them on isolated farms in the western part of the country. Antonio and Gianpaolo, known as John, are assigned to the Toad family. A young couple with two small children, the Toads are feared by their neighbors. The diminutive husband secretly maintains a museum of vintage ladies corsets, while his wife, “Gin,” is an albino whom he rescued from an asylum, totally forsaken by her family. Their world changes for the better when the two POWs arrive; the four adults become friends, and the Italians open the Toads’ worldview. During a fishing trip, however, Gin witnesses her husband in an intimate embrace with the young, handsome John and uses their relationship to justify her own with Antonio, with whom she has fallen in love. But her plan to return to Italy with Antonio is shattered when he receives terrible news from home. VERDICT Winner in manuscript of a 2008 AWP Award and published in a limited edition as Toads’ Museum of Freaks and Wonders, this heartfelt tale succeeds in every way. Goldbloom has a real gift for persuasively conveying people and events that are strange, disgusting, and beautiful.—Lisa Rohrbaugh, National Coll. Lib., OH
Habila, Helon. Oil on Water. Norton. May 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9780393339642. pap. $14.95. F
In this latest novel from Nigerian-born Habila (Measuring Time), winner of the Commonwealth Prize for Waiting for an Angel as well as the Caine Prize for African Writing, journalists Rufus and his idol, the has-been Zaq, hunt through the polluted Niger delta for the wife of a British oil executive—and for the big story that will save their careers. The local militants use kidnapping to fund a war with the Nigerian army and the international oil companies, whose activities have polluted the delta waters and displaced entire villages. As they navigate the rivers of the delta, with its devastated villages, army bases, and rebel camps under the shadow of the gas flares that light up the sky, and witness the awful violence and environmental destruction, the two men eventually find themselves in search of their own lives. VERDICT The accessible writing style and the focus on personal stories will appeal to a wide range of American readers, including those new to African fiction. And while Oil on Water lacks the level of historical and cultural background found in works by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, readers will find much to appreciate here.—Pamela Mann, St. Mary’s Coll. of Maryland, St. Mary’s City
Hansen, Ron. A Wild Surge of Guilty Passion. Scribner. Jun. 2011. c.272p. ISBN 9781451617559. $25. F
Ruth Snyder is found bound and gagged in her own hallway, and her husband has been murdered in his sleep. Given her superficial injuries and implausible explanations, detectives soon suspect her of being involved. Hansen (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) follows this grisly first chapter with a flashback to the beginning of Ruth’s adulterous relationship with corset and brassiere salesman Judd Gray. A fictionalized version of a sensational murder and subsequent execution in 1920s New York, the book overflows, at times too blatantly, with period detail. While he has not written a mystery—the perpetrators are identified in the first chapter—the author attempts to describe the frustration, sexual tension, and alcoholism that led to the crime. VERDICT Occasionally distracting from the story with particulars of the era’s products, buildings, and current events, the author has nevertheless created an entertaining and sexy crime novel for adult readers. Although not technically a mystery, this book should also be popular with fans of hard-boiled crime novels.—John R. Cecil, Austin, TX
Hodgkinson, Amanda. 22 Britannia Road. Pamela Dorman: Viking. May 2011. c.321p. ISBN 9780670022632. $25.95. F
This debut novel moves between wartime Poland and postwar England as it follows the shifting fortunes of Janusz Nowak and his wife, Silvana. Their young marriage is tested by the German invasion as Janusz enlists and Silvana finds herself left behind in Warsaw with their young son, Aurek. Janusz loses his regiment and ends up in England after spending time on a farm in France, where he has a passionate love affair. Silvana and Aurek escape into the forest and endure years of privation and abuse at the hands of their protectors. Their unexpected postwar family reunion is marred by the guilty secrets they each harbor. And in spite of Janusz’s good job and comfortable home, the path to happiness is complicated by Aurek’s mistrust of his father and the appearance of a dashing widower with a murky past, who is drawn to Silvana. VERDICT Fans of novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and Sarah’s Key, who can never have too much of a good war story, will warm to this fine debut. Recommended.—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Kingston, Ont.
