Title: The Third Rail
Author: Michael Harvey
ISBN: 9780307946584
Pages: 304
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publicist
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Michael Harvey’s third book featuring weathered PI Michael Kelly revolves around Chicago’s public transportation and the El train.  After Kelly sees a woman murdered in a train station, he chases the perpetrator down, and finds himself caught.  Instead of killing him, though, the murderer merely leaves him unconscious in an alley.  Kelly must discover why he was left alive, and even more important, who is behind this series of killings in Chicago.

Review:

I really enjoyed the first two books in the Michael Kelly series, The Chicago Way and The Fifth Floor, so I was really looking forward to The Third Rail.  Once again, private detective Michael Kelly is back, with all the excitement and adventure I’ve come to expect from these books.

The plot of The Third Rail is a little more convoluted than the first two books in this series.  Specifically, Michael Kelly has a very close connection to the murders that are occurring in Chicago, and it doesn’t come to light in the clearest way.  I can’t say more than that without giving away key plot points, but I will say that while I enjoyed the writing and Kelly’s character development immensely, I had to really pay attention to understand what was going on plot-wise.  I’m not saying that’s a bad thing at all, but my previous experience with these books is that they were easy books to fall into.  The Third Rail requires more brain power, but it’s expertly written and is worth the effort.

The events in The Third Rail are actually based on a real murder that occurred in the 1970’s in Chicago, which made the book that much more interesting for me.  The book is also very intense, confronting serious issues in a film-noir style.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Michael Kelly series, and can’t wait for the next one.  Harvey hinted that the next book might involve some sort of biological or chemical attack, and I am very curious as to how such a classic detective would handle such a modern problem.  It certainly will be interesting to see, and I can’t wait until it comes out.

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Title: The Last Brother
Author: Nathacha Appanah
ISBN: 9781555975753
Pages: 208
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Graywolf Press
Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Raj is a boy living on the island of Mauritius with his two brothers, his mother, and his abusive father.  After tragedy strikes, the family moves across the island, where Raj’s father finds work as a prison guard.  Raj follows his father to the prison one day and makes eye contact with a young Jewish boy about his age, named David.  This chance meeting will have repercussions that will affect Raj for the rest of his life.

Review:

Books can do so much for us.  They can broaden our worldview, educate us, and let us know about little pieces of history that we otherwise would never know.  The Last Brother beautifully accomplishes all of these things, in a remarkably slim package through elegant and graceful prose.  Going into this book, I had no idea that Jewish refugees were held against their will in Mauritius during World War II.  I found the information contained within fascinating, but I was really captivated by Appanah’s beautiful prose and the heartbreaking story in The Last Brother.

The Last Brother is actually a work in translation, so I have to give translator Geoffrey Strachan a lot of credit when it comes to the beauty of the prose.  It’s clear and precise, spare yet unbelievably gorgeous.  The lushness of the prose fits the majesty of the island, at the same time its simple underlying nature perfectly captures the essence of Raj’s childhood.

Raj is an endearing protagonist, and the reader will ache for him as the story progresses.  He wants to find love and a sense of belonging; his mother’s unconditional love for him cannot make up for his father’s abuse and hatred.  The book jumps between the young Raj, and the old man he becomes, and it is so interesting to see the elder Raj desperately try to understand what happened when he was a boy, give it some meaning so it isn’t just senseless loss.  It’s amazingly done and keeps the reader very emotionally invested in the story.

The Last Brother also manages to keep readers hooked from beginning to end.  This might seem natural since the book is so short, but it can be a difficult thing to do, especially in a book with so much heartbreak as this.  Indeed, this review may make it seem like this book is heavy and difficult to read, but it isn’t, which is remarkable.  Every time things seem to be getting to be too much, the author switches to something light-hearted, something a little easier on the soul to remind the reader (and Raj) of the small pleasures of life.

This was really a remarkable book, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  It’s a beautiful treatise on the need for love and the scars inflicted by loss.  It’s a moving story, one that fans of literary and multicultural fiction will enjoy.  Nathacha Appanah is a promising voice in fiction, and I hope we’ll be seeing more from her soon.

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Title: A Cup of Friendship
Author: Deborah Rodriguez
ISBN: 9780345514752
Pages: 304
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Sunny is an American woman living in Kabul, Afghanistan, and is the proprietress of her own coffee shop.  It’s a place where people can come together, and also somewhere that women of Kabul who would be otherwise cast aside can come to find some peace.  Sunny takes in a young widow by the name of Yazmina who was kidnapped to pay her father’s debts.  Through her and other visitors at the Kabul Coffee House, readers get a glimpse into the plight of women in modern day Afghanistan.

