Book Review: Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Photo taken from Fantastic Fiction

Book Info

   

Title:  Luna

Author:  Julie Anne Peters
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  145 pages

ISBN - 10:  0316011274

ISBN - 13:  978-0316011273

Source:  Purchased, National Book Store

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Summary

From Goodreads: 

"Regan's brother, Liam, can't stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, reveals herself only at night. For years, Liam has transformed himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be with the help from his sister's clothes and makeup in the secrecy of their basement bedrooms. Now, everything is about to change - Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives?

Compelling and provocative, this is a groundbreaking novel about a transgender teen's struggle for self-identity and acceptance."

Review

Picking this up from the store, I was not really sure what to expect in this book, Luna by Julie Anne Peters.  I thought this had some fantasy/paranormal influences, I should have known better, because it turns out it's as realistic as it gets.  I was initially bummed, not by the book but by my apparent ignorance, and then totally thrilled as this is definitely a unique book.  Not because it's about transgenders - who are people who have this feeling of 'being born in the wrong body' unlike gays and lesbians - but it's because it's a different account of living in the shadow of homophobia, as this was written through the point of view of a person closest to the transgender.

Regan's older brother Liam seems like your typical model teenage boy:  Straight A's, awesome side job, cool car, well-dressed, and quite approachable.  However, during the night, he would dress up in women's clothing and revel in the femininity of his appearance as Luna, his considered 'real' personality.  Regan is the only one who knows about Liam/Luna's situation, and try as she might, she can't shake off the fact that her brother is living a double life as it also consumes her daily living helping to cover up the truth, and being the only person that Liam/Luna can talk to about being transgender.

First off, the plot.  I loved that it discussed something as hugely misunderstood as transgender, and that the author did not shrink from laying the truth bare about these individuals - the daily struggles, the inner turmoil, and the oppression from other people.  The general misconception that they are automatically 'gay' was also touched upon, and although there were a few story-related questions bugging me by the end of the novel, it was very enlightening to read such an honest portrayal of a person in this situation.  It also sent a message to teenagers, transgender or not.  The message is acceptance.  Acceptance of who you really are.  In this case, since this is primarily Regan's story, it taught her not just acceptance of Liam's situation, but acceptance of herself as well.  A lesson that the youth are very likely to overlook.

The characters were very complex but likable, especially since they are obviously flawed and damaged.  Regan is farm from perfect:  Dislikes change, had a hard time taking responsibility for her own actions, isolates herself from other people, and - although fairly unnoticeable - ashamed of her brother's situation.  Liam on the other hand, is conflicted, while Luna is self-centered; but living in secret, what other choice does she have?  However, the character I am most concerned, intrigued, and irked with was their mother.  She was a mystery and I'm still confused about her intentions as regards to Liam's gender orientation.

The writing was very poignant, emotionally-charged, and lyrical.  Although Regan's point of view was used to narrate the story, I did not have any difficulty distinguishing the different characters' personalities from each other.  The voice was distinct and solid.  I also admired that this book had some very funny moments, even during times of intense drama.  A sense of humor was never taken for granted in the writing of this novel, something you would not normally expect in a story of this intensity. 

The message of acceptance in this book is very touching, and teens - even older readers - will surely be captivated by the beauty and melancholy of this story.

Rating

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Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Travels in the Scriptorium by Paul Auster

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

   

Title:  Travels in the Scriptorium

Author:  Paul Auster
Publisher:  Henry Holt and Co.

Language: English

Format:  Hardcover

Pages:  145 pages

ISBN - 10:  0805081453

ISBN - 13:  978-0805081459

Source:  Purchased, Book Sale

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Summary

From Goodreads: 

"An old man awakens, disoriented, in an unfamiliar chamber. With no memory of who he is or how he has arrived there, he pores over the relics on the desk, examining the circumstances of his confinement and searching his own hazy mind for clues. Both chilling and poignant, Travels in the Scriptorium is vintage Auster: mysterious texts, fluid identities, a hidden past, and, somewhere, an obscure tormentor. And yet, as we discover during one day in the life of the man--identified only as Mr. Blank--his world is not so different from our own."

