The Newlyweds

    The Newlyweds is an intimate view of a relationship, facing the usual communication issues, not helped by secrets and a cultural divide. I had high hopes for this book but ultimately I felt underwhelmed and disappointed after I finished it.

Description: From Bangladesh, Amina and her doting, complicated parents pin their hopes for their future on the marriage she has arranged with George in Rochester, who she meets on an online dating site geared towards east Asians and their North American suitors. This is a sweet, quiet little story about two people moving across nations to be together and carrying with them the baggage, desires, and secrets of two people moving across the world to be together.

Review: In her latest novel, Freudenberger examines a marriage arranged via the Internet as well as cross-cultural confusion and missed opportunities. Amina and George met on AsianEuro.com and get married. For Amina the marriage to George is an escape from her family's straitened circumstances in Bangladesh and a bright opportunity in the "Eden-like" America. For George, the marriage is way to wade his way out of "games" that women played.
 Arriving in snowy Rochester in 2005 is a culture shock for Amina, but within three years she makes the best of her situation. She gets her green card, is married to George, and is taking college courses when not making espressos at Starbucks. Her focus is changed from making a life for herself to bringing her parents to America. Things seem to be moving at a progressing speed, except for her marriage. Sex and intimacy is awkward, Amina's faith seems to falter and ebb away due to George's reaction, George loses his job, and Amina discovers something that makes her doubt his sincerity. She eventually returns to Bangladesh to bring her parents to the U.S., but a problem with her father's visa keeps Amina there and forces her back into the morass of her extended family's resentments and petty jealousies, all of which she'd hoped to escape in marriage. Add to her troubles an old suitor, Nasir, still thinks there's a chance for a relationship between he and Amina.
  The Newlyweds is a quiet book that takes its time in unfolding the marriage and various relationships surrounding Amina and George. Normally this would be okay since analyzing these relationships would allow the author to explore each character, however, I didn't really find any of the characters to be interesting. I felt a kinship between Amina and myself since we are from similar cultural backgrounds, but she doesn't stray very far from the stereotypical passive Indian Subcontinent woman. Unlike Amina, I had no frame of reference for George. I could not have conjured an image of him in my mind nor did I really feel like I got to know him. For a main character, he is very flat, boring, and relentlessly whiny. The only reason why I kept reading The Newlyweds is to discover the big secret that George is harboring from Amina, but that too seems very anticlimactic.
 Though Freudenberger does well in capturing the off-kilter feelings of a young woman in a country so unlike her birthplace and seems to be well informed of the Bangladeshi culture, there is a real lack of spice and emotion in her story. The cultural differences in the first half of the novel does prompt some enjoyably wry humor, but aside from that there is no warmth from its characters. Freudenberger's tone is detached and cool throughout, even when violent incidents are described, which makes it difficult to emotionally engage with the story. The novel is somewhat too dependent on cultural cliches and remains on the superficial level to entirely satisfy.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and sexual situations. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: In the Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes, The Law of Similars by Chris Bohjalian

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Gone Girl

  Gone Girl is probably the most talked about book of this summer. I wouldn't be surprised if you've seen the cover graced upon the displays at your local bookstore or be a suggested read from librarians, booksellers, or even from friends. The book has sat comfortably on the New York Times bestseller list for many weeks. If you only have limited reading time this year, definitely put Gone Girl on top of your reading list.

Description (from Goodreads): On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Review: A common complaint of not liking a book is the failure to connect to the main character(s). Readers, including myself, want to have the ability to align themselves and support or at the very least find something redeemable about the protagonist in order to have an active, enjoyable role in reading. There are a very few books I have loved that feature despicable characters and Gone Girl has made that list.
  Deliberately deceptive, Gone Girl is set up to be your average "who dunnit" murder mystery. You are given an outline of a typical murder plot. A perfect wife's disappearance plunges her husband into a nightmare as it rips open ugly secrets about his marriage and, just maybe, his culpability in her death. In the first half of the book we are introduced to Nick and Amy as they revel in the happy bliss of marriage. Soon that mirage ebbs away after both individuals are laid off from their jobs and a sudden move from move New York to North Carthage, Mo., where Nick ailing parents suddenly need him at their side. Since Nick and Amy were so good playing the part of a perfect couple, no one ever suspected that the marriage was fraying, until the fateful morning on their fifth anniversary when Amy vanishes with every indication of foul play.
  With mounting evidence stacking up against Nick, his innocence is immediately questioned. His is incapable  of communicating any grief over the sudden loss of his darling wife, which doesn't help him in the case at all.  As a reader, I was even appalled at his insensitivity, his ineptitude of not cooperating with the police, and his insistent whine about Amy's flaws. Soon I began to see the real Nick. A hollow man who used his wife to give himself an identity and resented her when he failed to live up to her expectations of a great husband, but does this mean he deserves to get tagged as his wife's killer? And if by the off chance that Nick is actually innocent then what really did happened with Amy? Flynn intersperses the mystery of Amy's disappearance with flashbacks from her diary, which allows us to get a chance to know Amy and her perspective of her failing marriage. Her silent cries, only written on paper, earn our sympathies.
  The first half of the book is purposely very slow as Flynn sets up the players of her story. We are given enough time to form our opinions about Nick and Amy from either their own accounts or what they've written about themselves. We are manipulated to believe certain things are true until the huge twist at the half way mark of the book is revealed and then we are asked to re-evaluate the characters. My feelings for the characters changed quickly like a mood ring and I couldn't wrap my heads around how incredibly sick and twisted these characters can be.
  After discussing this book with several others who have also read it, the twist will either make you love the book and continue to read it in a feverish attempt to finish it or hate the book and make you regret for falling for the hype. I, personally, thought the twist was incredible and raised the book from your average murder mystery to a psychological cat and mouse thriller. I was so happy to find a book that I couldn't predict in advance. Many readers have also complained that the ending was anticlimactic  but I would have to disagree. I think Gone Girl is one of those rare thrillers whose revelations actually intensify its suspense instead of dissipating it. The final pages are chilling and I don't think it could have ended any other way. Once I finished the book, I had to find someone to talk about it and that is why it will be my selection for my turn to host the book club in January.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, violence, implied sex, and disturbing themes. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like you like this book try: The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton, Our Dailly Bread by Lauren B. Davis, Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron, Dare Me by Megan E. Abbott, Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Hayes

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Tiger Lily

  While I love a good love story with a happy ending, there is a part of me that is drawn to the darker, subdued romance found in tragic love stories. There is something captivating and realistic about a love that could have been. Tiger Lily is an enthralling and haunting story of a girl who may be obscure in other retellings of Peter Pan, but now leaves an eternal mark on those who meet her in this novel.