Review:

Deborah Rodriguez is the author of Kabul Beauty School, a memoir of Rodriguez’ experiences with women in Kabul.  As a result, the shift to fiction on the same subject in A Cup of Friendship is a natural one.  Rodriguez does a wonderful job setting the scene and evoking the atmosphere of modern-day Kabul.  Things are difficult, and Sunny does her best to persevere despite not knowing what is coming.  Violence, bombs, prejudice against foreigners, the ill treatment of women - she’s a brave woman for staying.

At the same time, Rodriguez shows the reader what it’s like to be a woman in Afghanistan.  As she has first hand experience, it’s clear that she knows what she’s talking about.  It’s heartbreaking to see the freedoms women are denied and how they are constantly vilified and blamed.  But it’s also encouraging to see how that thinking is slowly changing and people are beginning to treat women with more generosity.  It’s wonderful that a woman like Sunny (based on Rodriguez herself, who operated a coffee shop in Kabul) is determined to reach out to these women who would normally be shunned by society.  This is a great book to read if you’re looking for a cultural read and are interested in women’s issues.

The character development in A Cup of Friendship leaves something to be desired.  Sunny is really the only fully fleshed out character in the book.  The story jumps narrators, and as a result, the reader only gets glimpses into the characters’ lives, rather than full understanding.  Rodriguez’ desire to include women in many different situations in her novel is understandable, but the book many have worked better with fewer characters and more detail about them.

A Cup of Friendship is a solid first effort, and while I did want to get to know the characters more, I still recommend the book.  It’s a great one to pick up if you want to know about the plight of women in Afghanistan.  It’s easy to read, and though the ending is a little too conveniently sweet for my tastes, it’s enjoyable.  Though I didn’t review it because I read it in my pre-blogging days, I also recommend Rodriguez’ memoir, Kabul Beauty School. 

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Title: My One and Only
Author: Kristan Higgins
ISBN: 9780373775576
Pages: 384
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Chick Lit
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Harper James has decided she is going to propose to her boyfriend, Dennis.  After all, he’s good looking and he does care about her.  Okay, so maybe it’s not the romance of a lifetime, and Dennis isn’t exactly the smartest guy she’s ever dated, but they’ve been together for awhile and she’s comfortable.  But before Dennis has the chance to give Harper a response, she receives some unexpected news - her little sister is getting married for the third time to a man she barely knows.  But what’s worse is that she is marrying the brother of Harper’s ex, Nick, a man who Harper loved with all of her heart before he broke it.  Unsure of whether she is even strong enough to see Nick again, Harper plots to convince her sister that marriage is a bad idea.

Review:

I just love Kristan Higgins (reviews of All I Ever Wanted, The Next Best Thing, and Too Good To Be True), so I’m always thrilled when I discover she’s coming out with a new novel.  Her books are reliably sweet without being sappy and always have wonderfully smart and funny women as their stars.  My One and Only was no exception to this rule I have come to rely on.

Harper is a great main character.  From the beginning, it’s clear that she has been burned by all-consuming love, and she wants nothing to do with it anymore.  Her relationship with Dennis is laughable, yet it’s solid and Harper is sure that she won’t be hurt by it.  It doesn’t help that Harper is a very good divorce attorney and, in many ways, has lost faith in love and marriage.  Seeing Nick will make her remember all those things that she once allowed herself to feel, and the reader knows from the beginning that Harper’s world is going to be turned upside down. 

Though Harper is difficult at times, the reader can’t help but love her.  I became so emotionally involved in her story, and I just wanted her to find happiness.  Admittedly, the story does do some unbelievable back and forths with the Nick-Harper storyline, but I was so into the story that it was easy to swallow my frustration and just enjoy where Higgins was taking me. 

My One and Only is a sweet and funny story with an engaging leading lady that women will definitely sympathize with.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Harper and watching her come to a place of happiness.  If you’re a fan of smart and funny chick lit that’s about strong women, definitely check Kristan Higgins out.  She’s a talented author who has become a must-read for me.

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Shelving Books: Swapna’s Picks is a series profiling books that have been released in the past two weeks, posting every other Monday.  These are books that I am excited about, but will not get the opportunity to review for a few months.

The Ones You’ve Probably Heard About

It seems like everyone has been buzzing about So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman (Simon & Schuster, March 15, 2011).  I’ve heard so many things about this book, I’m not sure what to think.  I don’t know for sure what it’s about, but the one thing I do know is that I definitely want to read it.  For fans of Jackson Brodie, the new book Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson (Reagan Arthur Books, March 21, 2011) is one to squeal about.  I really enjoyed the previous Jackson Brodie book When Will There Be Good News, so I can’t wait to devour this book.

It’s All Non-Fiction from Simon & Schuster

I’m very interested in non-fiction about the Mormon church (and it seems I’m not alone in this rather strange quasi-obsession), so when I heard about The Sins of Brother Curtis: A Story of Betrayal, Conviction, and the Mormon Church by Lisa Davis (Scribner, March 15, 2011), I was immediately intrigued.  It’s basically about cases of sexual abuse within the Mormon Church performed by a man named Frank Curtis.  And to do a complete 180, I also love foodie books, so The Sorcerer’s Apprentices: A Season in the Kitchen at Ferran Adria’s elBulli by Lisa Abend (Free Press, March 22, 2011) definitely jumped out at me.  I’m really eager to read what the author has to say about her time working as an apprentice (basically, she worked for next to nothing so she could have the opportunity to work in Adria’s kitchen.)

