The King's Messenger

Finished March 20

The King's Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

Set during the reign of James I of England, this novel follows Phoebe Westaway, the only child of a scribe in the royal court and Andrew Logan, a Scot and one of the king's messengers. Andrew's father was a king's messenger and when he became ill, he asked that Andrew be given his job when he passed away. Previously Andrew had worked in the Queen's stable. 

The crown prince Henry had passed away recently after an illness and there has been talk about his death not being natural. Suspicion is now placed on his closest man, Sir David Moray. Sir David had been deeply affected by the death and had gone to France. He is now expected to return to his family home in Scotland and the king has tasked Andrew to go there to arrest him and bring him to London for questioning. He is sending a scribe along, and since the scribe is lately unwell, his daughter Phoebe will travel as well. 

In Scotland they arrive at the King's Wark, and soon begin the journey south, with Andrew alert for those who might chase them. 

Andrew has inherited an unusual ability from his mother's side of the family, where he can sometimes see moments in the future. He keeps it to himself as he doesn't want to be accused of witchcraft. He has seen a couple of moments of their journey and doesn't know entirely what they mean, but is wary. 

Phoebe had not been friendly with Andrew before, but as they journey south, the small group of Laurence and Phoebe Westaway, Andrew Logan, Sir David Moray, and a young stableboy, Hector Reid, get to know each, telling stories at evening and rest stops. In this way, we learn their stories as well. 

We see the characters grow and learn, and we see the complex situation in which they find themselves. There are also moments when we see the Queen and understand her nature and how she wields power in her own right. 

I really enjoyed getting to know more about this historical time period, as Kearsley does lots of research for her books, and many of the historical elements are true to what happened. She has an afterward where she talks about what she took from history and what she invented. 

She does characters very well in her books, and this is a great example. I always want to know more of their story by the end of the book. 

Skin Deep

Finished March 17

Skin Deep by Peter Dickinson

This is the first book in a series, featuring DS James (Jimmy) Pibble. I read the third book about thirty-five years ago, but don't remember much about it. This book, first published in 1968, is set in London, in a Victorian terrace house occupied by a small tribe of people from New Guinea. The book doesn't age all that well, in my opinion. 

The name they call themselves is Ku, and they are now using it as a last name. They came here after World War II, during which the rest of their tribe and the missionary and his wife who lived in their village were killed by the Japanese. The organizer of them here is Eve Ku, the daughter of the missionaries, who married one of the tribe, and went on to get to get a doctorate in anthropology based on her study of their customs and beliefs. Outside of her and her husband Paul, an artist, who have their own room, and the chief, who has his own room, the men and women live separately in large rooms they refer to as tents. 

Dr. Ku describes them as primitive compared to other New Guinea tribes. Their rituals and behaviours are described with detail as they arise in the novel. 

The story begins with the murder of their chief Aaron. He is an elderly man in poor health, but the death is obviously through violence, and since they keep their house door locked, and the death is outside of the actions expected from any tribe member, they are at a loss as to who would have done it.

As Pibble digs into the case, he takes in a lot of information on the tribe's activities, and even attends some of their ceremonies. 

All of the tribe members speak or understand English to some degree, some of them very well, and they have biblical names, presumable given to them by the missionary. They speak to each other in their own language, and are close to a couple who have a flat next door, as the man came into their lives back in the war. 

Some of the way the police and their neighbours talk about them uses language and attitudes that we find offensive now, but that was more commonly used at time of the writing of the book. It was an odd book to me, and I couldn't help wondering whether the author researched New Guinea culture or made it up. With the primitive beliefs and habits of the tribe juxtaposed against the educated speech of Eve and Paul, it just felt off. 

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years

Finished March 18

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

This novel takes place in a ruined mansion on the coast in Durban, South Africa. The main character is a teenage girl, Sana Malek. In 2014, she and her father Bilal move from an inland farm to live in a small apartment in this large house, Akbar Manzil. Akbar Manzil was built over a hundred years earlier, and was abandoned a few years later. The house was used for apartments once before, but abandoned again. Now a strange set of misfits live there. The owner is an old man they call Doctor. He has lived other places, but eventually found himself back in the town he was born in. His secrets are kept close until events and Sana's actions bring him to reveal them. A older thin woman named Razia Bibi seems at odds with her upstairs neighbour and complains a lot. Her neighbour, Fancy, a small woman has a bird named Mr. Patel that she sometimes brings into the hall so he can get more sunshine from the window there. Pinky was hired to clean the house, but eventually became overwhelmed at the task and stopped. She lives in a small room off the main kitchen, where she watches Bollywood movies. Zuleikha is more reclusive, leaving her former fame behind as she ages. As Sana learns about them she records their stories in her notebook, particularly when they talk of love. 