Review

Travels in the Scriptorium by Paul Auster left me hanging, speechless, and confused.  It's a story about an old man who wakes up and finds himself in a strange room, not remembering how he even got there in the  first place.  He almost could not remember anything about himself, his past, and why he was in the room.  As he tries to work out the how, what, and why, a camera is revealed to be watching his every move.  I thought it would be something action-packed, a suspense thriller.  So how the novel turned out was pretty surprising - and that is not entirely a good thing.

Needing answers, I searched some more about this novel and found that this was a book whose characters were from Auster's other books, as well as some future works.  That was when understanding dawned on me:  This story is partly autobiographical, I wish I could say more about this concept but it would ruin the suspense.  Now, if this was not my first Auster read, I probably would have gotten it straight away.  Therefore, advice to readers:  Read this if you have already read other books by Paul Auster; if you have some on your TBR, bump them up and make sure to read them first before this book.

So confusion and subsequent enlightenment aside, the story was strangely engaging as Mr. Blank, the protagonist, struggled with his memory, read a report of a man on a mission, and pieced together said report's missing ending.  A story within a story, the characters were equally intriguing and charismatic, although they seem more caricatures than real people - which is exactly what drew me to them, because they did not seem real, and never tried to be.

The writing style was very unique as Auster approached the narration as if watching from a surveillance camera.  The reader, as if a voyeur, witnesses Mr. Blank's constant battle  with his forgetfulness, the mystery of his room, as well as the bigger mystery of the people who calls and visits him during the day.  The only knowledge that the reader is privy to without having to resort to monitoring him through the hidden camera and bugs is the old man's thoughts, which the narrator slips surreptitiously into the story.

I really regret not having read any of Auster's novels before, as he seemed to write very interesting and unique stories, and as it would help me get in on the joke way before I even finished reading this.  In a way, it was funny to read something like Travels in the Scriptorium and find some very familiar names that you were introduced to and are now haunting you in this book.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Tell-All by Chuck Palahniuk

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

   

Title:  Tell-All

Author:  Chuck Palahniuk
Publisher:  Anchor

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  192 pages

ISBN - 10:  0307389820

ISBN - 13:  978-0307389824

Source:  Purchased, National Book Store

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Summary

From Goodreads: 

"The hyperactive love child of Page Six and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? caught in a tawdry love triangle with The Fan. Even Kitty Kelly will blush. Soaked, nay, marinated in the world of vintage Hollywood, Tell-All is a Sunset Boulevard–inflected homage to Old Hollywood when Bette Davis and Joan Crawford ruled the roost; a veritable Tourette’s syndrome of rat-tat-tat  name-dropping, from the A-list to the Z-list; and a merciless  send-up of Lillian Hellman’s habit of butchering the truth that will have Mary McCarthy cheering from the beyond. Our Thelma Ritter–ish narrator is Hazie Coogan, who for decades has tended to the outsized needs of Katherine “Miss Kathie”  Kenton—veteran of multiple marriages, career comebacks, and cosmetic surgeries. But danger arrives with gentleman caller Webster Carlton Westward III, who worms his way into Miss Kathie’s heart (and boudoir). Hazie discovers that this bounder has already written a celebrity tell-all memoir foretelling Miss Kathie’s death in a forthcoming Lillian Hellman–penned musical extravaganza; as the body count mounts, Hazie must execute a plan to save Katherine Kenton for her fans—and for posterity. "

Review

If you are a big fan of Old Hollywood movies, Old Hollywood stars like Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and others, you best read this book as it incorporates into its fictional world the likes of Lillian Hellman, Hedda Hopper, and Walter Winchell.

Tell-All by Chuck Palahniuk relates the story of fading Hollywood star Katherine Kenton and how Hazie Coogan, her personal assistant discovers a murder plot by the latter's newest beau Webster Carlton Westward III through his celebrity tell-all book about Katherine, which documents how Katherine Kenton dies.  This morbid story of celebrity narcissism is told through Hazie's eyes in a very unique way:  Its narration is aided by this 'camera' that 'shows' the reader what he/she needs - or does not need - to witness.  It's like watching a movie on paper.