Too Many Great Mysteries

Ever since I became really interested in mysteries, I keep finding more and more great books I want to read.  I received Lucifer’s Tears by James Thompson (Putnam, March 17, 2011) for review,  but I didn’t know much about it.  After hearing from Jenn of Jenn’s Bookshelves that Snow Angels, the first book in the series, was great, I went back and read it.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and am now really looking forward to Lucifer’s Tears.  Another sequel I’m excited about is The King of Diamonds by Simon Tolkien (Minotaur Books, March 15, 2011), the sequel to The Inheritance, yet another book I haven’t read.  If the author’s name sounds familiar, it should - Simon Tolkien is the grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien.  I also am excited about Come and Find Me by Hallie Ephron (William Morrow, March 22, 2011) which is (thankfully) a standalone mystery/thriller novel. 

Multicultural and Literary Fiction

I’m always interested in reading about other countries and cultures, especially when history is involved, so I was intrigued by The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb (Penguin Press, March 17, 2011).  The book is set in Hanoi, Vietnam.  From what I understand, it’s a book about Vietnam’s past and future, told through a grandfather and grandson, and it just sounds like it could be really interesting.

Title: Night Road
Author: Kristin Hannah
ISBN: 9780312364427
Pages: 400
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publicist
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Lexi Baill has been in and out of foster homes her entire life.  But now, things are about to change.  Her social worker has informed her that they have located an aunt who is willing to take Lexi in.  Now Lexi has the chance to start over in a new home and a new school.  On her first day of school, Lexi meets Mia Farraday, a sensitive girl who is ostracized by her classmates, even though her protective twin brother, Zach, is one of the most popular guys at the school.  Lexi and Mia become the closest of friends and Lexi is welcomed into the family by Jude, Mia and Zach’s overbearing mother.  But this level of happiness can’t last, and one night, a mistake will change everything and will cost Lexi what she holds most dear.

Review:

Night Road is an intense and thought-provoking novel that will leave readers stunned.  Hannah tackles so many important issues in this book - the difficulties of being a teenager, love, pregnancy, teen drinking, and what it means to be a mother.  Hannah writes in her trademark engaging style, which makes the novel easy to read at the same time it’s dealing with difficult subjects.

I really appreciated the character of Lexi.  She didn’t take anything for granted because she didn’t have a mother who provided what Jude did for Mia and Zach.  She was so thankful for everything she had, and as a result, she was almost too quick to think of others instead of herself.  She was generous and saw the best in people, and I loved her for that.  Her part in this story broke my heart, as I only wanted good things for her.

However, Night Road didn’t work as well for me as previous Kristin Hannah novels, such as Winter Garden.  While I loved Lexi, I didn’t really connect with any of the other characters, including Mia and Zach.  Additionally, the ending came all too abruptly and it was placed into much too neat of a package, complete with a perfectly tied bow on top.  But the main reason that I didn’t love Night Road, though, was simple: Jude.

The book is actually told from two points of view:  Lexi’s and Jude’s.  And because I could not identify with or understand Jude at all, I had trouble with the book.  First of all, Jude was unbelievably overbearing.  I think it’s good to be involved in your children’s lives, but Jude went so overboard, I almost couldn’t handle it.  I mean, at one point in the book, she insisted on walking her senior-in-high-school daughter to her locker and to homeroom on the first day of school, and there was nothing MIa could do to dissuade her.  Additionally, there is another reason I couldn’t stand her, but discussing it would ruin a large plot point of the novel.  Let’s just say that Jude rubbed me the wrong way from beginning to end.  Her inability to let go, as well as to take responsibility for anything, frustrated me.

Still, I don’t discount Night Road just because of Jude - after all, she was written to be difficult.  Her journey to a place of acceptance is a long and difficult one, and I just wish it had come a little sooner.  The book really made me think, and it provoked a very emotional response from me, both because I really liked Lexi and did not like Jude at all.  In a lot of ways, I consider that success - the worst is when readers are utterly disinterested.  So while I didn’t love this book, I’m still glad I read it.  If you’re a fan of provocative women’s fiction, this would be a great pick for you.  As for me, I’m looking forward to seeing what Hannah does next.

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Happy Sunday everyone!  Today finds me relaxing after an eventful week and weekend.  Work has really picked up lately, and while that is wonderful, at the same time I have a very busy few weeks in front of me as it is, so things are going to be hectic!  Yesterday, my husband and I ventured to Arlington National Cemetery.  Though I live within walking distance of the Cemetery, I’d never actually been to it, so it was great to go and visit the more famous sites, as well as pay my respects to Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee and Challenger commander Dick Scobee.