Description (from the Publisher): Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.
Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.
    With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

Review: Thanks to Barrie's bittersweet classic tale of Peter Pan and the many different film adaptations of his book, we are always expecting Neverland to be a magical place full of fun, danger, and adventure. What is hidden behind the scenes is the mud that accompanies the white sandy beaches and gorgeous sunsets, the mosquitoes, and croc-infested swamps. Anderson's enchanting book, Tiger Lily, opens our eyes to every light and dark aspect of Neverland where the good guys don't always win and love does not conquer all.
  Though the novel is dark, it still retains its lyrical beauty through exquisite descriptions and searing honesty that goes straight to your heart, which our heroine, Tiger Lily, perfectly embodies. Neither a traditional girl associated with femininity nor a boy, Tiger Lily is cursed to never be accepted. It's not that no one cares for her, but they are puzzled as to which label to give her. She refuses to change herself even if it would make things easy on her. She has long battled bullying from the children and elders of her tribe of not quite being accepted. After one transgression too many, she is told she must marry Giant, a violent oaf who mistreats her whenever the chance presents itself. It is only natural that Tiger Lily would fall in love with a boy who reflects her emotions and have him be Peter Pan, someone who she must avoid at all cost.
  With a clever narration choice, Anderson has Tiger Lily's story told by Tinkerbell's point of view. In this rendition of Peter Pan, Tink is unable to speak but we can hear her thoughts. Having Tinkerbell as the narrator, we accomplish many things at once. Not only are we are able to hear it on a very personal level and get a close look at all the characters individually whilst having a wider scope than normal 1st person allows, but it's also a reflection on the tension and metaphor in this post-colonial fable. Before reading Tiger Lily, I was honestly at a lost of who she is and whether or not she is a real character in Barrie's story. I actually had to look her up and there's not that much information about her, except for the one line in the Disney's Peter Pan. I really think that's a reflection of the narrative choice. Tiger Lily also touches upon other important issues that brim to the surface such as wilderness and civilization, gender and power, time and change. These themes are discussed but they aren't forced or repetitive. Tiger Lily is not just an ordinary love story, which is something I extremely admire about it. 
  Like Tiger Lily, Peter is also hard to identify. While he may physically look young and characteristicly known for his reckless behavior and irresistible charm, there is a vulnerability to him too. He is lost, unsure of his purpose in Neverland and not suited to guide the Lost Boys though he refuses to give up the leadership role. I think one of the most touching scenes in Tiger Lily shows how the Lost Boys take care of a small infant, which really exemplify their concerns.
  The villains in this story are as complex as everyone else. Anderson offers new and interesting interpretations for familiar characters. James Hook is a sad, old man who came to Neverland on dreams to pursue eternal youth, but has failed in his mission. He has since then descends into alcoholism and his obsession with Peter Pan is actually a reflection of his own self hatred. Although Hook is the star villain, I couldn't help but become memorised by Smee who murders those he admires for their strength and beauty but then mourns their deaths. It's almost as if he's trying to absorb his victims goodness into himself.
  I initally gave Tiger Lily 4.5 stars when I finished reading the book, but after reflecting on it and writing this review I realized that's doing this book a diservice. Intoxicating, dangerous, and emotional, Tiger Lily's tale isn't easy to forget. Yes, it is melancholy and while it may not bring a happy contented sigh after we close the page, we have to remind our selves that Barrie's tale didn't have a happily ever after either and a happy ending would undermined all important character growth.  

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is a hint of sexual assault that takes place of the page. There is also a few disturbing images in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Lament by Maggie Stiefvater, Ash by Malinda Lo, Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

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Adult Mini-reviews: The Woman in White and And Only to Deceive

 I was seeking recommendations for Victorian mysteries for my Death by Gas Light Reading Challenge and was directed by these two titles. The Woman in White is a classic and declared by many the first suspense fiction ever written. And Only to Deceive is the first book in the Lady Emily series which the Chicago Tribune heralded as "Sherlock Holmes in a skirt". Both titles caught my eye and thought I would give them a whirl.  

Description (from the back of the book): Full of secrets, mistaken identities, surprise revelations, amnesia, locked rooms and locked asylums, and an unorthodox villain, The Woman in White marked the creation of a new literary genre of suspense fiction that profoundly shaped the course of English popular writing. One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s.

Review: The Woman in White is a mystery of the main character as its title states. The woman is known as Anne Catherick who appears as a phantom and an escapee from a well known insane asylum. Is she a madwoman? Or a victim of foul play? The mystery goes beyond Anne, though, and victim or madwoman, she becomes the key to unraveling a whole host of deceptions involving identity theft, forgery, monetary theft, and possible murder. Every motive is explored in this hefty yet entertaining book. 
 I think a lot of people have zero patience when it comes to Victorian novels. The length and slow pace are major turn offs, but you have to remember that the novel was one of the few form of entertainment at the time. Many writers such as Collins, Dickens, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote their books/short stories in an episodic fashion and were paid by the number of words written. What really surprised me about The Woman in White is that it didn't feel as if it was written in parts and hastily put together. The story flows well and it is told from multiple perspectives and it opens as if the reader is seated at a trial and the so-called crime has already been committed. As we hear testimonials from a wide range of social ranks, we are asked to identify the criminal. 
  Like many Victorian novels, the evil people are clear-cut and justice is served, but Collins also manages to his main cast of characters depth and time to full develop. While I could foretell how the book would end, Collins manages to throw me some curves and I wasn't completely bored. I would recommend this book if you would rather read a mystery set in the real Victorian period rather than a contemporary author trying to recreate a Victorian mystery.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy Victorian and Gothic fiction.

If you like this book try: Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Description (from the book's panel): Emily agreed to wed Philip, the Viscount Ashton, primarily to escape her overbearing mother. Philip's death while on safari soon after their wedding left Emily feeling little grief, for she barely knew the dashing stranger. But her discovery of his journals nearly two years later reveals a far different man than she imagined--a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who apparently loved his new wife deeply. Emily's desire to learn more of her late husband leads her through the quiet corners of the British Museum and into a dangerous mystery involving rare stolen artifacts. To complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond matrimony into darker realms.