Humphreys, C.C. Vlad: The Last Confession. Sourcebooks. May 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9781402253515. pap. $15.99. F
In bringing to life the brutal era of 15th-century Ottoman-dominated eastern Europe, historical novelist Humphreys (Jack Absolute) focuses on the reign of Wallachian prince Vlad Dracula (1431–76), known throughout the ages as the Impaler. The story begins with Vlad and his younger brother, Radu, as hostages of the Sultan. All goes well for them until their father betrays his word. Radu is made a slave of the Sultan’s son, and Vlad is sent to the infamous Turkish prison of Tokat. During his captivity, he is educated in the brutal art of torture, including the horrifying technique of impaling. He learns his lessons well. When eventually freed, he returns to Wallachia and makes war on his enemies, combining his fervent Christian beliefs with a brutality that shocks even the most jaded. VERDICT While Vlad’s brutal acts might have inspired the name of Bram Stoker’s fictional vampire, the historical man has nothing to do with that classic novel. His real story is engrossing and heavy, with a darkness some readers may find very disturbing.—Patricia Altner, Columbia, MD
Huntington, Chris. Mike Tyson Slept Here. Boaz, dist. by New Harbinger. May 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9781893448100.pap. $14.95. F
Twenty-two years old and fresh out of college, Brant Gilmour is disappointed he didn’t get into the Peace Corps as he had planned. Still hoping to “do good,” he takes a job teaching GED courses in the Indiana prison Mike Tyson made famous when he was incarcerated there. The story of Brant’s first year on the job and his relationship with fellow teacher and girlfriend Isa form the frame of this slight novel, which is punctuated by chapters told from the point of view of minor characters. The light tone provides both gallows humor and insight into the prison life from those who provide services to the prisoners (education, health care) as well as the guards. First-time author Huntington won the 2009 Fabri Literary Prize for this well-written look at what happens to good people toiling to help the not-so-good. VERDICT Highly readable, wry, and thought-provoking, this novel should appeal to a wide audience as well as to readers of such popular prison-themed narratives as Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redmption and The Green Mile.—Nancy Fontaine, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
Kelman, Stephen. Pigeon English. Houghton Harcourt. Jul. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780547500607. $24. F
Ten-year-old Harrison Opuku has recently immigrated to London from Ghana. Harri is a joyous child who loves everyone—the pigeon on his balcony, his baby sister still in Ghana, the girl who sits next to him in class, his parents, his teachers, and the neighborhood thief with an appealing dog. Less easy to like, let alone love, are the members of the Dell Farm Crew, a local gang whose threats make every school day a challenge. When a classmate is murdered, Harri and his friend decide to discover the killer. As this charming boy gets closer to a solution, readers will feel their adrenaline start pumping, hoping Harri will succeed and remain safe. VERDICT Narrated by Harri in a laugh-out-loud combination of Ghanaian and British slang, this first novel places readers in the London of large housing projects where legal and illegal immigrants struggle to make new lives for themselves, where crime is a way of life, and where a good-hearted boy is an anomaly. If your patrons liked Roddy Doyle’s Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and if they rooted for Jamal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire, they will love Harri Opuku. [See Prepub Alert, 1/17/11.]—Andrea Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS
McInerney, Monica. At Home with the Templetons. Ballantine. May 2011. c.496p. ISBN 9780345518651. pap. $15. F
Who wouldn’t be fascinated by the Templetons? Henry Templeton, a charming Englishman, and his family come to Australia to take up residence in the large stately home willed to them. They set about turning the grand manor into a historical replica of 1860s Australia, giving tours in costume on weekends and generating more gossip than friendship. However, one of the locals, Nina Donovan, is drawn to the clan when her son, Tom, befriends young Spencer Templeton. McInerney’s latest novel is an exploration of the relationships in the Donovan and Templeton families and the ways their families intersect over the years. For each character, truth becomes a central theme. Who controls the truth and who knows it at any given time? What is the truth of the Templetons? VERDICT McInerney is not a stranger to writing about strong families (Those Faraday Girls; Alphabet Sisters), and that experience shines through here. Highly recommended for fans of complex characters and compelling prose. [Three-city tour by request; library marketing.]—Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz, Cleveland P.L.