I also received some excellent news this week.  I was selected to attend the #NASATweetup (sort of a get-together for people on Twitter, if you aren’t familiar with the term tweetup) to watch the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor in mid-April.  There were something like 5,000 applicants, and only 150 of us were selected to attend, so it’s a real honor.  In addition to getting a behind the scenes tour, we also have the opportunity to view the launch from the press site, which is much closer than the public can get.  You can bet I’ll be blogging and tweeting about the experience!

This week promises to be very busy.  Tomorrow, I have an author event with Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters and The Four Ms. Bradwells.  After the signing, we’re all going out for some drinks and dinner - it promises to be very exciting!  On Wednesday, I’m heading up to New York City, and am thrilled that I get to meet up with Nicole (of Linus’ Blanket) and Lydia (from Putnam/Riverhead Books) for dinner, drinks, and a fabulous time in general. 

I also announced a reorganization of the South Asian Review Database this week.

Reviews posted this week:

Dreaming in English - Laura Fitzgerald	The Four Ms. Bradwells - Meg Waite Clayton
The Chicago Way & The Fifth Floor - Michael Kelly	The Cypress House - Michael Koryta
Wither - Lauren DeStefano	Eggsecutive Orders - Julie Hyzy
The Emperor’s Tomb - Steve Berry	The Tory Widow - Christine Blevins
Shadowfever - Karen Marie Moning	You Had Me At Woof - Julie Klam

Title: You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness
Author: Julie Klam
ISBN: 9781594487767
Pages: 240
Release Date: October 28, 2010
Publisher: Riverhead (Print)/Tantor (Audio)
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Source: Library
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

In this memoir, Julie Klam recounts her life as an owner of Boston Terriers, as well as her work with Northeast Boston Terrier Rescue (NEBTR), and relates to the reader what she’s found as a result of owning, fostering, and caring for these loveable creatures. 

Review:

Let me start off this review by making a confession: I am not a dog person.  Don’t get me wrong - I like dogs.  I always stop to pet them, and sometimes I want one more than anything.  But I’m just not sure about the commitment they require, and whether I would be able to give a dog the attention it deserves, so I happily hide behind my building’s pet-free policy as the reason I don’t have one.  With that in mind, I still wanted to read Julie Klam’s You Had Me At Woof.  Though I’m ambivalent about having a dog, I felt strongly that Klam’s experiences would be relatable regardless of my personal feelings.

I’m happy to say I was completely right - dog person or not, there was a lot to love about You Had Me At Woof.  First of all, I really enjoyed the way the book was structured.  Klam takes the reader through the different lessons she learned through the dogs she’s owned, housed, and loved.  These are universal lessons - finding “the one”, for example - that anyone can sympathize with.  Though Klam’s indulgence of her dogs is beyond what some (including me) might understand, it’s done out of pure love and so is endearing rather than laughable.

The most interesting aspect of You Had Me At Woof is Klam’s work with Boston Terrier Rescue.  Her commitment to this organization both impressed and humbled me.  I never understood exactly what a rescue group did (to my chagrin, until I realized that Klam didn’t either at the beginning of the book), but it’s complicated, difficult, and depends entirely on the good will and devotion of people whose only pay for this hard work is to see innocent dogs placed into loving homes.  I found the inner workings of the group fascinating and absolutely loved learning about them.

Klam is a very talented writer, and she kept me interested from beginning to end.  I loved her little stories about the dogs she encountered.  She had me laughing at times, and crying at others.  I could feel her love for these dogs - even the smelly ones that did their business all over her New York City apartment - bursting through every page.

I listened to You Had Me At Woof on audio, and it was a wonderful decision.  The narrator, Karen White, is engaging and tells the story very well.  The listen is unabridged and runs almost 6 hours.

If You Had Me At Woof had been about dogs, I’m not sure I would have loved it.  But instead, it’s about life - love, laughter, happiness, sadness, and loss - told through the dogs that come into and out of Klam’s life.  I thought this book was very wonderful and heartwarming, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Klam does next.

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Title: Eggsecutive Orders
Author: Julie Hyzy
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

In this third installment of the White House Chef Mystery series (following Hail to the Chef and preceding Buffalo West Wing), Ollie Paras once again finds herself at the center of a Secret Service investigation.  However, this time it’s different - Ollie and the kitchen staff are the main suspects!  When a White House dinner guest dies and it looks as though the food is responsible, Ollie must do everything she can to clear her name and restore her staff’s reputation.  This is another great installment in the White House Chef series.  Ollie is as resourceful as ever, and I really appreciated that Hyzy has managed to keep this series fresh and new.  If you’ve read the first two in this series, don’t hesitate to pick this mystery up.  If you haven’t read this great cozy mystery series, I highly recommend it!