Review: And Only to Deceive is a charming and cozy Victorian suspense/mystery. I read the book very quickly due to its great leading, delightfully head strong heroine, Lady Emily who exudes confidence, wit, and assertiveness while retaining Victiorian sensibilities. Lady Emily is in a strange predicament. She married Philip Ashton to relief herself from her overbearing mother. Unfortunately right after her honeymoon, her husband whom she has only known less than a month dies. Lady Emily feels guilty whenever someone comes with their condolences and talks about her husband since she really has no feelings about him whatsoever. Throughout the book, Lady Emily begins to discover what kind of man her late husband was and in a weird way starts to fall in love with him until she learns that he may or may not a) be dead after all and b) be involved in the black market. Along the way we meet many colorful secondary characters such as Cecile du Lac, a Parisian of a certain age who could really care less of what society thinks of her, and it will be terribly wrong of me to not mention the irresistible Colin Hargreaves who made me smile every time he appeared on the page. The mystery is well balanced with the Victorian social mores and the sexual chemistry between Lady Emily's suitors are handled with flirtatious banter and tension. I will definitely be returning to these characters and plan to catch up on the series as there are six books already out. If you're curious at all about Victorian mysteries and looking for a place to start, I highly recommend this book. I would also recommend it to readers who enjoy an Austenesque read or a clean, fun mystery.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy a clean, Victorian setting and mystery.

If you like this book try: Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean, What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris, The Blackstone Key by Rose Melikan , Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney, Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn, Agency series by Y.S. Lee

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Adult Minireviews: We Are All Equally Far From Love and

  I'm trying to experiment with different genres for my Middle Eastern Reading Challenge. I started out quite strong in children's literature. There is not much out there in the YA realm and the adult fiction/nonfiction realm can be tricky especially when it comes to politics and searching for a balanced book. I took a chance with two contemporary women writers from the Middle East, one from Palestine and the other from Egypt, who both focus on women's roles in their respective countries. I did like one of a little better than the other, but I still think I could do better than both of them.

Description (from Goodreads): A young woman is instructed by her boss to write a letter to an older man. His reply begins an enigmatic but passionate love affair conducted entirely in letters. Until, that is, his letters stop coming. But did the letters ever reach their intended recipient? Only the teenage Afaf, who works at the local post office, would know. Her duty is to open the mail and inform her collaborator father of the contents—until she finds a mysterious set of love letters, for which she selects another destiny.
  Afaf has lived in shame ever since her mother left her father for another man. And in this novel, her story is followed in turn by another: the story of a woman who leaves her husband for someone else, to whom she declares her love in a letter…The chain of stories that make up this singular novel form a wrenching examination of relationships and their limits—relationships tenuous, oblique, and momentous.

Review: When I started this book I was under the impression that it was a single love story, but I could not have been more wrong. This slim book is made up of dark, bleak, and depressing vignettes. In the course of her work, an increasingly isolated woman writes letters to a man she's never met that go from professional to personal; "I wanted to offer him the essence of my existence," she says. Intimate correspondence also informs "The First Measure," the teenager Afaf, who leaves school to work in the post office for her father, reading, and sometimes altering people's letters (changing "Palestine" to "Israel" among other edits). A married woman falls in love with the physiotherapist she visits for treatment and finds her new feelings overwhelming her conservative life. A woman's devotion to physical fitness fails to ameliorate her increasing horror and disgust with the world around her. A shy man who has failed in his university studies and works in a supermarket looks longingly at a woman on a public bench and thinks of the few women he has known.
  I'm not exactly sure how these vignettes connect. With the exception of Afaf and her family, we aren't given any names to any of the other characters. I was lost in trying to figure out the "he" and "she" were the same people in each story. The writing is poetic and the characterizations were interesting, but the book fails to provoke any thought once I finished it. I actually thought I was better off in reading pieces of the book instead of the whole thing.

Rating: 2 stars


Words of Caution: There are mature themes regarding sexuality, religion, and gender issues. Recommended for adults interested in modern Middle Eastern literature.

If you like this book try: The Consequences of Love by Sulaiman Addonia, The Translator by Leila Aboulela


Description: Bodour, a distinguished literary critic and university professor, carries with her a dark secret. As a young university student, she fell in love with a political activist and gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Zeina, whom she abandoned on the streets of Cairo. Zeina grows up to become one of Egypt's most beloved entertainers, despite being deprived of a name and a home. In contrast, Bodour remains trapped in a loveless marriage, pining for her daughter. In an attempt to find solace she turns to literature, writing a fictionalised account of her life. But then the novel goes missing. Bodour is forced on a journey of self discovery, reliving and reshaping her past and her future. Will Bodour ever discover who stole the novel? Is there any hope of her being reunited with Zeina?

Review: I had better luck with Zeina than Shibli's book. The books begins with Successful literary critic Boudour is writing a novel about circumstances that made her abandon an infant, Zeina, when she was a young college student. Later, Boudour married and raised another daughter, Mageeda, a successful writer who feels curiosity and jealousy toward Zeina, now a musical phenomenon and her unknown stepsister. As Boudour tries to rewrite her life and recover her stolen novel, she becomes increasely aware of the unequal gender roles and expectations in the Egyptian society.
  I was really invested in the first half of the book. I thought the characters were multi-faceted and I kept waiting for the big secret of Zeina's identity to be revealed. I didn't mind the switch back and forth from past to present as Boudour essentially writes her memoir. It's when the second half of the book turns into a harsh commentary of the Egyptian society where men repeatedly betray women. Actually, I can't even recall a decent male character in the entire book. It's clear that the author is upset about the double standards found in the Egyptian culture, but the author does quote in length (i.e. almost five pages worth) from the Qur'an that illustrate this entrenched nature of this behavior, which I found was a bit excessive. I guess at some point the book shifted from reality to dreamlike qualities, but I really couldn't pinpoint that out to you. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: Strong sexual themes throughout the book including attempted rape as well as some strong language. Recommended for adults interested in modern Middle Eastern literature.

If you like this book try: Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea ; translated by Rajaa Alsanea and Marilyn Booth

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River Marked (Mery Thompson #6)

 The Mercy Thompson series is a great urban fantasy series written by Patrica Briggs. Out of the series so far, my favorite has been Silver Borne which I burned through in a night. River Marked, while enjoyable, didn't meet my expectations.

 Description (from Goodreads): Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shape-shifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.
  An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate will need their help.

Review: Compared to the adrenaline rush of Silver Borne, River Marked is much more mellow and easy going. Mercy has taken a big step in her life, ready to settle down and marry her mate. Things are great with a lovely wedding and the start of a romantic honeymoon until a man is found in a boat on the Columbia River with a bitten-off leg and his sister is missing and presumed dead, that's when things get interesting and a bit weird.
  While there is not much character growth for Mercy, we do learn a lot about her Native American background which had been shrouded in mystery until now. I really enjoyed the Native American mythology and thought it was woven nicely into the story.  Though the usual cast in Mercy's world, which I love are missing after the wedding, the stand-in cast is funny and likable.
  The mystery surrounding the river creature was a bit ho hum for me. There wasn't intricate or dare I say complicated enough to resolve. I wasn't really excited and drawn into the story as much. After finishing the book, I thought River Marked might have worked better if it was a novella instead of an actual book. The pacing was a bit slow and the tone was different (not necessarily a bad thing) compared to the other books. Overall, I enjoyed River Marked but it's not my favorite book in the Mercy series.  

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, strong violence, and a few non-descriptive sex scenes which take place off the page. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Kate Daniel series by Ilona Andrews, Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, Stray by Rachel Vincent

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Marriage Recovery

What do you do when text book answers aren’t enough?

Why Marriage Recovery?

Every one has a vision for their marriage. There are times that the vision we had and the reality we live in are worlds apart. We don’t have all the answers, and maybe we aren’t even asking the right questions.
We dont want all the answers or fix our marriage. We want others and ourselves come along side of us and help us take the next step in your journey with Christ.  We aren't looking for textbook answers, we need a partner in the journey of our recovery to help our marriage repair.
Testimonial

Eastlake Community Church came along at a crucial time in our marriage and were a HUGE answer to prayer. The insight my husband and I gained from gave us hope, courage, and focus in a way that nothing has done in the past.  There is something very powerful about coming together “in Christ’s name” to create stronger, healthier, more God-centered relationships.         
We have seen others go through so much and other pains and recovery and it has touched us in this community that we know that we are in a safe place both physically and mentally to open up and take on this "dark horse" in our lives.  We know we can't do it alone and we know we aren't alone.  We know we have God beside us on our road to recovery and repair.

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American Heiress

   Ever since the second season finale of Downton Abbey, I've been having withdrawals. I miss the characters, the drama, the fashion, and the subtle humor. I came across Daisy Goodwin's American Heiress, which has been a popular book at my library, which was marketed as a must read for those who had loved Downton Abbey. It sounded just the thing I needed. Little did I know, it would do the exact opposite for me. 


 Description (from book's panel): Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Review: Have you ever had a meal that looks so appetizing that you feel let down when it is not as good as you expected it to be? On your plate, it looks delicious and beautiful and you can't wait to dig in, except when you do you immediately notice one thing- there's no flavor; such was my reading experience with Daisy Goodwin's American Heiress.
 The book is very much reminiscent of the works of Henry James and Edith Wharton who wrote about the upperclass Americans who desperately tried to achieve the social air and lifestyle of Europeans. As the book opens Cora, a very rich, snobby, selfish, and stubborn woman is on the hunt for nobility. She surveys her predatory eyes on any man with a title, preferably a handsome duke who can whisk her away from her controlling, smothering mother. It was hard to warm up to and even like Cora who didn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. Things are pretty ho-hum until she meets an allusive English duke named Ivo.
  Unfortunately Ivo wasn't a debonair, love interest. He did absolutely nothing for me. To my surprise, he wasn't actually in the story all that much, which I guess was suppose to give him an air of mystery. It was clear, to everyone except Cora, who lived in a bubble, that he had another woman on the side. It's obvious that Ivo didn't marry Cora for love, but to put to rebel against his stuck-up mother.
 The plot of the book is very predictable and quite slow. I had it figured out in the first fifty pages and I waited to see if anything new and surprising would happen, but it didn't. All I got was a superfluous subplot involving Cora's maid's romance which went no where. The book could easily have been trimmed 100-200 pages down (it's close to 500 pgs in length). I did, however, liked the author's descriptions of the time period. I also chuckled here and there with the cultural jabs the Americans and the British gave each other.
 Overall, this didn't curb my Downton Abbey withdrawals at all. It made me miss the show even more. I would recommend this book to those who have a hard time reading Wharton or James, as I think this book was more approachable but for me, it lacked depth and originality.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There are some small, non-explicit sex scenes. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, Summer by Edith Wharton, The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton

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Adult Mini-reviews: House on Mango Street, The Coast of Chicago, Nine Stories

Another slew of mini-reviews coming your way! Today is the adult edition of books that have been sitting on my bookshelf for too long and I've finally read them last year as part of the Off the Shelve Reading Challenge. Today I will be reviewing: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, The Coast of Chicago by Stuart Dybek, and Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger.


Description: Told in a series of vignettes stunning for their eloquence, this vignette is Sandra Cisneros's greatly admired story of a young girl's growing up in the Latino section of Chicago.

Review: The House on Mango Street was chosen for the One Book, One Chicago program a couple of years ago. It is also used in two English classes at my high school. For these reasons alone, I purchased a copy but never actually sat down to read it. The book is very short and consists entirely of vignettes from the author's childhood in a poor section of Chicago. The writing is beautiful and spare. In just a short of space, no vignette is longer that 2 or 3 pages, we get a vivid image of her family, her neighborhood, and her neighbors. We also get a chance to see our world through a different type of racial lens. It really reminded me of my younger years living in a Chicago high rise apartment. The author carefully picks and chooses her words that are potent and evocative rather than exhaustively descriptive. Would high schoolers appreciate the book's message? It's hard to tell if they would appreciate the nostalgia of childhood, but I think they would definitely could relate to Esperanza's, the narrator of the story, desire to seek freedom and explore the outside world. 


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some allusions to sex, drug use, and violence in the book that happen off the page. For this reason, I think it is suitable for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Carmelo by Sandra Cisneros or How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez


Description: A closer look at the bizarre mysteries of everyday life in Chicago's gritty ethnic enclaves during the 1960s and 1970s.

Review: The Coast of Chicago is another book used in my high school's English curriculum that I have not read before. I liked how this book was told from different parts of Chicago with a colorful cast of characters from different ethnicity, age, and gender. The book is composed of alternating long and short stories as the author recalls his old ethnic neighborhood, his early romances, and recounts a freaky urban legend about a young woman's body frozen in a block of ice. Each character stands on their own and you can feel the various emotions that they are going through. I actually preferred the short chapters that goes straight to the punch rather than the meandering longer stories which can be a bit much. Regardless, you can still pick out the important messages and themes in all of them.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, crude humor, and allusions to sex in the book. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: Chicago: City on the Make by Nelson Algren, Never  A City So Real: A Walk in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz


Description: Since the publication of The Catcher in the Rye in 1951, the works of J.D. Salinger have been acclaimed for their humor, intensity, and their lack of phoniness. A collection of short fiction, Nine Stories contains works with those qualities that make Salinger such a well-loved author.

Review: The Catcher in the Rye had a huge impact on my life and it's a book that I never get tired of re-reading. I was afraid that I picked up another book from Salinger, it would diminish my love for Holden Caufield but I'm glad that I was wrong. Nine Stories was a mixed bag for me. I didn't love all of the stories and some of them just went over my head to be honest. The stories are varied ranging from a soldier struggling with post traumatic stress disorder after returning to war in the amazing, haunting, and gut wrenching "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" to the remarkable thought process of a child genius whom everyone thinks is sick in "Teddy". What I remember most of Salinger's writing is his uncanny ability to creating characters who mirror our problems and frustrations in trying to find a resolution.


Rating: 3.5 stars


Words of Caution: There is some language, some strong description of war violence, and other mature adult topics. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.


If you like this book try: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver, Self Help by Loorie Moore

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Jude the Obscure

  The first book I read by Thomas Hardy was Tess of the d'Urbervilles back in sophomore year in high school when I was on my classic kick. I remembered loving the book and crying my eyes out. It was definitely an emotional read. I wanted to go back and read more of Hardy's books but didn't have the opportunity to do so until now with this years Victorian Reading Challenge. I picked up Jude the Obscure and thought it was another tragic romance story but quickly found out it was nothing what I expected at all.

Description (from Amazon): Jude Fawley, poor and working-class, longs to study at the University of Christminster, but his ambitions to go to university are thwarted by class prejudice and his entrapment in a loveless marriage. He falls in love with his unconventional cousin, Sue Bridehead, and their refusal to marry when free to do so confirms their rejection of and by the world around them. The shocking fate that overtakes them is an indictment of a rigid and uncaring society.

Review: Jude the Obscure was first published in 1895. It was a critical failure and scandalous to many. In fact its critical reception was so negative that Hardy decided to never to write another novel and turned his focus to poetry as a way to proper express himself. Now in the 21st century, I found Jude the Obscure shocking, gutsy, dark, extremely tragic, and so ahead of its time. While reading, I couldn't help but wonder if the book was a critical examination of his own life.
  The story of Jude the Obscure attacked the three biggest institutions Victorian England held the most dear: higher education, social class, and marriage. The characters demand to reexamine and redefine marriage laws and challenge the commonly held beliefs about marriage and divorce in society. In addition, it also proposes a new Victorian woman: the intellectual, outspoken feminist. 

    Hardy is famous for his tragic heroes and heroines and the somber, socially critical tone of his narratives. Jude the Obscure focuses on the life of a country stonemason, Jude, and his tumultuous love for his cousin Sue, a schoolteacher. Ripped from what seems like a tragic Greek play, Jude knows that marriage is a disaster that has plagued his family for years and he believes that his love for Sue curses him doubly, because they are both members of a cursed clan.
   While some may declare Jude the Obscure to be a tragic love story, I would argue that it is not a love story at all but rather a harsh criticism of the institution of marriage which is seen as an invisible jail that traps people forever. Jude and Sue are unhappily married to other people not by choice but rather coerced in different ways. Jude is tricked by his fiance who declares she is pregnant and in order to save her virtue he agrees to marry her though he doubts that he loves her. Sue makes a promise that she will marry her boss when she gets financially settled. Of course you can argue that these characters dug themselves a hole and now have to live with their choices, which is exactly how fatalistic as it sounds, but if you look at it from their historical context did they really have a choice? What is interesting is that both Jude and Sue have to the same conclusion that marriage has become a ball and chain for them and they long freedom to actually find what they are looking for. It is this inevitable bond that pulls them together. While they try to do the right thing in finding out a way to be together, their relationship is not accepted/declared legitimate by society and therefore beset by tragedy. There were moments that made my jaw drop both in shock and in heartache as Jude and Sue try to sort out the hot mess they find themselves in. They are essentially damned in which ever way they go.
    In the end my feelings for this book was all over the place. I loved the fiery, smart, and highly spirited Sue who refuses to put on the act of the stereotypical silent Victorian woman. I hated how she was forced to abandon her true nature and play the role that she despises because after dealing with tragedy after tragedy, she admits that is the only way she can make things 'right'. I wanted to smack Jude upside the head for being hypocritical in acting what like a husband when he felt like it. I felt sad for him when he failed to try to achieve his dream leaving him to always be the dreamer who had no solid feet on the ground, but he did have his lucid moments that shined. I absolutely hated Annabell and felt incredibly sorry for Richard Phillotson. After reading Jude the Obscure, I was left in a daze with my mind spinning in different directions as I read to make sense of the story, which for me, is always a tell tale sign that I read a great book. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Adult themes and allusions to sex. I don't see any harm in giving this to a teen reader, but I think the slow pace and melodrama might turn them off.

If you like this book try: Adam Bede by George Eliot, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

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The Corner Shop

  While searching for authors to read for the Southeast Asian reading challenge, I came across Roopa Farooki's name. Her debut novel, Bittersweets, was critically acclaimed and won the Orange Prize Award, an annual award given to female writers throughout the world. I actually wanted to read Bittersweets, but it was checked out from the library at time so I opted out to read The Corner Shop.

Description (inside panel): There are only two tragedies in life. One is not getting your heart's desire - and the other? Getting it. Fourteen-year-old Lucky Khalil loves three things: football, Star Wars and Portia, the girl who works in his grandfather's corner shop. In that order. But Lucky has a destiny – worse than a destiny, he has a dream. He dreams that one day, his lucky left foot will win the World Cup for England . It torments him, because it tastes real, because when he wakes he weeps with disappointment that it is just a dream.Meanwhile, Lucky’s mother Delphine seems to have had all her dreams come true.
  But Delphine feels increasingly trapped in her apparently perfect marriage and gilded lifestyle. She fantasizes about rediscovering the freedom of her youth, but rekindling a relationship with her maverick father-in-law, Zaki, is only going to end in disaster.Zaki, a charming gambler who loved and lost Delphine long before she married his sensible and successful son, feels equally trapped in the corner shop that he has unwillingly run for years for his family's sake. He wonders whether the time has come to abandon his middle class responsibilities, to try once more to achieve his own long-forgotten dreams.

Review: Aspirations and family ties are examined across three generations of the Khalil family in Farooki's enjoyable novel. Lucky Khalil is a talented young soccer player with his sights set on taking the World Cup home for England. His father, Jinan, is the serious-minded, hard-working son of a Bangladeshi  immigrant, married to Delphine, who feels her perfect marriage is confining. The patriarch of the Khalil family, Zaki, is a shopkeeper and gambler with wanderlust and an attraction to his son's wife. As you discover earlier on in the book, Delphine is approximately fifteen years older than Jinan and Zaki was once her lover. 
 When Delphine gives in to Zaki's advances, family bonds are stretched to the breaking point and the character's true colors appear. As each of the characters advance in their ambitions, the cross-purposes of their desires and responsibilities blend intricately and threaten to crush the family. 
   The Corner Shop is clearly a character driven novel. Each character struggles with attaining their dreams or rather the mere idea of what their dreams should be. Reality and aspirations clash. With the exception of Jinan, who achieved his dreams and is happy with the results, it was interesting how other Khalil family members felt trapped yet at the same time freed by their dreams. Before being a contender of England's football (what we in the US call soccer) team, Lucky is already plagued by a nightmare of failing his country. Delphine who came across as a modern day Madame Bovary is tired of her "perfect marriage" where she is adored and respected by her husband. Delphine wants more of the romantic notion of a marriage rather than the banal day to day moments with her husband. Zaki is suffers from the Peter Pan complex who abandons his conventional shopkeeper's life and responsibilities when things get too complicated for him and abruptly leaves to search for something fulfilling. 
  I like how The Corner Shop avoids the overly discussed theme of being immigrants adjusting to a new lifestyle and zeroes in what we all, regardless of our cultural, religious, social backgrounds may be, think of: what, exactly, leads to a more fulfilled life? Though told mostly in the omnipresent third person narrator, there are sections where the narration style breaks and some of the characters narrate their side of the story, which can be challenging to follow and interrupts the pace and tone of the book. For the most part I enjoyed the flawed characters, but the twisted love triangle between Delphine, Zaki, and Jinan was hard to wrap my head around and just felt wrong. All in all, a nice quick read for fans of Jhumpa Lahiri and Zadie Smith.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language as well as allusion to sex. Recommended for older teens interested in multicultural fiction and adults.

If you like this book try: Interpreter of the Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, White Teeth by Zadie Smith

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The Girl in the Garden

  Most of the books that I've read about India have taken place in the northern region. Kamala Nair's debut novel, The Girl in the Garden, is my first venture out to Southern India which I really don't know much about. The book's description intrigued me so I decided to pick it up and read it for my Southeast Asian Reading Challenge.

Description: When Rakhee Singh is ten years old, her mother takes her from their Minnesota home to visit relatives in India. There she discovers a family secret that will haunt her. Only as a woman on the verge of marriage does Rakhee find the strength to confront the events of that summer and face the price of secrets.

Review: The Girl in the Garden is part of a coming of age tale and part of a family drama. As the book opens, Rakhee is an adult and has been recently engaged. One night she decides that she must go to India. She writes a letter to her fiance explaining her abrupt departure and deciding that accepting the marriage proposal was a bad idea. She explains why she has been so evasive to the questions about her mother. Rakhee's letter soon becomes a confession as she recounts her youth and her travel to India for the very first time.
   The Girl in the Garden began nicely, with a quick attention grabber. Nair's use of Rakhee addressing her  fiance, who we never see or get to know, as simply "you" immediately heightens her intensity and desperation. Unfortunately, the novel's pace slows considerably when we are shown Rakhee's mundane daily activities as a young child. She sees her parents bicker, become distant, and fears that they may have a divorce. Things slightly get more interesting when Rakhee visits her distant relatives, who are mostly strangers to her, in India. In India she begins to struggle with identifying herself, not quite American nor Indian but walking that fine line but the two cultures. She also learns that her mothers has kept secrets from her and her father. Curiosity gets the best of Rakhee as she tries to connect the little bits of information she gathers from overhearing conversations.
  While I enjoyed learning about the culture of South India and getting a sense of its rich ambiance, I couldn't really connect to any of the characters. The only character that was a bit mysterious was the title character, however, her identity and story were revealed to quickly to make any lasting impression. Nair is a promising author and I would be interested to see what she writes next. Perhaps I'm so saturated with the whole "family's dark secrets/drama" plot line that I felt bored with this book. I could easily put the book down and completely forget about it. I would, however, recommend this book to readers who are interested in reading about India without wanting to be overwhelmed too much by the culture, dialect, and many characters. The book would serve as a good introduction to Indian writers and to the Southeast Asian region. As someone who is really interested in this region and have read quite a bit about it, I was left wanting more.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language and allusion to sex. Marketed towards adults, however, I think older teens interested about India would find this book interesting.

If you like this book try: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett or The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri or The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar

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In Other Rooms, Other Wonders

  I love discovering new authors, particularly those who are from Pakistan. Daniyal Mueenuddin is an emerging Pakistani writer who debuted his collection of short stories called In Other Rooms, Other Wonders in 2009. He won the Pultizer Prize for Fiction in 2010.

Description: In collection of eight linked short stories, the lives of landowners and their workers on the Gurmani family farm in the countryside outside of Lahore, Pakistan are explored.

Review: Mueenuddin takes a critical look at the lives of several social classes in his debut collection of short stories. The eight stories explore relationships among the descendants of the super-rich Harouni farming family, living near Lahore, those who work on the farm, and those who marry (often unhappily) into it. Each stories are slices of life, giving the reader a glimpse of daily life. The stories are full with indigenous detail which had me transported to my last visit in Pakistan along with subtle understanding of their characters' complex experiences and destinies.
 No one is spared criticism and heartbreak in any of these stories. Servants use their years of loyalty working for their masters in hopes of getting support in return. Women expertly use their sensuality to ensnare a well off suitor and try to move up the social and security ladder are fatalistically ironic. Blind justice and characters who can almost grasp happiness are also recurring features in the short stories.
  Out of all the stories, my favorites are "Lily" and "Provide, Provide". In "Lily," we see the beginning of a budding and promising relationship. Just as the "honeymoon phase" is over, we began to witness its slow deterioration. "Provide, Provide," features the cunning and ambitious Zainab who insinuates herself among the Harounis, abandoning her weakling and drug addict husband to marry a well-placed household servant, only to lose everything. Mueenuddin is a very skillful and talented writer that left me wanting more. I will definitely pick up his next work.


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, allusion to sex, and drug use in the stories.

If you like this book try: Interpreters of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Dubliners by James Joyce

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Blood of Flowers

 There are two main sects in Islam, the Sunnis and Shia's, which I'm sure might look familiar to you. Sunni and Shi'a appear regularly in news about the Muslim world, but few people know what they really mean. It's important to note that both Sunni and Shi'a both share the commonality of the Islamic faith, but mainly differ in politics, particularly who leads the Ummah, Muslim community, after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) died. There are other differences too, which are concretely highlighted at the BBC Religions website. These differences got me thinking when I finished Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani.

Description: In the 17th century Iran, the death of an unnamed female narrator's father forces her and her mother to work as servants in the home of her uncle, a wealthy rug designer in the court of the Shah, where she is able to develop her talent for rug design. With a bleak future ahead, she is forced into a contract and temporary marriage that leads to unexpected results. 

Review: After reading reviews of Blood of Flowers, I had expected the book to be an Iranian take on the Arabian Nights but what I read instead was something completely different. While there are short stories infused into the plot like the Arabian Nights, where Scherazade entertains the King in order to save her life, Blood of Flowers is essentially a story of a woman bullied by men and passively wonders from one place to the other in search of refuge. The book is infused with flowery prose that contradict its dark subject, giving it an exotic feel, which put me off and left me completely unsatisfied.
   The unnamed narrator is a female teen who is initially creative, vibrant, and a talented carpet weaver. Her opportunity to a good marriage is taken away by the death of her father. She and her mother are completely dependent upon the girl's well off uncle. Tensions arrive when the uncle's wife feels like the mother and daughter have over-stayed their welcome despite that they have joined the house's servants. New hope arrive for the teen when a letter proposing a temporary marriage for 3 months arrive from a wealthy businessman. Though the businessman will provide money for the daughter and mother, she must sacrifice her virginity to him and be at his beck and call.
  Though the author does a good job in establishing an atmosphere of medieval Iran and includes interesting tidbits of carpet making, her characters however were very one dimensional and flat. The narrator spends more time saying how determined she is to change her fate yet does nothing and succumbs to the temporary marriage very quickly, thinking it will solve all her problems in a snap. All the other characters are pretty one dimensional: the helpless mother, the mean aunt, the somewhat kind uncle who usually takes the side of his wife, and the self centered cousin. Fereydoon, the businessman, is pretty much a sex addict and nothing more.
   I was surprised to find out that the author didn't include any information about temporary marriage, which gets the most attention in the book, as her heroine tries to distinguish between lust and love. The "marriage" is shown as legalized prostitution because all the narrator does is have sex whenever she is called upon. I wondered if this is the author's (who comes from an Iranian background) perspective on temporary marriage. Since I was curious about the concept of a temporary marriage, which is foreign to me as a Sunni, I did some outside research and found out that temporary marriage exists for Shia's only and was mainly intended for soldiers or man who would be away after marriage for quite some time. The temporary marriage is treated as a real marriage given on a set time that is agreed upon by both spouses and can be renewed.
  I can understand how we are at times victims of our own environment, but I prefer characters who struggle and fit to make their lives better and not just sit there and take abuse. The narrator eventually realizes her mistake towards the end of the book, but I lost interest and skimmed my way until I found the next short story told in the book. Overall the Blood of Flowers is a forgettable novel that might appeal to readers who would like to know more about medieval Iran, but I much preferred the delightful YA novel Anahita's Woven Riddle by Megan Nuttall Sayres instead.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong sexuality throughout the book. Recommended for adults only.

If you like this book try: Anahita's Woven Riddle by Megan Nuttall Sayres, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseni, Norton Critical Edition of Arabian Nights by Daniel Heller-Roazen

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Villette

  When you hear Charlotte Bronte, you immediately think of Jane Eyre, one of the most and well loved novel of all time. While Jane Eyre is Charlotte Bronte's most popular book, she did write many other books such as The Professor, Shirley, and Villette.  For the Victorian Literature Reading Challenge, I had hoped to read the other novels of the Bronte sisters. I recently finished Villette, which is herald by many authors such as George Eliot and Virginia Wolff as Charlotte Bronte's most critically acclaim novel or masterpiece.

Description (from Amazon): With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls’ boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, an initially suspicious headmaster, and her own complex feelings, first for the school’s English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor, Paul Emmanuel. 

Review: Readers hoping to get another story like romantic suspense story of Jane Eyre will be disappointed in Villette. The atmosphere and even the heroines of the two novels are completely different in many ways despite that share the occupation of being a governess. There is not much plot in Villette and it does tend to be cyclical. The characters meet again and again, but during time periods. It is almost as if everything was a coincidence.
   Villette is a character driven novel. It is very dense and slow moving, which is why it took me a while to finish the book. I would read about five chapters a day yet I couldn't help but be drawn to the book. Bronte does a wonderful job in examining the gender roles and the constraints of Victorian England. Readers knowing the Bronte's personal history can pick up many of the same similarities to Lucy's struggle. Some critics have gone on to say that Villette is probably Charlotte Bronte's most autobiographical novel.
  Lucy Snowe is a unique heroine and narrator that I ever met. She is passive and so quiet that you probably wouldn't notice her if  you were in a room with her. She is very observant of her surroundings and independent. She seems to be more comfortable in being in the background like many women of her time, yet she struggles within herself because she wants to express her emotions, thoughts, and opinions yet uses her logic or reason to suppress this and internalizes everything. Throughout the novel, I wasn't sure if Lucy is a victim of her own society, however, as we watch the other women in Lucy's life have their own experiences of living, I can't help but think that Lucy willingly placed herself in situations that don't all her to grow and explore. We do see a flicker of change and progress when Lucy admits her feelings to the arrogant and pompous Paul Emmanuel but we can't help but be skeptical of their happiness not because their feelings aren't genuine but rather because Lucy's reason doesn't allow her to have it.
  Readers wanting to dig deeper into character's psyche and become an observer like Lucy will really enjoy the complex layers of Villette. Just don't expect to be riveted by the basic plot. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong teen readers and up.

If you like this book try: Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid, Charlotte and Emily by Jude Morgan, A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.

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Beneath a Marble Sky: A Love Story

  The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built during the reign of Shah Jahan when the Mughal Empire ruled India. Shah Jahan was grief stricken when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during child birth. Legend has it that his wife requested her husband to build her a memorial after she died.  The main mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. For romantics, the Taj Mahal is a symbol of an eternal love story. For cynics, it is just simply a tomb and another indication of one's hubris and selfishness. Personally, I love the love story behind the Taj Mahal, though I can see the opposing viewpoint as well. Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors brings the legend of the Taj Mahal to the forefront of his story.

Description: Princess Jahanara is torn between living life for herself and fulfilling her duties as a member of Hindustan's royal family, a daughter, sister, and mother. When her mother dies and promises her father to create a memorial in her memory, Jahanara tries to help her father, Shah Jahan, in his quest while also working to save the empire from civil war, and falling in love.

Review: I grew up with the legend of the Taj Mahal. In fact one of my favorite Bollywood movies is Taj Mahal from 1963 that stars Pradeep Kumar and Bina Rai. The movie perfectly captures the romance and court intrigue of the Mughal time period. Beneath a Marble Sky does the same for an audience who are not aware of this time period. 
  The novel is told from the perspective of Jahanara, who recounts her life to her two granddaughters. The granddaughters are unaware of their true lineage to the throne. Now a grandmother, Jahanara goes backward in time to explain why the girls were kept in the dark about their imperial connections. Though Jahanara is royalty, we also get a glimpse of what life is like outside the palace halls where women had influence on political decisions and the constant struggle between keeping peace and tolerance in a nation of multiple religions.
  Beneath a Marble Sky is most certainly a plot driven novel, where the time period and court intrigue takes center stage rather than a critical look at the empire. Though the novel is subtitled a love story, the love story of Jahanara is a subdued one. Keeping up Indian traditions, the individual's desire takes a second priority to family obligations. Thus the love in 'love story' is mainly a familial love as Jahanara tries to become the perfect daughter and sister. 
  Jahanara is an interesting character that appealed to both my traditional and modern viewpoints. She was active when she needed to be and pretending to be passive when it was necessary. I connected to her struggle to fulfill her family duties as well as putting herself second. Jahanara was encouraged by her savvy mother to learn the arts of influence and political strategy. Thus the young woman is able to pick up where her savvy mother left off and from behind the court scenes able to protect the throne. Jahanara becomes the emperor's main adviser instead of her dreamy and idealistic brother, Dara, who is the rightful heir to the throne. She is also a key player in the construction of the Taj Mahal, where she gets involved with a forbidden romance. I was really impressed on how Shors, a man with no personal connection to India, was able to capture the voice of a believable Mughal Princess. He provides enough rich, historical details to transport the reader back in time.
  Though the secondary characters are kind of one dimensional, I couldn't help but be caught up in the romantic tale of the Taj Mahal. The book reads quickly with plenty of situations where loyalty, family, and passion are called into question. Though not a bodice ripper nor filled with historical inaccuracies like The Other Boleyn Girl, it has plenty of melodrama and romance to keep the reader busy.  I think this book will appeal to a wide audience and does give a good sense of what it was like to live during the Mughal Empire.



Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: There is some language and lots of war violence. Rape and physical abuse are also alluded in the story. There is also a few sex scenes though they are not very explicit. Recommended to high school students who are interested in learning about India's history and to adults.

If you like this book try: The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

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Wither (Chemical Gardens #1)

 I have been eagerly anticipating for Lauren DeStefano's YA debut, Wither, ever since my fellow book buddy, Leanne, told me about it. Be prepared to hear and read lots of reviews of this book because it has been on many reader's list of books that are highly anticipated for 2011.  Thanks to Simon and Schuster, I was able to get an advanced reader's copy of the book in order to give you all an honest review.

Description: A generation of "perfectly engineered" embryos, known as the First Generation, has been watching its children die off from a virus that claims females at age 20 and males at age 25. Girls are kidnapped for brothels or polygamous marriages for the sole purpose of breeding children.

Review: Wither is an enthralling read that sucks you in its very first pages. The book is told in the present tense by 16 year old Rhine who is kidnapped and forced into a polygamous marriage with Linden Ashby. DeStefano's world shares many characteristics with Margaret Atwood's groundbreaking novel, A Handmaid's Tale, where females are solely used for their body, but it also seems to have a connection with HBO's critically acclaimed TV show "Big Love".
  Unlike Atwood's novel, DeStefano presents a world that constantly challenges our sensibilities of its restraints. Rhine is taken from her hard, impoverish life and sold with two other girls to Linden Ashby. Though the girls live in a lavish, palatial Florida home that is surrounded by gardens and are treated like royalty, they are sequestered from the outside world. Rhine desires her freedom and wants to escape and reunite with her twin brother, the sole member of her family. Leaving, however, is not easy as Rhine begins to grow bonds with her sister wives, feels pity for her husband,  Linden, and her fear of Housemaster Vaughn, Linden’s manipulative father. She also begins to fall for a servant named Gabriel.
  Wither is a character-driven dystopian novel that makes us think rather than spike our adrenaline like Collins' blockbuster Hunger Games series. Rhine is a determined, strong yet vulnerable heroine and appropriately named. She spends little time wallowing in her situation. Like her namesake, she is constantly planning on creating a plan to runaway and seek freedom. Whenever she seems to get accustom to her luxurious life, reminds herself why she wants to escape. Rhine's sisterwives, Cecily and Jenna, are also well depicted. Cecily immediately comes off as a spoil brat who craves attention and doesn't seem bothered by her situation. Jenna, on the other hand, is quiet, smart, and vigilant. All three girls use their feminine wiles to manipulate their husband into doing things in their favor and possibly gaining their freedom and/or power, which reminded me a lot of the power struggle between Anne Boylen and Henry VIII in The Other Boylen Girl by Philippa Gregory.
  Linden is by far the most interest characters out of the bunch. He is a walking contradiction that challenges our emotions. He, like his wives, are also trapped into his status quo and controlled by his creepy, authoritarian father. We tend to feel sorry for Linden but we can't help but remember that he is also the captor of our heroines. Gabriel, Rhine's love interest, has a fleeting appearance and his relationship with Rhine is underdeveloped.
    The pace of the book is deliberately slow, as the characters try to get a feel of their setting. The theme of uncertainty flows throughout the entire book and almost becomes a character itself. We are not told what happens outside of the Ashbury mansion thus horrifying and disturbing us to believe that the girls are better off in their present situation. I would have liked more of back story of how the virus came to be as well as a flushed out world building that at first glance seems to have holes. I felt the ending was a bit rushed compared to its overall languid plot. Addressing social issues would also have been welcoming too. I hope these issues are dealt with in the next two installments of the series. DeStefano writes very well and I'm vested enough its characters to want to learn more.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and allusions to sex. Due to its mature themes, I would recommend the book to ages 14 and up.

If you like this book try: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Matched by Ally Condie, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, or The Other Boylen Girl by Phillipa Gregory.

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