At first, this peculiar way of narration sort of muddles the reader's thoughts and distracts them from fully getting absorbed in the story, but as the plot progresses and the excitement builds, this unusual method even helps in fully understanding not only what is shown and explained, but what is implied and hidden.

The ways that Hazie and Katherine did to deflect the threatening ways in which the latter would be killed were so hilarious and downright ridiculous, and the excerpts from the fictional memoir so outrageously sexual and disgusting it's funny.  This book is filled with astounding amounts of humor without even intending to.

Like Old Hollywood stars' hidden scandals and tightly-kept secrets, this story is not all that it seems.  The discerning reader would be quick to point out inconsistencies in this book - which are not of an editorial nature, but which would help in understanding the direction that the plot would be taking towards the end.  A predictably-unpredictably ending would surely leave the reader "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" as sung by Helen O'Connell backed by the Jimmy Dorsey band.  If you've read this book, you perfectly know what I am talking about.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

Title:  These Things Hidden

Author:  Heather Gudenkauf
Publisher:  Mira 

Language: English

Format: Paperback

Pages:  352 pages

ISBN - 13:  9780778328797

ASIN:  0778328791

Source:  Random Acts of Kindness - Ash from English Major's Junk Food

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Summary

From Goodreads: 

"When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn—shy, quiet Brynn—who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister.

Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden."

Review

Have you ever read a book that had as much stories within a story than this book?  I for one, am very fascinated with how Heather Gudenkauf was able to pull off such a stunt in this book, This Things Hidden. 

The story begins with Allison as she was being released from prison and transferred to a halfway house.  She wanted to get in touch with her sister, Brynn, after years of separation.  They share a horrible secret between them that also affects the lives of two other women and one little boy:  Charm, a regular customer of Bookends - a bookstore that Claire owns - appears to be much more than a customer as it was revealed that she knows about Claire and her family a lot more than anyone thinks.  Claire, on the other hand, has adopted Joshua after she and her husband had learned that they would not be able to have any children and the first traumatic experience they had at foster care for a young girl.

A lot of story lines right there, right?  But believe me, it never gets confusing, not one bit!  Although there were some details there that would make you wonder why or how, but once everything comes full circle, you understand that in this book, everything is significant and has a purpose.  It is very methodical, the way this book was written, but at the same time, the prose is very imaginative and lyrical, and even has a sort of surreal quality the way most events were described.  The story shifts from various points of view:  Allison's and Brynn's - both told in first-person narrative, and then there are Charm's and Claire's both narrated by a third person.  This style actually gives you the idea that this story, though it revolves around four women, is mainly a story of two sisters who has years of secrets between them that would affect two other women's lives.  It was like the 'ripple effect,' although in this novel, there is not only one object that was thrown into the water to create a ripple, but two objects one at a time, creating ripples of their own, and with the first object's ripple causing another ripple from the second object's ripples that creates two other ripples.

Between the two sisters, I think I like Allison more.  No offense to Brynn - who has always resented the fact that her older sister always seemed better than her though she would not admit it - but Allison was able to hold her own in most situations and seemed genuinely to love her sister, although growing up they seemed to have a rough patch as she and her sister began to have different interests and sets of friends.  Brynn, on the other hand, seemed unable to get past the fact that Allison has already started growing up and growing out of their 'childish sisterhood.'  She seemed unable to grow up and when her sister genuinely asks for her help, she seemed to respond not out of love, but out of spite that finally, her seemingly-perfect older sister does not appear perfect at all and was also vulnerable to human intervention.  As with their book relationship, I was drawn more to Allison than Brynn.  The way their characters were created was so detailed but not over-documented that you only learn about them by reading the book.  No.  You read about them and you also form your own conclusions from what you have read as to why they act the way they do.  The same goes for the other characters who were also very passionately written, no matter how big or small a role they would play in this novel. 

I have always been curious about serious issues like teenage pregnancies, mental illness, and mother and child relationships and this book rolled all those into its pages and created an emotional, very well-thought out masterpiece that I am sure many readers would find themselves drawn into, even at times shedding tears not just for what goes on in this book, but also for how good this book turned out to be.