Title: The Emperor’s Tomb
Author: Steve Berry
Genre: Historical Thriller
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4.5/5

Steve Berry’s latest installment in the Cotton Malone series (after The Paris Vendetta) takes the reader to China and focuses on the tomb of First Emperor Qin, better known as the terra cotta warrior tomb.  Berry skillfully weaves a complex story, putting history together with China’s modern day dilemma between capitalism and communism, along with the very relevant issue of oil supply and demand.  All of this together might seem overwhelming, but Berry does an exceptional job keeping the book from being confusing and making sure everything stays interesting.  I’m not sure how much longer Berry can keep Malone running around at this pace, but I’ll definitely be along for the ride as long as he does!

Title: The Tory Widow
Author: Christine Blevins
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 3 out of 5

The Tory Widow is set before and during the Revolutionary War in New York City and is about a young widow who runs a printing press, trying to make ends meet so she won’t have to go home to her father.  I thought that sounded like a fascinating historical setting, and it definitely was.  Blevins gives the reader a good taste of the time period and the historical events.  That being said, I couldn’t get into the story or characters.  I can’t exactly say why, just that I ended up slogging through this book, rather than racing through it like I’d hoped.  I seem to be of a minority opinion on this, though, so if you’re interested in the time period like I was, I’d at least read some other reviews and judge for yourself whether you want to read it!

Title: Shadowfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Shadowfever is the last installment of Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series (previous books reviewed here).  The book had a huge job to do, and I thought it accomplished it well - it wrapped up most (but not all) of the outstanding storylines.  It also answered many (but again, not all) of the questions readers had about the storyline.  I actually really liked that Moning didn’t wrap everything up - it keeps the air of mystery around the book that people so loved in the series.  There were some aspects of Shadowfever that bothered me - the convenient ending, something about what Barrons is (I can’t give it away because it’ll spoil a huge part of the book, but once you discover it, I hated the way it just kept happening!) - but generally speaking, Moning had a huge job to do and accomplished it well with Shadowfever  She has stated she is going to write more books set in this universe, and I look forward to reading them (unless they’re about Dani - because to be honest, she was one of my least favorite characters in the series.)

Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
ISBN: 9781442409057
Pages: 368
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s
Genre: Dystopian, Teen/YA
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Rhine Ellery is just sixteen when she is taken against her will and forced to become one of three wives to a wealthy (and somewhat kind) man, Linden.  In Rhine’s world, all the continents besides the United States have been destroyed by nuclear war and are uninhabitable.  What’s more, as a result of too much genetic testing and manipulation, people now produce offspring that live shortened lifespans - men only live until the age of 25 and women, like Rhine, until 20.  Rhine refuses to waste her last few years in a forced marriage and is determined to escape and return to her brother.

Review:

In YA, it seems like there is constant buzz when it comes to dystopian titles.  Just as the hottest titles are being released, the community will sets its sights on an upcoming book, and attention will shift to focus on that book.  Right now, that book is Wither by Lauren DeStefano, and since I’ve been enjoying the dystopian novels I’ve read lately, I was looking forward to reading it.

Wither has an interesting premise.  With such shortened lifespans, people are required to cram as much life into the little time they have.  There is no real mystery about when they’ll die.  DeStefano’s worldbuilding is good in Wither, but it left me wanting a little because there is not a lot of information about Rhine’s world.  Because Rhine doesn’t know the truth of what is happening, the reader doesn’t either.  Since Wither is the first book in a trilogy, presumably we will learn more about where Rhine comes from, the war, and the genetic testing in future novels.

I really appreciated the moral dilemma Rhine suffers as the novel progresses.  When she is kidnapped, all Rhine can think of is getting back to her twin brother.  Even when she discovers she is very far away from home and escape seems impossible, that’s all she can think about.  It’s what drives her, the thought of reuniting with her twin.  However, as she becomes used to life in luxury and gets to know Linden and her sister wives, sometimes she forgets her anger.  There’s nothing wrong with a girl of sixteen wanting to live in comfort and forget about the hardships of life for awhile, yet Rhine hates herself for it.  It’s a really interesting dilemma and DeStefano writes it well.

There was a sense of foreboding hanging over the entire novel, and I’m not sure it developed satisfyingly.  Linden’s father is a mysterious and forbidding character (he’s of the generation before the genetic manipulation, so he will outlive his son), and it’s clear that there is something twisted about him.  As the book progresses and the reader learns more, it’s clear there is something going on beneath the surface.  I’m not sure if the full explanation was what was given in the novel, but I felt like there was more going on there, and as a result, was disappointed with the outcome.

Rhine was certainly an interesting character, and I look forward to visiting with her again in the second and third novels of The Chemical Garden Trilogy.  DeStefano has written a haunting dystopian novel, and though I wish I had learned more about the setting, it was an intriguing read. 