Sana is a quiet girl. Her mother died four years ago, and her twin sister died when they were babies. But her sister has haunted and tormented her for years, Sana is obsessed with the idea of love after seeing a couple kiss at a wedding, and she has searched since to discover how love affects the shape of things. She is curious about her new home and explores the house, venturing into distant hallways, and finding a floor in one wing where the hallway is filled with discarded items, from furniture to boxes of odds and ends. As she looks through these things, venturing further in, she finds a locked door, and begins to wonder what is beyond it. She also explores the garden behind the house, which is filled with cages, many of them broken and odd assortments of bones. . The garden has mostly gone wild, but Fancy gardens in the evenings, and Sana begins to spend time bringing it back to order as well. When Sana finds the room behind the locked door, she becomes obsessed with the woman who lived there, Meena, and reads her words, wanting to know her story. 

We are introduced to the djinn of the title in the first chapter. It is 1932 and the djinn is weeping, hiding away deep in the house. When he hears things happening beyond his retreat, he wanders out, but sees only a mess of abandoned items, trunks and clothes. Outside the house, he looks up at it and wails. We gradually discover what he is grieving and this also leads us to the story of the house and its sad fate. 

The writing here is lovely, drawing you into the story, as it uses the foreign words of its characters to add to the atmosphere. The djinn is interesting, a creature that moves about, obsessed with a past tragedy. The story as it gradually reveals itself is one of love and pain, one of moments of happiness and of great sadness. The setting of the house and its garden come to life for the reader, even in its abandoned rooms. 

You Dreamed of Empires

Finished March 15

You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer

This historical novel takes us to a very interesting place and time. It is 1519, and Cortes and his troops enter the city of Tenochtitlan. As part of his entourage, Cortes has Aguilar, a friar who had been a captive of the Nahua, and knows their language, so can interpret from Spanish to Nahua. He also has Malinalli, a Nahua princess who had been enslaved as a concubine to an Aztec leader. She can interpret from Nahua to the Aztec language. 

Cortes is a less than gracious man, bad at interpreting situations, and a man without respect to his host. When first meeting the emperor Moctezuma, he attempts to embrace him, and nearly gets killed. After a short rest, the Spanish group is given a welcome meal by the empress, Atotoxtli, sister and wife of Moctezuma. We see the subtle messages being given and received, and we begin to see what some of those at the banquet, as well as those not attending, are thinking. 

Allowed into the thoughts of one of Cortes; captains, Jazmin Caldera, who begins to question their hosts intentions, and into the thoughts of Malinalli as she strategizes what to interpret, what to add, and what to leave out. We also understand some thoughts of Moctezuma, as his reliance on hallucinogens becomes an issue, and those of his sister wife Atotoxtli as she tries to appease him while also influence him.  

Tenochtitlan is a well-planned city, managing its resources well, and working well for its inhabitants. Enrigue gives us a sense of the size, details, and impressiveness of the city and its amenities. 

As we begin to understand the complexities of the situation, Enrigue takes us into an alternative ending to the encounter, a development that takes us into 'what if' questions. 

An amazing and enlightening read. 

Fire from Heaven

Finished March 13

Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault

I've had this book on my shelves for a while, but recently reading The Golden Mean, and seeing Lyon mention this book as a recommendation for a different view of the same period drew me to taking it down and reading it. 

This is a book about the younger years of Alexander the Great, told in third person from a variety of viewpoints, including his, and his closest companion's Hephaistion. We see how Alexander grew up close to his mother, encountering Philip less often, and how his training began at a young age, with Aristotle, as he learned alongside other boys his age who were chosen by his father and him. 

We see him become a warrior and participate in a battle where he actively engaged with his opponent. We also see his struggle between his parent's affections and loyalties, and how at one point he withdrew from his father. 

This is a story that is richly detailed, that lets us into the thoughts of many of the characters, but Alexander himself is the main character and it is his life at the center of the story. Because we have access to character's thoughts, they have more depth, and the tone is more emotional at times. 

I enjoyed learning about his life and adventures. The book has a map on the endpapers, but I was sometimes frustrated when places named in the book weren't on the map. 

Detective Aunty

Finished March 11

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

This cosy mystery follows Kauser Khan as she faces a family crisis. Kauser and her husband moved from Scarborough to North Bay after the death of their younger son. Kauser took it very hard, and wasn't able to handle life in the same surroundings. That was years ago, and with Kauser's husband dying a little less than a year ago, she's been adjusting to a new solo life, while still keeping in contact with her daughter in Scarborough and her son in England. 