Malmont, Paul. The Astounding, the Amazing, and the Unkown. S. & S. Jul. 2011. c.400p. ISBN 9781439168936. $26. F
In 1908, did the mad genius Nikola Tesla, who beat out Edison in the Battle of the Currents (which should it be, AC or DC?), invent but then hide a death ray, a weapon that could blow a fleet of enemy bombers out of the sky in one instant? By 1943, it looks like the Germans have some very nasty tricks up their sleeves. So writer Robert Heinlein, in charge of the “Kamikaze Group,” a think tank composed mainly of his fellow science fiction writers—Isaac Asimov, L. Sprague de Camp, and L. Ron Hubbard are among them—sets out to find the truth. If a death ray exists, they’re determined to locate it and make it work—for America’s side! Time and again, you’ll think there couldn’t possibly be any more new plot twists in this madcap adventure by the author of The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril and Jack London in Paradise, but five pages later a new one will hit you on the head. VERDICT Anyone who loves the science fiction of the 1930s and 1940s will want to read this delightful romp. It’s so much fun that it virtually defines what light fiction should be. [See Prepub Alert, 1/24/11.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Montefiore, Santa. The Mermaid Garden. Touchstone: S. & S. May 2011. c.432p. ISBN 9781451624304. $24.99. F
Marina Turner is advertising for an artist in residence to spend the summer teaching residents of her Devon country house hotel how to paint. Desperate to attract enough guests to Hotel Polzanze to stave off financial disaster, she is thrilled when talented and handsome Rafa Santoro turns up. Sure enough, people flock to the charming painter, including Marina’s miserable stepdaughter, Clementine. But Rafa has a hidden agenda, Marina has secrets, and Clementine seems unable to let go of past hurts. It is a testament to Montefiore’s talent as a writer that the initially very unpleasant Clementine becomes more likable as the novel progresses and that change is convincingly shown to come about when Clementine finally allows herself to be happy. VERDICT Montefiore (The French Gardener) has written another lovely fairy tale for grown-ups, intertwining two stories separated by time and place. Fans of women’s fiction will be moved by the characters and eager to find out what happens to them. Lush descriptions of gardens in Tuscany and Devon add to the novel’s charm, and the beautiful cover is sure to attract the eye.—Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA
Pagán, Camille Noe. The Art of Forgetting. Dutton. Jun. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9780525952190. $25.95. F
Pagán’s debut novel explores the fantasy of pondering the what-ifs in life. Marissa and her best friend, Julia, have a rapport and dynamic well established since high school, where Marissa unconsciously let her gorgeous and well-liked friend shine because of her own lack of self-confidence. However, when Julia is suddenly hit by a car and sustains a brain injury that affects her memory and personality, both women are faced with how their past decisions and actions have unknowingly led them to the present. Specifically, Julia regrets her role in Marissa’s breakup with Nathan, who was seemingly the love of her life. When Nathan reenters their lives, the friends must confront the bigger question of how to move forward and learn to forgive. VERDICT This page-turner with original, likable, empathetic characters and an identifiable theme will attract readers who enjoy intelligent novels about women’s friendships.—Anne M. Miskewitch, Chicago P.L.
Patterson, James & Maxine Paetro. 10th Anniversary. Little, Brown. May 2011. c.448p. ISBN 9780316036269. $27.95. F
Gone, baby, gone. Patterson’s tenth novel in the Women’s Murder Club (WMC) series (after The 9th Judgment) opens with a missing baby. Sgt. Lindsay Boxer is assigned a case that leaves her little time to enjoy her new marriage. A nearly naked teenage girl, bleeding and incoherent, is found stumbling out of the woods by passing motorists. Hospital tests reveal that she had recently given birth. So where is the baby? Meanwhile, Boxer’s friend, attorney Yuki Castellano, is prosecuting the case of a doctor accused of murdering her husband. But did she really do it? Castellano is unhappy when Boxer starts questioning the foundations of her case. Another friend, crime reporter Cindy Thomas, might have gotten herself in too deep when she starts investigating a local rapist. VERDICT Patterson and coauthor Paetro spin a fast-paced triple mystery that expertly weaves the stories together. It is the distinct yet complementary personalities of the WMC members that make the story’s heart beat. Highly recommended for series fans as well as readers who enjoy David Baldacci, Patricia Cornwell, and John Grisham.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s., MD
Perry, Thomas. The Informant: A Butcher Boy Novel. Penzler: Houghton Harcourt. May 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9780547569338. $27. F