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Title: The Cypress House
Author: Michael Koryta
ISBN: 9780316053723
Pages: 432
Release Date: January 24, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Arlen Wagner can see dead people.  Except his “gift” comes with a twist - he can see it on living people that are fated to die.  When he sees the entire trainload of men he is traveling with turn to bones, he knows he has to exit the train immediately.  Arlen convinces the young man he has been traveling with, Paul, to join him.  Together, they find themselves in Corridor County, Florida at an inn called Cypress House and accused of murder, and Arlen knows that nothing will ever be the same.

Review:

I’ve never read Michael Koryta, but I’ve heard some amazing things about his books.  The term I’ve always seen used to describe his works is “supernatural thriller,” but I’m not sure that really even fits.  To me, The Cypress House was a complex, southern gothic novel with elements of a thriller, a mystery, and a character driven story that I couldn’t help but keep reading.

I was really impressed with The Cypress House.  From the beginning, the novel had this sense of foreboding, this doom surrounding it.  The atmosphere only heightened once Arlen and Paul arrived at The Cypress House.  It’s clear that the proprietress of the establishment, Rebecca Cady, is hostile to them and wants them to move along, but at the same time, it’s clear that she’s in over her head.  The question behind Rebecca’s behavior is what drives the book, as Koryta unfolds layer after layer of complexity.

Arlen is a difficult man to get to know.  He holds everyone, including the reader, at arm’s length, not trusting anyone enough to reveal the deepest parts of himself.  Still, the reader knows that he has seen horrors and the fact that he hasn’t been able to save everyone whose death he’s foreseen haunts him.  As the novel progresses and Arlen reveals more of himself to the reader, it’s easy to get lost in the story as they root for himself to find a way out of a no-win situation.

I’ve said this before, but I can’t emphasize enough how atmospheric The Cypress House is and how much it does for the story.  On their own, the twists and turns of the story would be interesting, but with Koryta’s amazing writing ability and scene setting, the entire thing really just blew me away.  I was riveted by this novel, desperate to uncover the truth behind Rebecca’s situation and anxious because I just couldn’t see any way for things to turn out positively.

The Cypress House was an impressive book that left me completely satisfied.  I loved the intricacy, the mystery, and the wonderful gothic atmosphere.  I can’t wait to see what Koryta does next, but in the meantime, I’ll be going back and checking out his previous books.

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Title: The Chicago Way & The Fifth Floor
Author: Michael Harvey
ISBN: 9780307386281 & 9780307386298
Pages: 303 & 288
Release Date: July 8, 2008 & July 14, 2009
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publicist
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Michael Kelly is a former Chicago policeman, turned private investigator.  In The Chicago Way, his former partner comes to him for help on an old rape case, bringing Kelly into the disturbing world of rapists and their victims.  In The Fifth Floor, Michael takes on the mayor’s office as he investigates new information about The Great Fire of Chicago of 1871.

Review:

I’m always on the lookout for good mysteries, so when I received a review offer for the third book in the Michael Kelly series, I was interested in going back and reading the first two books, The Chicago Way and The Fifth Floor.  Now having read them, I am astonished that I did not know about these amazing books before and am so grateful that I was introduced to this gripping series.

Michael Kelly is a very well-written main character.  He is gritty, but not so much so that his personal issues overwhelm the story.  His judgment is sound and he is smart and capable.  I loved how much he cared about his job and the people he was trying to protect; Kelly is a good man through and through, and it really shows over the course of these two novels.

I also loved the way these books were written.  The banter was straight out of a Bogie/Bacall movie - I could hear Sam Spade narrating in my head.  At the same time, though, they are modern and deal with very contemporary issues, such as rape.  In The Chicago Way, the reader is confronted with the ugliness of rape.  I really appreciated how Harvey took this horrible thing and educated the reader about it, while also retaining all the emotion - it was incredibly done.

In The Fifth Floor, the author takes the reader deep into Chicago history, with the Great Fire of 1871, as well as into Chicago’s local politics.  Though the mayor is fictional, the corruption within the local government rings true and is really an eye opener for readers.

The Chicago Way and The Fifth Floor are two incredibly written and completely gripping books, and have solidified Michael Harvey as a must-read author.  I absolutely love this series; Harvey has written an appealing main character, interesting and informative mysteries, all in a package that is easy to read.  I look forward to seeing what Michael Kelly does next in The Third Rail.

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Title: The Four Ms. Bradwells
Author: Meg Waite Clayton
ISBN: 9780345517081
Pages: 336
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Mia, Betts, Laney, and Ginger have been best friends ever since their first day of law school.  Nicknamed the “Ms. Bradwells” after the court case that they studied which brought them together, they have remained close over the years. Now, Betts is a nominee for Supreme Court Justice, and of course, the other three Ms. Bradwells are there to support her at her nomination hearings.  But after an unexpected question at the hearing threatens to drag out a long buried secret that the four women have kept for years, they retreat to Ginger’s family home on Cook Island, a small island off the coast of Maryland.  There, they hide from reporters and reconnect, eventually realizing that the past can’t stay hidden forever.