(Again, thank you so much Ash for sending me this book!  If any of you would like to be part of the Random Acts of Kindness event, head on over to Booksoulmates' blog to join.)

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Sea Glass by Anita Shreve

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Sea Glass 

Author:  Anita Shreve
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books

Language: English

Format:  Hardcover

Pages:  384 pages 

ISBN - 10:  9780316780810

ISBN - 13:  978-0316780810

Source:  Gift

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"It is a house on the beach. Honora doesn't mind renting - despite its age and all its flaws, the old house is the perfect place for a new marriage. She and Sexton throw themselves into fixing it up, just as they throw themselves into their new life together. Each morning, Honora collects sea glass washed up on the shore, each piece carrying a different story in its muted hues.

 

Sexton finds a way to buy the house, but his timing is perfectly wrong. The economy takes a sickening plunge, and as financial pressures mount, Honora begins to see how little she knows this man she has married - and to realize just how threatening the world outside her front door can be.

 

Like those translucent shards that Honora finds on the beach, Sea Glass is layered with the textures, colors, and voices of another time. There is Vivian, an irreverent Boston socialite who becomes Honora's closest friend even as she rejects every form of convention. McDermott, a man who works in a nearby mill, presses Honora's deepest notions of trust - even as he embroils her in a dangerous dispute. And there's Alphonse, a boy whose openness becomes the bond that holds these people together as their world is flying apart."

Review

One of the risks in writing a period novel is crowding your book with too much history that the story itself gets drowned within all the historical trivia.  Striking the perfect balance between historical fact and fiction is therefore essential in ensuring that the story presents an accurate portrayal of the chosen setting, yet dreamlike enough to remind the readers that they are traversing a fantastical realm.

 

Sea Glass by Anita Shreve is set in the Great Depression in America where it follows the lives of Honora and Sexton, a newlywed; Vivian, a flighty socialite; McDermott, a half-deaf Irish immigrant; and Alphonse, the young boy who has found a father figure in the latter; and Alice, Honora's mother.  Every chapter tells a story of a particular character that seamlessly blends into succeeding chapters that comes full circle towards the end.

 

In the tradition of this author's intense character examination, each of the cast in this book were given enough room to demonstrate their unique personalities and stories that by the end of this book, the reader feels like he/she is already friends with all characters and knows them inside out.  However, this does not mean that they are already very predictable; indeed, they - like the story itself - was very unpredictable and complex that the reader could only read on to learn what will happen next, any speculation as to what will come of this book would only be proven wrong towards the end.  But never fret, the ending is as remarkable, vivid, and profound as the rest of this story.

 

But.  Yes, I had a slight problem with this story.  I felt that it read a bit too slow and most of the significant events were all shown towards the ending and the beginning and middle chapters of this book was mostly dedicated to thoroughly examining each character's background.  I have no problem with detailed character descriptions, but this story had too much character background than need be.  There were a few other plot twists that could have been explored as related to each character's overview but were otherwise left untouched.  I think that leaving some threads hanging is not too much of a big deal but the character detailing could have been shortened a bit more in order to provide a better pace for this novel.

 

Other than the slow pace, I have no other issues with this book and would probably read this again and again.  In fact, my mother read this before I even had the chance to thumb through its pages and she was also very satisfied with how this turned out but felt that it did read a bit slow.  For those who do not mind an intensely detailed character overview and a slightly slow-paced book, Sea Glass would prove to be a very magically realistic story of that sadly unforgettable time of the Great Depression. 

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Bella by Steve Piacente

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Bella 

Author:  Steve Piacente
Publisher:  CreateSpace

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  266 pages

ISBN-10:  1451571615

ISBN-13:  978-1451571615

Source:  Won from the author

Buy this book on Amazon 

Website

Summary

From Goodreads:

"A striking widow intent on proving the military lied about her husband's death lures a Washington journalist into the investigation. Working together, they discover the power of temptation, the futility of revenge, and the consequences of yielding to either."

Review

This book is my first-ever book giveaway win.  And you know what?  It definitely is an epic win!