Some two decades after his first war with the Mafia, Perry’s hit man is back in this engaging follow-up to the author’s Edgar Award–winning debut, The Butcher’s Boy. Retired for the last ten years, the Butcher’s Boy is forced to take action when the same crime family who betrayed him years ago finally tracks him down. To counter the threat, he knows he must wipe out enough mob bosses to make them all back off. For help, he contacts Elizabeth Waring, now high up in the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Division. She knows the hit man is potentially the most important informant the department has ever had, but her boss is unwilling to cooperate with such an unsavory character. Risking her own job and life, she enters an uneasy relationship with the Butcher’s Boy as he launches a series of ingenious and devastating attacks against the mob. VERDICT The author of the Jane Whitefield series and numerous stand-alone thrillers (most recently Strip), Perry is a consummate craftsman. No one makes killing bad guys more fun, no one is smarter at blending research and invention, and no one offers a higher body count of ingenious hits. Highly recommended for fans of crime fiction. [See Prepub Alert, 1/21/11.]—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tuscon
Rendell, Ruth. Tigerlily’s Orchids. Scribner. Jun. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781439150344. $26. F
Known for her superb Inspector Wexford mysteries (The Monster in the Box), Rendell also pens psychologically centered suspense novels (Portobello). The plot of her latest is shaped by Lichfield House, a London apartment building, and the people who inhabit it. They are a varied cast, ranging from a narcissistic young man entangled in an unsatisfactory love affair to a misanthropic alcoholic determined to drink herself to death. While the story revolves around a housewarming party that leads to murder, the mystery takes second billing to the characters themselves. Their struggles, unexpected joys, and inevitable disappointments fill Rendell’s pages in a slower pace that allows readers to feel as if they are really getting to know these fragile human beings. The penetrating prose communicates moments of tragedy and humor. VERDICT This would appeal to readers of P.D. James, Margaret Yorke, and those who enjoy psychological mysteries. [See Prepub Alert, 12/20/10.]—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MI
Sakey, Marcus. The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes. Dutton. Jun. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780525952114. $25.95. F
Sakey’s (The Blade Itself; Good People) latest thriller begins with Daniel Hayes, naked and nearly drowned, lying in the surf off the coast of Maine. Suffering from amnesia and a vague feeling of guilt, he believes the answers to his current state lie in Los Angeles and heads there trying to find his identity. He discovers that he is a successful screenwriter and that his glamorous TV star wife has just been murdered in a car accident. The cops are after him as a suspect, and a blackmailing hard guy is also pursuing him. Still, he remembers only bits and pieces, just enough to make him suspect even his wife. VERDICT The action is fast-paced, the tension is nearly constant, and there are more twists in the plot than in a double helix. Sakey is a master at nudging characters out of their element, ratcheting up the suspense and then, just as resolution seems near, doing it again. A possible threat to readers’ cardiac health and a likely candidate for Hollywood interest. [See Prepub Alert, 12/13/10.]—Roland Person, emeritus, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Santiago, Esmeralda. Conquistadora. Knopf. Jul. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780307268327. $26.95. F
The multitalented author of When I Was Puerto Rican offers a big, bold novel about life on a Caribbean sugar plantation in the mid-19th century. Ana Cubillas, the descendant of Latin American conquistadors, is unhappy with the confined life of a young woman in Spain. She marries Ramon Argoso and encourages him and his twin, Inocente, to take over their family’s plantation in Puerto Rico. So begins the saga of Ana’s determination to revive the plantation in the face of all obstacles, from hurricanes to cholera epidemics to slave revolts. Is Ana an admirable example of female endurance, or does her relentless ambition only bring tragedy to her family? Can we have any sympathy for someone whose success comes from the backbreaking slavery of others? These are the questions Santiago poses in this lively, well-researched historical novel. VERDICT With drama, adventure, and even a bit of magical realism, Conquistadora may remind readers of Isabel Allende’s novels of Latin America. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 1/31/11.]—Leslie Patterson, Rehoboth, MA
Sullivan, J. Courtney. Maine. Knopf. Jun. 2011. c.386p. ISBN 9780307595126. $25.95. F