When her daughter, Sana, phones her to see that she needs her, and that Sana is suspected of murder, Kauser overcomes her fears and books the next flight to Toronto. Her best friend May drives her to the airport and we hear from her how Kauser is one of those people who notices things. Small things that others don't, but that tell one things about situations and people. She encourages Kauser to get to the bottom of things, but Kauser's first consideration is Sana and her family, particularly her two young daughters. 

After her children were both in school, Sana started a clothing boutique in a small strip mall near her home. Her husband was supportive, and Sana has been doing well. When she went into the store early one day, she finds her landlord in her store and very dead. When the murder weapon is found to be from the store as well, Sana finds herself the prime suspect. 

Kauser arrives at Sana's and lets herself in, but with no one home, she gives in to curiosity and walk over to the mall, checking out the investigation, and observing things closely. Back home, she finds that Sana has been released and both girls are home from school. 

Kauser notices some issues with Sana's relationship with her husband, and a tension within the family. As she digs deeper into the family dynamics, she also reaches out to old friends, both those of her and her husband, and those of her children. Using these connections, she arranges for a lawyer for Sana, and follows her instincts as she asks for other favours to answer the questions that come to her. 

The book also leaves a hint for a future sequel, one I would definitely be interested in. 

I liked the main character, and her skills with relationships. There's a lot going on, but she is able to use her skills, and the way that some underestimate her due to her age, gender, and religion, to gather the information that she needs. 

The Fervor

Finished March 10

The Fervor by Alma Katsu

This novel combines historical fiction with horror. 

The story begin in 1944, and Meiko Briggs and her daughter Aiko are in Minidoka, a Japanese internment camp in Idaho. Meiko's husband Jamie is a pilot, currently serving in the Pacific. Through the novel we learn how they came to be where they are now after his deployment. 

We also see Archie, one of Jamie's friends, as he and his wife Elsie take a group of children to a fishing area in the mountains near them. When an explosion happens and people are hurt, Archie begins questioning why. 

We also see Fran, a journalist in Nebraska, as she witnesses an explosion and discovers something interesting in the aftermath when she is in a remote area on a tryst with her lover. 

Along with these three stories, that gradually converge, are excerpts from a Japanese diary from seventeen years earlier, when a scientist studying winds comes across another discovery. 

This historical narrative becomes horror when people at the camp, in Nebraska, and in other places start to die from a strange disease. With a group of men in suits and expensive cars recently arrived at the camp, Meiko catches one of them in the kitchen at night and begins to suspect that they are using the Japanese there to conduct some kind of experiment. 

This novel is gripping and scary as you follow the clues to figure out who is doing what and whether anyone can be trusted. 

The Door-to-Door Bookstore

Finished March 8

The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, translated by Melody Shaw

This is a novel of loss, loneliness, books, and human connection. Set in a small town in southern Germany, the story follows seventy-two-year-old Carl Kollhoff, who works for the City Gate bookstore and delivers books to people's homes. Carl's friend. Gustav Gruber owns the shop and Carl has worked there for years. Recently, Gustav has moved into a care home, and his daughter Sabine runs the store. Although she grew up thinking of Carl as a kind of uncle, she seems to resent him now, and he tries to keep a low profile while at the store, as he also helps regulars find the perfect book for them. 

Carl has a number of people he delivers to, and he wraps these books carefully before setting off on his deliveries. He has nicknames of a sort for these customers, based on literary characters they remind him of. From a nun who is the last resident of her abbey to a retired schoolteacher, he knows each client's reading habits and a tiny bit about their lives. He also has a relationship with a cat he meets along his route, one that makes odd noises and is happy to have short interactions with him. 

One day, as he sets off along his delivery route he is approached by a schoolgirl who seems determined to accompany him. She calls him the Book Walker and introduces herself as Schascha. Over the days, as she keeps returning, she gradually insinuates herself not only into his life, but also the lives of those he delivers to. She helps him learn more about these people and try to help them in different ways. But Schascha has secrets as well, and some of hers have an impact on Carl's life in large ways. 

This is a story of unusual friendships, of people looking for love and meaning in their lives, and of how books make a difference. 

The Book Club Hotel

Finished March 3

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

This novel is a book about female friendship with a touch of romance. Erica, Claudia, and Anna have been friends since college, which was nearly twenty years ago. Once a year they meet for a week at a hotel, and discuss a book that they've all read. Usually it is in the summer, but a personal crisis for one of the women delayed it, and they made tentative plans to go in mid-December instead. 