Bella by Steve Piacente is about a woman's struggle to find out the truth about her soldier husband's death, and to reveal the truth to the whole nation.  Helping her win her cause is cocky and jaded newspaper reporter Dan Patragno whose life may have been tainted by this beautiful widow's entrance into his life.

At its core, Bella is not just a book that solves a mystery, nor is it only to document a woman's search for truth.  Like its title character, Bella is a complex story that will lure, tease, taunt, and leave you wanting for more.  Told through the eyes of Dan, the voice is bitter yet fascinated by this extraordinary woman.  But as much as it is about Bella's charm, struggles, frustrations, and complexities, it is also Dan's own as he is shown dealing with his problems that may or may not be caused by the appearance of Bella in his life.  Reading through his account, the reader cannot help but be torn between Dan's own opinions and Bella's demonstrated behavior.  The different aspects of Bella's multi-dimensional personality that is written in the book contradicts with each other, as we witness her transform from angry woman to aggrieved widow to charming temptress.  It is easy enough to agree with everything Dan tells us about this woman, yet we could not help but be caught off guard by the actual Bella gracing the pages of this book who appears so unpredictably predictable.

The premise of the story also holds its own as it compels the readers to immediately pick up this book as soon as one reads the blurb and synopsis.  Who can resist mysteries?  And then once the pages are turned, readers would be pleasantly surprised to realize that the story has a lot more to offer than the gratification of solving a mysterious case.  Actually, the purported mystery in this novel is solved early that leaves more room to explore Bella's character herself, which appears to be the main focus for this book - quite naturally since this is a book entitled Bella, right?

I would like to congratulate the author in crafting such a creative and emotional masterpiece that would surely beguile every reader's book desires and lure and trap them as Bella unconsciously did to Dan Patragno but unlike the latter, the reader would learn a very valuable lesson without getting too beaten up to appreciate it.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  The Pilot's Wife 

Author:  Anita Shreve
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
Language: English

Format:  Mass Market Paperback 

Pages:  320 pages

ISBN-10:  0316788228

ISBN-13:  978-0316788229

Source:  Gift

Buy this book on Amazon

Summary

From Goodreads:

"With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness: "Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form." The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off."

Review

Many married couples would probably say that they know everything there is to know about their spouse - the way an arched brow might be a sign of disapproval, a tick in the cheek a sign of irritation.  But how well do we really know the person we love?  This is the challenge served to the readers in this emotion-packed novel by Anita Shreve.

Kathryn was content - content with her married life with Jack, content with her only daughter Mattie, content with their home in Fortune's Rock and the life she and her family had built there.  But when a man appears on her doorstep to inform her of her husband's death, the carefully-spun life of contentment unravels and she is left with a long thread of doubts, mysteries, and grief.  Reading through this book, one question nagged at my mind:  How do you deal with the truth behind one's person?

This book was so full of deep sorrow that I would almost advise those who are easily depressed to steer clear of this book, but to do so would mean never having the chance to experience the beauty of this poignant novel.  Alternating chapters of Kathryn and her daughter's dealing with their loss with that of Kathryn's life with Jack presented a clear view of the inner struggles that occur in marriages:  the complacency, the insecurity - the faith.  I first thought that this was a book that had some deadly mystery in it surrounding Jack's death, but when I saw those alternating chapters, I suddenly had this feeling that this book is leading me somewhere else.  Imagine my surprise with all the twists this book had taken - I wish I could tell you, but I could only warn you that it's not what you think!

The melancholic, lyrical, and profound writing suited this novel well.  The narration's voice was filled with this deep sense of dread, urgency, and emotion that would surely urge the reader on, letting him/her experience the same surge of feelings that the characters felt as if living within the book itself.  The characters themselves were very interesting, in that they all had something to offer - a story of their own.  I look at Mattie and I see a young woman tormented by the death of her father and she could have her own book in which she could be shown dealing with her loss.  I see Julia - that's Kathryn's grandmother - and I could almost read a whole prequel to this book of her life with a younger Kathryn, with her children, and how she coped with her own losses and struggles and how she enjoyed her triumphs.  I then turn to Robert Hart and I immediately have a sense of his life with his ex-wife, his views of his strange job and his complex personality.  At its heart, this book is Kathryn's story, but the other characters are very well-drawn and lifelike that their own stories emerge through the pages without really meaning to.

But although this is Kathryn's story, this is also a story of understanding that things are not what they seem, that truth itself is relative.  The truth for one person may be only half-true for another, it only depends on how much either of them knows.  That even the person you were most intimate with could be keeping secrets that are beyond your wildest imaginings.  That the world is only real so long as you believe in it.

This may be more of a dramatic fiction, but it probably serves up one of the best mystery plots ever written.  And I do believe having you told you that, you do not need any more convincing to read this book.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Her Fearful Symmetry 

Author:  Audrey Niffenegger
Publisher:  Scribner
Language: English

Format:  Hardcover 
Pages:  416 pages

ISBN-10:  1439165394

ISBN-13:  978-1439165393

Source:  Purchased, Booksale

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Summary

From Goodreads:

"Julia and Valentina Poole are semi-normal American twenty-year-olds with seemingly little interest in college or finding jobs. Their attachment to one another is intense. One morning the mailman delivers a thick envelope to their house in the suburbs of Chicago. From a London solicitor, the enclosed letter informs Valentina and Julia that their English aunt Elspeth Noblin, whom they never knew, has died of cancer and left them her London apartment. There are two conditions to this inheritance: that they live in it for a year before they sell it and that their parents not enter it. Julia and Valentina are twins. So were the estranged Elspeth and Edie, their mother.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders the vast and ornate Highgate Cemetery, where Christina Rossetti, George Eliot, Radclyffe Hall, Stella Gibbons and Karl Marx are buried. Julia and Valentina come to know the living residents of their building. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword-puzzle setter suffering from crippling obsessive compulsive disorder; Marijke, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including - perhaps - their aunt. "

Review

I have been putting off finally reading this book for the longest time.  I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book when I picked it up in the bookstore one day.  But because I already had a lot of books to buy that day, I decided to pass on it for the time being.  When I got home, I looked it up on the internet and found predominantly negative reviews for this second book by Audrey Niffenegger.  Disappointed, I thought it best to just forget about it.  Then a month or so after, I found a hardcover copy in my favorite secondhand bookstore and without thinking, took it to the cash register and purchased it.  Later, while thinking about the wisdom of my actions, I thought, What the heck, if I didn't like it, at least I did not pay that much for it.

And now, I can say, finding a copy of Her Fearful Symmetry in that secondhand bookstore was destiny.  In my opinion, this is one of the best books I have read so far.  

At its heart, this book is not just a simple ghost story, it is a story of human follies - wanting one thing but ending up with something else; wanting what you can never have; playing a joke on others but it turns out the joke is on you.  The ghost story in itself is an amazing sketch of the hilarity of the unachievable - you lay in wait for death, but as soon as it comes it eludes you again and you find that you're stuck, with nowhere to go.

Reading through the whole story, I think I could guess at what most people found disappointing:  It is that the book have failed - not their expectations - but their predicted outcome.  At the risk of giving a spoiler, I would say that the ending is not quite what I expected either, but definitely something I could justify and actually preferred.  When reading a book, most of us begin forming the story's outcome in our minds, writing our own twists and turns and usually, a good book would fill that expectation and more.  This book, on the other hand, refused to give the reader the satisfaction of being able to map out its story in advance.  You read through the chapters and just as you were beginning to form certain ideas about where the tale is going to lead, it suddenly takes you on a different route.  Chapter after chapter of unpredictable and sometimes disconcerting twists have finally lead me to realize that Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger is not just a mere book - it has a life of its own, and it will not bend to whatever reader's imagination, the reader would have to bend to this book's contents instead. 

And because this book is alive, the writing, the characters, the scenes seemed very alive and real.  It is not difficult to pretend that what you are reading is real if it is actually based on reality, but with the ghost story inserted within its pages, this book manages to suspend disbelief and yet thrive on it, as if everything that is happening is actually true, or could be true.

This book is definitely a good read if you are willing to keep an open mind and willing to let go and just let this book run your senses - let the book control you, and you will understand what exactly made this book by Niffenegger such a magical reading experience.

Rating

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Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

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