Beautiful, fractious, and 83 years old, Alice Kelleher rules her children—especially her daughter, Kathleen, and her daughter-in-law, Anne Marie—with her cruel and callous speech. Granddaughter Maggie fares a little better, largely owing to her desperate need to serve as peacemaker. At the heart of this compelling novel of three generations of women emotionally stunted by fate and willful stubbornness is the family vacation property in Cape Neddick, ME, where the Kellehers have convened for six decades. Thirty-two-year-old Maggie is single, newly pregnant, and abandoned. Her mother, the abrasively immature at sixtyish Kathleen, leaves her California “worm poop” farm and lovely partner, Arlo, to get Maggie to come to her senses regarding this pregnancy. As for Anne Marie, she struggles to maintain the outward appearance of the saintly martyr watching over Alice, who could slay an elephant with her narcissism. VERDICT In her second novel (after Commencement), Sullivan brilliantly lays out the case for the nearly futile task of these three generations of badly damaged Irish Catholic women seeking acceptance from one another while failing badly at self-acceptance. [See Prepub Alert, 11/29/10.]—Beth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI
Szereto, Mitzi. Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts. Cleis Pr.Jul. 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9781573446631. pap. $15.95. F
Elizabeth Bennett simmers with burgeoning passions while Mr. Darcy is pursued most ardently by both Mr. and Miss Bingley in this latest Austen knockoff. Veteran erotic author Szereto (In Sleeping Beauty’s Bed: Erotic Fairy Tales) has produced a clever retelling that is by turns lusty, literary, and just plain ludicrous. Lydia Bennett’s frenzied nymphomania, Mr. Bennett’s fondness for dirty pictures, and Lady Catherine’s skill at using a horsewhip to discipline naughty parishioners are among the more comical elements of Szereto’s spicy homage, while Bingley’s nocturnal visits to Darcy’s chamber and Charlotte’s inordinate fondness for Elizabeth add a dash of slash. The endless graphic sex may grow tedious to some, but enough romantic tension à la Austen is present to give the novel the extra gas needed to propel readers to the final denouement. VERDICT Austen purists will be shocked right out of their chemises, but Szereto has done a credible enough job of approximating the great one’s style to make this a rousing and rollicking read for Austenites blessed with both an open mind and a sense of humor, as well as fans of literotica in general.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon P.L., NY
Thompson, John Milliken. The Reservoir. Other. Jun. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9781590514443. pap. $15.95. F
Historian and debut novelist Thompson mined a treasure trove of documents and background detail for this novel, based on an actual murder and trial set in 1880s Richmond, VA. The book begins like any procedural drama—a body found in the city reservoir, a grisly autopsy, the assembling of evidence—but Thompson creates a backstory for the individuals involved. Lillie Madison, an attractive flirt, toys with the affections of her cousins, brothers Willie and Tommie. Willie is a stoic farmer who defers to his younger brother, but Tommie, an ambitious lawyer, doesn’t want to endanger his fledgling career when Lillie becomes pregnant. Did Tommie actually kill Lillie at the reservoir, or did Lillie commit suicide? Thompson masterfully illustrates how a seemingly clear-cut case can be filled with ambiguities. Newspaper coverage sensationalizes Tommie’s trial and influences the outcome, while Tommie’s lawyers and judges, honored veterans of the Confederacy, already seem like antiquated figures. Thompson puts us in the middle of Reconstruction-era Richmond, a Southern city emerging into modern times. VERDICT While not as ponderous as Caleb Carr’s The Alienist, for example, this novel will appeal to readers of historically accurate fiction.—Reba Leiding, James Madison Univ. Libs., Harrisonburg, VA
Towles, Amor. Rules of Civility. Viking. Jul. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780670022694. $26.95. F
On New Year’s Eve 1937, at a jazz bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, Katey and Eve are charmed by the handsome and successful Tinker Grey. The three become fast friends and spend early 1938 exploring the town together, until a car accident permanently injures Eve. Feeling guilty, Tinker, the driver, takes care of Eve and unsuccessfully tries to love her. Despite the presence and initial impact of Tinker and Eve, though, this first novel is about Katey’s 1938. Eve moves on, and Tinker fades, but Katey, the narrator, stays to challenge the New York bourgeois unwaveringly with her acerbic wit, capturing the attention of several doting men. She quits her job as a typist and pursues a career as editor of a respected, if risqué, society magazine. And Katey does it without a handout (she thinks). VERDICT Historical love story. Snappy dialog and sophisticated characters. A romantic look at the difficulties of being a New Yorker. But not, as the publisher suggests, reminiscent of Fitzgerald, though similar themes (class, betrayal, despair) arise. This novel would, however, make a nice (contemporary) companion to novels like The Great Gatsby and is thusly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 1/17/11.]—Stephen Morrow, Ohio Univ., Columbus
Watson, Christie. Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away. Other. May 2011. c.448p. ISBN 9781590514665. pap. $15.95. F
