Since I spend a lot of time reading, I often come across books that I would like to talk about in this column, but for whatever reason the opportunity just doesn’t present itself. With that being said, the following are 10 mini reviews for 10 completely random books. There are some hits, and some misses, and hopefully one or two will pique your interest.
The Good Father by Kingston-based Wayne Grady is partially set in the fictional White Falls (a small town “on the Madawaska River, between Ottawa and Peterborough” that my guess is based on Bancroft, Barry’s Bay, or maybe Pembroke), as well as Vancouver and Toronto. Although it is a character-driven novel, I think it excels the most at creating a strong sense of place. The story follows Harry, a journalist turned teacher turned wine merchant, and a bit of a man-child. He can’t seem to reconcile his relationship with his daughter Daphne, who is secretly struggling with addiction out on the west coast. The dual narrative takes the reader through the actions and emotions that led to their estrangement.
I was so excited when I got my hands on an advance reader copy of Sally Rooney’s new book Beautiful World, Where Are You. This is Rooney’s follow up to Normal People, which was one of my favourite books in recent years. While Beautiful World didn’t quite live up to my extremely high expectations, it is still an excellent novel that won’t disappoint readers seeking Rooney’s signature combo: flawed young characters, complicated relationships, heartache and heartbreak, ponderous social discourse, and beautiful prose that it surprisingly sexually explicit. Beautiful World follows four characters in their late 20s/early 30s and their search for beauty and meaning in a world that is in decline. One of the characters, Alice, is a highly-acclaimed young Irish novelist who writes racy literary fiction. Sound familiar?
I was surprised by how I enjoyed Barcelona Days by Daniel Riley because the reviews are really quite bad. It follows a sort-of engaged American couple, Will and Whitney, on their vacation in Spain. They have spent the past month on solo adventures exploring their romantic options before coming together on this trip to commit to each other once and for all – but not everything goes as planned. Volcano eruptions in Iceland have grounded flights across Europe, so they are stuck in Barcelona and forced to confront their quickly unraveling relationship head on. For a novel set abroad, it didn’t really evoke a strong sense of place. What I liked, however, was how Riley developed the tension and the emotions of the characters, however unlikable they may be. This book gave off some Sally Rooney and Emma Straub vibes, although it didn’t quite hit the mark.
While I haven’t been much for YA in recent years, Tokyo Ever After’s premise immediately caught my attention: everyday American girl learns she is the daughter of Japan’s Crown Prince and is flown to Tokyo to learn the ropes of princess life. Basically, The Princess Diaries but make it Japanese. The story packs in lots of fun cultural details, as well as a sweet romantic storyline in the vein of The Bodyguard. Cute, super tropey, no surprises here.
Did you know there was a Jack the Ripper contemporary with a Canadian connection? The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream by Dean Jobb tells the largely forgotten story of Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, who after receiving his medical degree from McGill, poisoned at least ten people in Quebec, Ontario, Chicago and London, England. Jobb’s research was impressive and it was fascinating to learn about the early days of modern policing and forensics, however, to me this read more like a leisurely social history than a riveting true crime account.
If for whatever reason you are in the mood for a sobering read, I’d suggest checking out Her Name Was Margaret by Denise Davy. It chronicles the life of a homeless woman who, after years in and out of institutions and shelters, died by falling in a Mr. Sub in downtown Hamilton. Margaret, who grew up a normal girl with a less than ideal childhood, began to experience mental health issues in her teens and was ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her crisis unfortunately coincided with the deinstitutionalization movement of the 60s and 70s and she slipped through society’s cracks. Her Name Was Margaret was a compelling, well-researched, and thought-provoking read that shines a light on how our systems fail our most vulnerable citizens.
The Newcomer was my first book by beach read queen Mary Kay Andrews and it serves up a predictable yet satisfying mix of contemporary romance and suspense. It follows a woman named Letty who, after her sister is murdered, flees New York City with her young niece Maya in her custody. She lands at Florida’s retro Murmuring Surf Motel, where she secures a place to live and work undercover. Trouble follows Letty, however, and she’ll have to rely on help from her newly formed motel family in order to keep Maya safe from harm.
Things I Learned From Falling by Claire Nelson is a quick and intense memoir of survival set in Joshua Tree. In 2018, the author went on a solo hike in a remote area of the park, wandered off the trail, and ended up falling off a rock face. Left immobile in the desert for four days, Nelson contemplates her past and her future. The survival story element of this book is great — very riveting — but I could have done without the flashbacks and personal growth naval gazing, which felt a bit like filler.
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi takes tried and true life organization principles and packages them in a fun, easily digestible way. It basically serves as a reminder that the best way to achieve personal goals and fulfillment, is to focus on what’s important and be lazy about everything else. Practical advice, but not especially memorable. Seek it out only if you are on a life-efficiency kick.
We Cast a Shadow by Maurice Carlos Ruffin is an unusual, inventive novel set in a satirical future South that is still dealing with stark racial injustice. It follows the black narrator’s desperate quest to pay for his biracial son’s “demelanization” process, which he believes will set his child up for a better life. It sounds grim (and it is) but it is also surprisingly witty and cheeky at times. If you enjoyed Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, you will probably like this too.
All of these titles can be reserved online at CountyLibrary.ca.