Erica has made a satisfying career as a crisis consultant, in demand all around the world. For the last few years, she's met a man Jack on a regular basis for intimacy, but says that she isn't interested in a relationship.

Claudia was dumped suddenly by her partner of ten years a few months ago, when he left her for someone younger. She's an accomplished chef, but has become tired of the negativity and grandstanding that often part of high-end restaurant kitchens. Now she's lost her job and is considering whether a career change might be in her future. 

Anna married Pete and has created a comfortable and loving home for him and their twins. Now that the twins are in their senior year of high school, Anna is focused on the loss of her purpose as a hands-on mom, already missing them. She can't see the possibilities for her and Pete as empty nesters. 

It is Erica's turn to plan their book club meeting, and she's chosen a charming hotel in small town Vermont. This is totally unlike her normal choices of luxury city hotels, and the other two know that there must be a reason for this choice.

There is a second storyline involving Hattie, the owner of the Vermont hotel who was widowed shortly after the hotel opened. She's been struggling to fulfil the vision her husband Brent had for hotel, and being a mom to her young daughter. She has a lot of support from the community, which is great. Some of the hotel staff that Brent hired have been causing her headaches though, and she isn't sure how to deal with them. 

As the two storylines meet, the characters become involved in each other's lives, and find new connections, new dreams, and a more promising and meaningful future. 

This is a feel-good story, with lots of Christmas cheer. I enjoyed seeing the four women grow and become more comfortable in their own choices. 

Memorial Days

Finished March 2

Memorial Days: A Memoir by Geraldine Brooks

This memoir moves back and forth between two times: one beginning on May 27, 2019, when her husband Tony Horowitz died suddenly; and one beginning in February 2023 when Geraldine went on a solo retreat to a small beach house on Flinders Island in Australia, her home country. 

Tony was on a book tour at the time, after writing a book that required intense research, and a tight deadline. She had met up with him at other points on the tour, but decided not to on this weekend. Their older son was on his way to Australia with his girlfriend, and her younger son was at boarding school. Tony's mom and siblings were at a family get-together in Maine. 

Geraldine was notified of Tony's death through a terse phone call from a hospital. When the follow-up call from the police came, they were, at least, kind. 

Because she was alone and far from where he died, on a holiday weekend where travel was difficult, she felt that she couldn't react the way that she wanted to. She had to hold herself together, and do what needed to be done. It wasn't until the trip she went on nearly four years later that she was able to truly grieve. 

The book moves back and forth between these two times, as she points out flaws in the system that she dealt with, the lack of planning for death she and Tony had done, and the various bureaucratic issues that she had to deal with immediately after her terrible loss. 

Geraldine grew up in Australia, and until she met Tony, an American, had every intention of living there and making her career there. Flinders Island, part of an archipelago between Tasmania and the rest of Australia had drawn her early in her adulthood, and in 2023, she tries to imagine what her life would have been like if she had spent it there instead of where her life took her. 

The beauty of the island, the nature that she describes paints a picture that is both wild and immersive. She watches the ocean, the sky, the land, and its creatures as she comes to terms with her loss and where it leaves her now, facing a future that is different than what she had imagined. 

This is a moving book, one that brought out emotions in me as I read it. She is an author I have read a lot and enjoyed immensely for her beautiful prose. Highly recommended. 

The Golden Mean

Finished March 2

The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon

This novel is narrated by Aristotle, the real historical figure, and creates a story around his time with Philip of Macedon, mostly taking place at the city of Pella. Philip had known Aristotle when they were both boys, and Aristotle arrives in Pella carrying a message from Hermias, the satrap of Atarneus under whose patronage Aristotle had been living. 

Along with Aristotle and his household, are his wife Pythias and his nephew Callisthenes. Aristotle soon meets Philip's sons, Arrhidaeus and Alexander, and is asked to work with both of them in very different ways. Arrhidaeus suffered an injury early in his life that damaged him, creating learning disabilities. Alexander is the golden child in many senses, spoiled, used to getting his way, and entitled. Aristotle is one of the few people who challenges him, and that creates an interesting dynamic. Aristotle covers many subjects in his teaching, but at the core of them is the idea of balance, the golden mean referenced by the book's title. 

We see Aristotle's personal life, his relationship with his wife, servants, slaves, and his nephew. We also see his inner thoughts about both this personal life and his more public responsibilities. 

Lyon makes her characters come to life, they have personality and flaws, and she has obviously researched the real people she portrays. 

This was her debut novel, and won the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, as well as being a finalist for the Giller. I found it a compelling read. 

Fortunate Son

Finished March 1

Fortunate Son by Walter Mosley

I've read a few standalone books by Mosley, and I find they always have depth and make you think about the world in different ways. This one is no exception. 

When Tommy's mother Branwyn got pregnant with him, his father Elton wanted nothing to do with the situation. Branwyn managed on her own, and when Tommy was born with health issues, visited the ICU every day after work, hoping that he would survive. A doctor at the hospital, Minas Nolan, noticed her and began a courtship. He had recently had a son, Eric, and his wife had died in childbirth. His nanny Ayn did as well as she could but the child was inconsolable. When Branwyn and Eric meet, he is immediately calmed by her, and soon they become a small family. 

When tragedy comes to them, Tommy is separated from Eric, and though the two have a strong connection, they lose track of each other for years. 

Mosley shows how they class origins and the colour of their skin has a big effect on how they manage through life. Despite trauma and setbacks, Tommy gains the nickname Lucky, and feels that he is as well. Eric has a charmed life, and yet longs for something that he can't identify. 

When another tragedy brings the two back together again, they find more barriers between them and it is their found family members that each of them has gained along the way that help them find a way forward. 

This book explores social issues in America, particularly race and poverty, with the prejudices that underlie even the organizations that are supposed to support people. But it also explores outlook, and how each of us views the world we live in, and treats the people that we interact with along the way. A thought-provoking read. 

March Reviews for the 18th Annual Canadian Reading Challenge

 This is where you add your reviews for books finished in March that meet the Canadian Reading Challenge. Read more Canadian!

Still Life at Eighty

Finished February 27

Still Life at Eighty: The Next Interesting Thing: A Memoir by Abigail Thomas

This is the second memoir I've read by this author, following Three Dog Night, a memoir she wrote after her husband's death. This memoir is about aging, starting as she begins her eightieth year. Abigail doesn't want to relive her life differently, but she finds memories coming to her, forgetfulness becoming more common, and her body failing her at times. 

She has moved from New York City to a house in the Catskills, living with her four dogs, who are also aging. She watches nature both outdoors and as it creeps into her home. As lockdowns from Covid keep her from much social contact she relies on friends and family for support, and finds herself with memories, emotions, and the ability to notice even the small things. 

She writes about aging and its accompanying challenges and emotions, about her losses and small joys. 

This is a lovely book that will have you taking the time to notice the small things in your life as well. 

The Best Life Book Club

Finished February 26

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts

This feel-good novel has books, families, and romance. Karissa Newcomb has just moved to Gig Harbor, Washington from Seattle after her divorce. She has primary custody of her young daughter Macy, with her ex-husband having her on alternate weekends. Karissa has been betrayed by her husband and best friend who began a relationship that she discovered. She didn't want to live near them, and has found a job at a small publishing firm where she will work as the administrative assistant. The firm is run by two editors, Edward and Shirley. 

As Macy begins at a new school she finds her way into a friendship with another student after a few days of struggle. 

Karissa finds her way at work, among her co-workers and the authors they work with. She also meets her neighbours, Alice and Margot. Alice is in her late 50s, widowed by the love of her life, and just beginning to interact more with people beyond her family. Her older sister Josie spends a lot of time with her, trying to get her to overcome her fears and find a way forward. Margot is divorced and has a college-aged daughter. She's also just lost her management job, and is struggling to find a new one. 

Karissa decided to start a book club with these other women, and as they work their way through self-help and fiction, they find ways to move forward with their lives, opening new doors to personal fulfillment, professional growth, and romance. 

I enjoyed seeing the different women undergo growth and find happiness. 

A Pocket Guide to the Unheralded Artists of BC Series

Finished February 24

A Pocket Guide to the Unheralded Artists of BC Series: The Life and Art of Jack Akroyd, George Fertig, Mary Filer, Jack Hardman, Edythe Hembroff-Schleicher, Leroy Jenson, David Marshall, Frank Molnar, Arthur Pitts, Mildred Valley Thornton, Ina D.D. Uhthoff, Harry Webb, and Jessie Webb edited by Mona Fertig, with Introduction by Marsha Lederman

This small guide has a lot of information packed into it. The editor Mona Fertig began her project of creating a series of art books about lesser known artists after the death of her father George. She started her own publishing company when she couldn't find a publisher willing to take on the task. Except for Frank Molnar, all of the artists had passed away when she began the series, which covers artists working between 1900 and the 1960s. 

For each artists there is a biography and overview of their work, a portrait photograph, and several pictures of their art. At the front and back of the book are pictures of the artists in their studios. There is also a list of what public places one can find art by them. Besides going to these places, readers interested in more can go to the longer books Mona produced on the individual artists. 

I learned about artists I hadn't been aware of before, and appreciate this work she did to bring them to us.