Only a strong writer can create a lyrical novel that has the gripping quality of nonfiction, yet Watson captures this in her debut. Here she assumes the identity of 12-year-old Blessing, whose young life is marked by newness and uncertainty. The novel opens in Nigeria with the seemingly perfect life that Blessing shares with her mother, father, and older brother, Ezekiel. When Father, as he is known, suddenly casts them away for another woman, they take refuge with Blessing’s maternal grandparents in a culture entirely different from the one to which they are accustomed. As the broken family copes with living sparely, Blessing comes to terms with the reality of her once “perfect” life and learns, through crooked law enforcement agents, unsympathetic teachers, and the violent Sibeye Boys, that the world is larger than she once thought and not nearly as welcoming. VERDICT Confronting issues of race, class, and religion, this work ponders idealistic ignorance in a way that is reminiscent of Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease. Watson’s story will appeal to readers of African and literary fiction.—Ashanti White, Univ. of North Carolina, Greensboro
Short stories
Doyle, Roddy. Bullfighting. Viking. May 2011. c.224p. ISBN 9780670022878. $25.95. F
In Doyle’s second short story collection, his unparalleled mastery of dialog and characterization pulses through 13 selections that deal with working men in midlife. A compelling sameness runs throughout these stories, which feature declining health, the mystery of fatherhood, and mostly comfortable domesticity, but in each tale Doyle adjusts his unifying theme in subtle ways to reveal startling moments of confusion and clarity. In the stunning title story, for example, four Dublin friends bound by shared history and habit vacation in Spain. They fall into a routine that resembles an extended version of their weekly gatherings at a local pub. This familiarity, though, is both disrupted and affirmed when the friends face a bull doomed to die in agony. VERDICT Doyle’s storytelling brilliance is evident on every page of this work. His exploration of how history shapes individual lives is particularly rewarding here, and many characters mention living through church scandals, the heady days of the Celtic Tiger, and two recessions. Their equilibrium, suggests Doyle, balances on shared suffering and hopes that resist these turbulences. Essential Doyle. [See Prepub Alert, 12/13/10.]—J. Greg Matthews, Washington State Univ. Libs., Pullman
Chick Lit Grows Up
Sones, Sonya. The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus: A Novel About Marriage, Motherhood and Mayhem. Harper: HarperCollins.Apr. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780062024671. pap. $13.99. F
In her first adult novel, an ode to the sandwich generation, Sones employs the same light, free-verse style that has made her young adult titles (Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy; One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies) so popular. Dodging her book editor’s calls, newly menopausal Holly finds no pleasant distraction in focusing on her family—a hospitalized mother suffering from ’roid rage and dementia, an only daughter going away to college, and a husband idling at his own midlife crossroads. Readers will smile when they see the “but” coming in a poem that begins, “My husband has many fine qualities” and sigh when Holly describes the ache she feels watching a young neighbor playing with her toddler. Somewhere between Nora Ephron and Jennifer Weiner, Sones recounts the little ouches of aging with a perfect blend of wit and tenderness. VERDICT This is what chick lit should want to be when it grows up—wise, funny, and blunt.—Karen Kleckner, Deerfield P.L., IL
Toth, Michelle. Annie Begins. sixoneseven. Apr. 2011. c.333p. ISBN 9780983150503. pap. $14.99. F
Though the blurb for this self-published title suggests a lighthearted “girl in the city searching for love” story, it has more depth and heart than that description implies. The eponymous Annie is a recent business school graduate working as the marketing head for an Internet start-up in Boston. The year is 1995, and the web is full of endless possibilities for making your mark. The mark Annie and her boss Stephen want to make is in the realm of online dating. Stephen has the idea and the programmers; Annie’s in charge of getting the company noticed. When not working 20 hours a day, Annie has hopes of gaining the interest of Paul Dennison, who’s going through a divorce. Though he sees Annie as a friend, she’d like their relationship to be something more. Problem is she’s just too busy to make it happen. And when her ailing young cousin sets out to fix Annie’s love life, Annie begins (thus the title!) to realize what’s she’s truly looking for. VERDICT Toth’s debut continues the genre’s trend away from glam life chick lit and toward a more realistic view of a young urban woman mastering life. It will appeal to Harriet Evans fans. [Toth is blogging about her adventures in self-publishing at anniebeginsthebook.blogspot.com.—Ed.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI
