The English Girl by Daniel Silva

Gabriel Allon appears in his 13th novel by Daniel Silva in The English Girl. Once again, Silva does not disappoint. He is an author on whom the reader can count to deliver a story with twists, turns, strong characters and well researched locations. 

At the end of Silva's last book, The Fallen Angel, we left Gabriel and Chiara in Jerusalem after having survived a major terrorism incident. The destiny of a number of familiar characters was hanging in the balance and the reader had to wait an entire year to read of their fate. The action of this latest novel begins in Corsica where Madeline Hart, the English Girl, is kidnapped. She has been linked to having an affair with the British Prime Minister and the ransom for her life will need to be paid before she is released and the proof destroyed. Allon is called upon to help rescue her - his ability to slip in and out of countries without detection is a major reason. His task further takes him Marseilles, France, Surrey, Essex and the private realm of #10 Downing Street before the climax in Russia.

Along the way Gabriel enlists the aid of Christopher Keller, an operative who once had Allon in his sights. Their alliance, tho unusual, takes advantage of each man's talents and skills. However, as is typical of Silva's books, the plan encounters a major roadblock in the explosion of the car with Hart's body in the trunk at the time of the arranged exchange. Gabriel becomes more focused on avenging the girl's death and soon the familiar team is assembled at a safe house in Surrey. The plan pieced together like working on a jigsaw puzzle. Each element is crucial to the completion of the mission. The complex strategy requires infiltration of a Russian Oil company and another kidnapping. 

When the reader begins to feel like all the pieces are falling into place, the puzzle is reconfigured. There are enough twists and turns that finally come to a brilliant conclusion. Daniel Silva is a master storyteller. The action keeps the reader turning pages to see the completed puzzle as a whole entity. What is even more masterful is ability to paint a picture of a place. His attention to detail is superb and consummate and his insight into world affairs profound. In The English Girl he has prophesied the Snowdon affair as well as the use of chemical weapons by Syria and the Hezbollah. We are left wondering if the old woman fortuneteller in Corsica was as astute with her prognostications? I guess we will learn in July, 2014.

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen

It is interesting to go back and read an earlier novel by an author whose later work you have so enjoyed. Water for Elephants was such a strong and powerful story with rich character development. It clearly shows how far Sara Gruen has matured in her writing style. I would have been a reluctant reader of Water.. had I read Riding Lessons first. 

Annemarie Zimmer  was an Olympian hopeful equestrian when a tragic accident destroyed her dreams and nearly herself. In a jumping accident her horse, Harry, injures her and himself. He is euthanized and she is in a coma for weeks. She gives up riding and becomes a journalist, marries Roger, and is mother to Eva. As the story commences Annemarie loses her job, Roger announces he is leaving her for another woman, and Eva, a fifteen year old, declares she is quitting school. Shortly thereafter she receives a call from her mother, Mutti, that her father is suffering from ALS and does not have long to live. Annemarie and Eva return to the family horse farm to help out and to start a new life. Needless to say, life really doesn't get much better. In one catastrophe after another, Annemarie manages to catapult the farm to the brink of bankruptcy, alienate her daughter, and drive a wedge between herself and a former boyfriend, now veterinarian, Dan Garibaldi. 

Dan runs a rescue shelter for horses and acquires a horse that is remarkably similar to the brindling, Harry, that was so close to her heart. Annemarie crusades that this is really a brother to Harry and risks all to prove it, including her own arrest. She will stop at nothing to prove the horse is Highland Hurrah. She watches as her father's health deteriorates and finds it hard to relate to both her mother and daughter.

Riding Lessons is a novel about relationships - between mother and daughter, Mutti and Annemarie and Annemarie and Eva, between husband and wife, between men and women, and between horse and rider. Annemarie is not a particularly likable character. She seems egocentric and unable tor not willing to relate to her mother's pain or her daughter's situation. She is short-tempered, and sulky, feeling so sorry for herself. 

The read was very quick. Gruen's craft at this stage in her career was superficial writing without much depth or characterization beyond two dimensional. It required little involvement on the part of the reader and I was able to read most of it in a 5 hour car trip. If you want a quick romance that has a good dose of horses in it, this would be a book for you.

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Sitting on my "to be read shelf" since November, Bring up the Bodies, is the sequel to Wolf Hall. I knew that when I read it, it was going to have to be a time without too many pressing "to dos" in my life. Finally, the time had come and I settled down with the novel and isolated myself from the world. Transported back to the time of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and immersed in Tudor history, Bring Up the Bodies is as satisfying as Wolf Hall was. Mantel is a wonderful storyteller and manages to draw in the reader as an eyewitness to the events of the time. 

The novel begins in 1536 after Thomas More's execution as Henry's eyes are more often than not gazing at Jane Seymour more than this wife, Anne. The action is described and seen through the mind of his trusted adviser, Thomas Cromwell. The history of the time is well known and it is up to Mantel to craft her words to make it come alive for 21st century readers. And she does this spectacularly. History has painted Cromwell with a cruel brush, but this author shows another side. He is intelligent, articulate, crafty, and loyal to the king. His persecution of Anne and the matter in which he brings her to her final days is done fiercely and with determination and because it was the wish of the king. He presents the case against her with precision and catch her in a plot of adultery and treason. The lack of historical evidence as to what really was the case against Boleyn allows a bit of freedom in the novels final pages. And so the order goes to the tower to "bring up the bodies" for the trial.

The novel is a bit shorter than Wolf Hall, but it is still packed with eloquent description and vivid action. To clarify some of the confusion of telling Cromwell's story in the 3rd person, Mantel often uses "he, Cromwell" syntax. According to the BBC, the last of the trilogy will be entitled The Light and the Mirror and will close the book on Cromwell and his relationship with Henry. It would be expected that there will be his comments on Henry's marriage to Jane and the inevitable passing of her crown to Anne of Cleves before his ultimate demise.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Not the usual setting for a book of magic realism, but it works. Based on a Russian fairy tale, The Snow Child, begs the question of what is reality. Jack and Mabel have left their eastern home for the wilderness of Alaska after the stillbirth of their child. They need to start a new life and decide that it will be as different as they can make it. Needing to depend on one another is critical and with those thoughts in mind they opt for a homestead in the Alaskan territory. 

Life is as harsh as the winters and survival is dependent on strong minds, bodies, and good neighbors. One night after a cathartic snowball fight, Jack builds a snowman who is actually a snow girl. The creation is dressed and the two are proud of their craft. The next morning, however, the snow girl has melted and is gone. But is she? From the cabin window, Mabel has a fleeting glimpse of a child outside with the same attributes as the snow girl. Jack also sees her in the woods. How can this happen? As the story progresses the girl does come to life and is known to them as Faina. Mabel makes her clothes, they feed her, and create a life for her. Never sure when she will appear at their door, they long for her company as she seems to create for them the family that they have longed for. 

Adding to the stirring and emotional story is a bit of comic relief provided by their good neighbors, Esther and George Benson and their son Garrett. With the Benson's help, Jack and Mabel plant the land, and learn survival techniques. Esther is a take-charge woman and helps Mabel see what are the important issues in life. As the snow child intertwines herself in the novel and in the lives of the Alaskans, the reader grasps to identify what is really real  Her transforming powers effect all in most mysterious ways.

Ivey's debut novel is beautifully written. The descriptions of Alaska are alluring and enchanting. They are written by an author who is obviously in awe of the splendor of her home stae. In the end it is really up to the reader to decide how real the child is and if the changes that she seemingly brought about would have happened in any event.

Inferno by Dan Brown

A master of illusion, Dan Brown hits the mark again with Inferno.  All the erudite critics aside, this was a fun and gripping read. I probably could have read it much faster if I didn't sit with a copy of Dante's Inferno, an art history book, and the Citymaps2go app by my side. Call me obsessive, but I need to visualize referenced quotes, paintings, and travels through a city, especially ones that I have visited and loved.

Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, Italy, with a gunshot wound to the head and a very bad case of amnesia. He has no idea of how or why he is there. Befriended by Dr. Sienna Brooks, he and she escape the hospital as those in pursuit murder an attending physician. Discovering a small projector that shows Brooks and Langdon an image of the Mappa dell' Inferno, and point to what is a macabre scene. That begins a frantic 24 hours as the two scramble to escape those who are in pursuit and to prevent a catastrophic event from happening. But are they the good guys or the bad guys following them? Running through Florence Italy, the two find secret passage ways and routes through the Pitti Palace,  Uffizi Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo, and of course the Baptistery of San Giovanni with Ghiberti's incredible bronze doors.   All the while the reader is treated to the history of the city and its marvelous collection of art works. Following a set of clues derived from Dante's Inferno, his death mask, and the painting.

Florence from the Duomo's Bell Dome

The Pitti Palace

Ponte Vecchio and the Arno

The Duomo and Brunelleschi's Dome

Of course, it's not always that simple and Brooks and Langdon are joined by a Dr. Ferris who seems to be in contact with higher powers. He is afflicted with a horrible rash and seems to be suffering breathing difficulties. Could what the are pursuing a type  of plague.

Ghiberti's Doors

San Marco, Venice

 Realizing that they are looking in the wrong place for answer, they are off to Venice before stumbling on the solution to the problem and the resolution of the novel.

It was a whirlwind of a novel that, except for looking at maps, and art would have taken no time to read. Dan Brown may not be the most literate of authors, but he can concoct a tale that maintains the interest of the reader. His books are scripted for films, but that doesn't mean the story is any less exciting. In Inferno the ending is believable and satisfying, more so than the far-fetched stunts at the end of Angels and Demons or The Lost Symbol. They are easy to read and engage the reader in the story. I see nothing wrong with a bit of pure entertainment once in a while.

Z: a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald byt Therese Anne Fowler

Having just reread The Great Gatsby, seen the new screen adaptation by Baz Lurhrmann, it was most fitting to read an account of Zelda, Fitzgerald's wife. It also further fuels my fascination with the "Lost Generation" and the creative genius that emerged from it.  Reading Z also was a parallel to The Paris Wife, the novel about Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. 

There have been numerous biographies of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, but this is strictly a novel and it reads like one. Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald meet in her hometown in Alabama as she is performing in a dance recital. Their courtship is unorthodox, to say the least, much like Hadley and Ernest Hemingway. She rushes off to marry him in a small ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York in 1920. Fitzgerald had just published his first novel and it was met with much acclaim. From there the novel explores and exposes the glamour and tribulation that their lives together endured. The reader sees Zelda as a woman wanting to burst from the cocoon of her strangling husband, a woman who has so much to offer on her own, but unsure of how to balance what a wife should be and what her life would be. Fitzgerald is portrayed as a domineering alcoholic who more often than not becomes a pawn of Ernest Hemingway. When Zelda and Scott's daughter, Scottie,  is born, there is an instant where the reader thinks that history can be rewritten and he will be that sober and loving husband and father.  But it isn't and the maelstrom that drags the couple down is inevitable. 

All of the supporting characters of the time make and appearance in the novel. There are the salons in Paris, the relationship of Gertrude and Alice, H.L. Mencken and his influence, Ezra Pound, Sherwood Anderson, and of course Hadley and Ernest Hemingway and Pauline Pfeiffer. Z  was a quick read. Upon reflection, I think this was because it seemed to be only a caricature of the woman that was Zelda Fitzgerald. The deep exploration of Zelda is not present. I kept wishing for more than a cursory look at her and her relationship with Scott. He is portrayed almost without redeeming value as he refused to acknowledge her talents and desire for a full and satisfying life. They both question why they remained married and cast aside the idea of divorce. I do think they truly loved each other.

I am fascinated by Zelda and so will put on my reading list the most acclaimed biography of her: Zelda  by Nancy Milford. It will be interesting to contrast the two perspectives.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Rereading The Great Gatsby as an adult, far removed from those high school days, was a real eye-opener. I know this was one of those books read in a Sunday afternoon (we didn't have NFL football on TV back in the day) to get it done quickly. How sad that such a wonderful book may not be appreciated by youth. Fitzgerald's command of the English language, the symbolism, and understanding of human drama are so wonderfully crafted in this "American Novel."

The plot line is one known to almost all who have passed through high school English classes and those who have seen the numerous screen adaptations. It is Nick Carraway's description of lives of Tom and Daisy Buchannan, Myrtle and Tom Wilson, Jordan Baker, and Jay Gatsby. The novel affords a look at the contrasting lives of the noveau riche, the old money, life in the ash heap and the transformative powers as the characters interact with one another. Gatsby, in love with Daisy since before her marriage to Tom, is intent on living the American Dream that will include wealth, prestige, and Daisy.  However, in a time of decadence and opulence, this dream becomes unattainable. Fitzgerald decries what easy money has done to the once esteemed individualism and morality that was America. He embeds symbolism in the book that, upon careful reading, clearly defines what life in America has become - the green light at the end of the Buchannan dock, the valley of ashes, and the ever-present eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleberg. 

Maybe I understood at the time the importance of The Great Gatsby, or at least enough to be able to use it as I wrote and AP exam, but a life's worth experiences certainly brings a deeper understanding to it. Fitzgerald was 28 when he penned this book, but he writes as if much older and leaves us with one of the most memorable closing lines in all of literature. 

 “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

It's amazing how hearing an author speak about a book can enhance a reader's experience of that book. I must admit that Caleb's Crossing was a bit tedious for me as I began it an was trying to wade through the Native American names and vocabulary. However, after hearing Geraldine Brooks speak at the Pittsburgh Arts and Lecture series, I had a renewed interest and could understand the high praise that the book garnered.

Set in 1660, Caleb's Crossing is the story of Bethia Mayfield and her family, her father a Puritan minister,  who have broken away from mainland Massachusetts to the island of Martha's Vineyard. The title character is Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, a Wampanoag, the first Native American graduate of Harvard University. His transition from his Indian life to that of an learned member of the colony is the crossing that Bethia describes in her journals. Tasked with keeping her family together after her mother's death, Bethia befriends Caleb and the two become students with her brother Makepeace, learning classical languages and the language of each other.  When the time comes for the boys to continue their education in a more formal setting, Bethia joins them as an indentured girl in the house of Master Corlett, head of the grammar school that will prepare them for Harvard. She observes his "crossing" while developing her own independence and personality. Finally, we see Bethia as an old woman, reflecting on her life and the influences of the Christian world, the Indian culture, and the classical tenets on it. 

Geraldine Brooks has an amazing way with language and and with that she immerses her readers into a culture that seems foreign, yet connected. She has perfected the prose of the colonial era and has given Bethia a credible voice. For all the servitude that she endures, she is really a feminist and her thoughts and actions show her to be true to that spirit. At the same time she is still a captive to the society and must walk that fine line. I found the second part of the novel more satisfying than the first and really still am puzzled with Brooks' titling of the book Caleb's Crossing.  As Bethia grows and changes in three phases of her life, she remains the protagonist and the journey is hers. It was a good read that gives insight into an almost forgotten time and place in American history.

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

I am not sure I have ever read a book that caused me to nearly wipe a tear away with every turn of the page. Moloka'i  affected me in such a way and I don't really know why. Granted, the premise of the book was sad, but there was also a spirit of survival and compassion, and even a joie de vivre amidst a life of struggle.

Beginning in 1891, Moloka'i, recounts the life of Rachel Kalama. We meet Rachel as a happy and really carefree little girl. Her whole life changes when she develops a rash on her thigh and some lesions on her feet. Attired in long dresses and forbidden to remove her shoes became a way of life for two years until an incident on the playground. She is discovered to have leprosy (Hansen's Disease) and is forcibly removed from her parents and family to Kalaupapa, Moloka'i. There she must live in quarantine with others who are suffering from the disease. Although she has an uncle living on the island, she must stay in a dormitory for young girls. She is cared for by a cadre of nurses, including Sister Mary Catherine Voorhies, one of the Franciscan sisters. Sister Mary Catherine becomes a confidant of Rachel as the young girl grows up and continues to provide moral and psychological support as she ages. 

We are witness to this amazing person, Rachel, who lives as normal a life as can be possible. She is fortunate that the disease has not progressed as rapidly as it has in others. She is seen as one who strives to overcome the devastating blow that has been dealt to her. She lives her life to the fullest, finding freedom in surfing and eventual fulfillment of a happy marriage. We see her loved by her father, yet abandoned by her mother. In a strange twist of events, Rachel is placed in the same position of losing a child as her mother was. The loss gnaws at her and she strives to come to resolution in her old age. Other major influences on Rachel's life are Leilani, a wonderful character who brings a worldliness to the island in addition to a secret and the understanding native Haleola who becomes an adoptive aunt.

The novel is a not only the story of Rachel, but also of Hawaii and the historical events that surround its progression from kingdom to statehood. It is a novel of conflict of those who understood the disease and those who didn't, of those who practiced Christianity and those who remained steadfast in their belief in the Hawaiian pantheon. It was a wonderful and unforgettable read. Rachel's life and spirit will haunt the reader long after the last page is turned.

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

It was with a profound sadness that I put A Week in Winter on my bookshelf. Since 1982 when I first read Light a Penny Candle, Maeve  Binchy has been one of my favorite authors. With her death in July, 2012, those wonderful books will be published no more. I debated on whether to read this immediately upon delivery or to wait so it was there waiting for me. Binchy's magic spell was cast and in a matter of a couple of days the book was finished. It is a sad state that her stories have now all been told.

Her storytelling is comforting and sophisticated. She can transport a reader to her native Ireland with a few lines of a novel and will then paint a picture that remains long after the book is closed.

A Week in Winter could almost be considered a group of short stories that are all connected through Geraldine "Chicky"Ryan and her new bed and breakfast, the Stone House, located in Stoneybridge, Ireland.  Wooed away from the family home by Walter Starr, Chicky ventures to the United States with her intended. However, years later after struggling to make it on her own, Chicky Starr returns to Stoneybridge with the idea that she will open a resort. With the help of Riggy, Queenie, and the villagers, Stone House Resort becomes reality and Chicky advertises for a special opening offer.
The resort welcomes guests from all points and stages in life: Corry Salinas, an over-the-hill American movie star who is stranded in Ireland when his plane cannot get to Germany for an important meeting, Henry and Nicola, a husband and wife doctor team fresh from a cruise that has left them coping with a devastating death, Miss Howe, a retired school principal gruff and antagonistic, Freda, a librarian betrayed by a man she loved, and Winnie and Lillian, two women thrown together on the trip by the man they both love. Binchy weaves the story of each guest into their arrival and week at Stone House. The technique is fascinating and effective. Names are dropped, but until the reader “meets” the actual visitor, the story is enigmatic.

In inimitable Binchy fashion, the reader meets people who are not perfect, but who are looking for what seems to be that elusive happiness in life. Although after a week, they may not have found it, they are more receptive to what life has to offer and more reflective as to how they can work to achieve a modicum of pleasure. Throughout, Binchy interweaves  some old familiar haunts like Quentin's and some favorite characters who have made such an impression on her readers - Fiona and Declan.  Their presence brings back good memories and causes one to reminisce about her previous novels. I have never been one to reread any books except the classics, but in Maeve Binchy’s books, there is such a feeling of comfort, warmth, and tranquility, I may have to make an exception. There was definitely a tear as I read the final chapter and closed the book.