Review:

I really enjoyed Meg Waite Clayton’s The Wednesday Sisters, so I was eagerly anticipating her latest novel.  Clayton has an exceptional ability to get to the heart of women’s friendships and to truthfully depict the complexity therein. I was pleased that The Four Ms. Bradwells boasted wonderful friendships, but also engaging main characters that I really sympathized with.

Women’s friendships are hard things to write.  They are so complex, so maddening and ugly and beautiful and deep, it’s difficult to really grasp their true nature.  And if an author actually manages to do that, to really show all the layers of friendship between women, it’s hard to make it look real and true, rather than some sort of superficial competition.  The fact is, women can be very difficult, especially smart, successful women, which all four of the Ms. Bradwells are.  Yet Clayton somehow not only takes these complicated friendships with their insane amounts of baggage and write them compellingly, she makes the reader feel the true love each of these women feels for her three friends.  It’s an incredible feat, and I admire her for being able to do it.

My favorite character of the four was Mia, but that’s because the book started out in her voice.  I fell into her so naturally that when the voice changed, and Betts, Ginger, or Laney were narrating, I wanted to get back to Mia.  That’s not to say she was the easiest to like - each of these women are written honestly.  They all have strengths and weaknesses, and Clayton doesn’t hide from their faults.  But even when difficult aspects of their natures are revealed, I never found myself disliking any of them.  Ginger was the hardest of the four for me to relate to, but I cared about her just as much as I cared about Mia.

I also loved how intelligent these women were.  All four were law school graduates, and they all felt it was important to keep their minds active and engaged.  At one point, Clayton takes us through a game of Scrabble with the Ms. Bradwells.  It may sound tedious, but instead, I was riveted.  I loved watching these smart, successful women enjoy playing a board game.  Too often, education is looked down upon and seen as a bad thing.  Laney, Mia, Betts, and Ginger celebrated their intelligence and didn’t care who watched them - it was a wonderful thing to witness.

I could say a lot more about The Four Ms. Bradwells, but instead I’ll stop here.  This is a wonderful work of women’s fiction, from the characters, to the friendships, to the serious issues facing women that are tackled in the book.  This would make an excellent book club pick, as there are a lot of different aspects of the novel to discuss.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read The Four Ms. Bradwells and I can’t wait to see what Meg Waite Clayton comes up with next.

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If you’ve visited the South Asian Review Database today, you may have noticed a change.  As I’ve been perusing the database lately, I’ve been struck by the disorganization and clutter of the Mr. Linkys and have realized that it can be difficult to find a review or see what the database has to offer, as well as what it’s missing.  I like clean lines on blogs, and I discovered that the database was driving me slightly crazy but I didn’t know what to do about it.

Then, suddenly, I found inspiration.  Audiobook Jukebox, the audiobook review site that I contribute to (and is a great resource, for those looking for audio reviews) has one central Linky, posted each month, that people can post their links to.  Then one of the administrators goes through and adds the links to the individual pages, creating an easy-to-read and streamlined site.  I knew I could adapt this idea to work for the South Asian Review Database, and I’m thrilled to say I have!

Now, there is one Linky on the main page of the South Asian Review Database where people can link up their reviews.  I will periodically go through the Linky and add the links to the proper pages.  While this does create more work for me on the back end, it also gives me an opportunity to explore the new reviews coming in, as well as creates a much better experience for those who use the database.

I hope all of you will take a look at the new South Asian Review Database and let me know what you think!

Title: Dreaming in English
Author: Laura Fitzgerald
ISBN: 9780451232144
Pages: 432
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

In this sequel to Veil of Roses (which this review contains spoilers for), Tamila Sourush is still on cloud nine from her hasty wedding to Ike.  When the lovebirds return to Tucson, though, Tami’s fairy tale quickly shatters.  Ike’s family refuses to accept their marriage, and there is still a large chance Tami could still be sent back to Iran.  With all of these new challenges, Tami isn’t sure whether to fight for what she wants or whether to give in to fate and return to Iran.

Review:

When I heard that Laura Fitzgerald was writing a sequel to Veil of Roses, I was intrigued.  While I do enjoy happily ever after endings, I always wonder what comes next.  Life is always throwing curveballs, and just because things seem perfect at one point doesn’t mean they will stay that way.  Therefore, I was eager to revisit with Tami and Ike and see what came next for the two of them.

Once again, Tami is a wonderfully sweet character.  Even when things are at their toughest and she is doubting herself, the reader can’t help but love her.  I loved her warmth and her spirit, but also her consideration for others.  It’s clear she loves Ike, her sister, her parents, and just wants what’s best for all of them, even if it ends up costing her.  At the same time though, she learns a valuable lesson from Ike - sometimes you have to fight for what you want.

What I loved about Veil of Roses and continued to appreciate in Dreaming in English is that no one in these books is perfect.  Sometimes Tami’s self-doubt can be frustrating; at other times, Ike can seem entitled and spoiled, and not understanding enough of Tami’s predicament.  But the beauty of the story is in these two imperfect individuals and how they truly love one another, in spite of and because of their differences.

While Fitzgerald does a solid job reviewing the events of Veil of Roses in this book, I would recommend reading the books in order.  Dreaming in English does function as a standalone, but readers would miss out on some great character development by treating it that way.

Admittedly, Dreaming in English does fall prey to some clichés and cheesiness, especially towards the end of the book, but it was still an enjoyable read that I definitely recommend.  Fitzgerald does an a wonderful job with her characters, and I enjoyed revisiting them in this book.

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Good morning everyone!  Today finds me contemplating my personal library cataloging project.  Over the past few weeks, I have been trying to catalog every book in my condo.  For a long time, I didn’t have much of a system keeping track of what I owned, what I had on my TBR shelves, and what I still owned but needed to donate or pass on to a friend.  The only types of books I kept close tabs on were review copies.  This resulted in my often buying duplicate copies of books because I didn’t know what I had.

A couple of months ago, I went on a TBR shelf cleaning spree in order to weed out the books I knew I was never going to read.  I found books I didn’t remember I had (my TBR shelves are double stacked) and realized I didn’t have some books I thought I did.  What’s more, I had no idea what I had and didn’t in my permanent collection (also double stacked, but not as badly).  That’s when I decided I needed to keep much better track of what I had, and I’ve cataloged almost all my books at this point.  All I have left is my ebooks, and that’s a bit of a mess, so I’m taking it slowly and trying to consolidate. 

I wasn’t feeling well earlier this week, so I wasn’t as productive as I would have liked to have been (though laying around did equal a great reading week!).  As a result, I’m probably going to be playing catch-up today, but hopefully I can get out on my bike and enjoy the nice weather for awhile.  I ordered the greatest bike helmet yesterday, but it’s shipping from the UK, so it may be awhile before I get it.  Once I do, I’ll make sure to post some pictures.

This week, I introduced my new bi-monthly feature, Shelving Books: Swapna’s Picks.  This feature will post every other Monday and highlight new releases from the past two weeks that I am interested in, but won’t be able to review soon enough.  I’m also currently giving away 2 galleys of Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks.

Reviews posted this week:

Veracity - Laura Bynum	The Anatomy of Ghosts - Andrew Taylor
Radio Shangri-La - Lisa Napoli	Pictures of You - Caroline Leavitt
Fall for Anything - Courtney Summers	Deep Down True - Juliette Fay
Katherine the Queen - Linda Porter

Title: Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr, the Last Wife of Henry VIII
Author: Linda Porter
ISBN: 9780312384388
Pages: 400
Release Date: November 23, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Biography
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

In this new biography of Katherine Parr, last wife of Henry VIII, Linda Porter examines the traditional historical views of this fascinating woman and challenges them. 

Review:

After reading Linda Porter’s fabulous biography of Mary Tudor, The Myth of Bloody Mary, I was ready to read anything she decided to write next, even if I wasn’t very interested in the subject.  Happily, though, that wasn’t a problem - when I discovered Porter’s second biography was about Katherine Parr, I was very excited.  Katherine Parr was a fascinating woman who led an exhilarating life.

Katherine the Queen covers the entire breadth of Katherine Parr’s life.  It starts before she was born, giving the history and establishing the situation that Katherine was born into.  It covers her entire life, including all four marriages, until her death.  Katherine lived in tumultuous times, and Porter doesn’t shy away from that.  Still, it would be easy for this book to be dry because it’s history.  However, Porter has a way with the people she writes about.  Her pen brings them to life, making them vivid and real for the reader.  I can’t say enough good things about her writing abilities.

Porter presents a new view of Katherine Parr.  She was much closer to Henry’s age than his previous queen, Katherine Howard, and as a result, she’s been perceived as a matronly woman, a convenient nurse for Henry is his ailing years.  Porter challenges this view.  She shows the reader a vivacious and passionate woman who matched her male counterparts in intelligence and wit.  I loved how strategic she was, how she was a woman ahead of her time. I can’t praise Linda Porter highly enough for how wonderful and real she makes Katherine Parr in this book.

Porter’s scholarship is also very good.  I actually found quite a few books I want to read in her bibliography.  She presents prevailing views of Katherine, and the events and people that surrounded her, and then either agrees with them or (more often) challenges them, presenting solid and clear reasoning as to why she thinks the way she does.  It’s not difficult to subscribe to Porter’s way of thinking after seeing her impeccable research.

If you can’t tell by this review, I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent getting to know Katherine Parr in Katherine the Queen.  This is a really great book to choose if you’re interested in and enjoy historical fiction, but haven’t quite taken the plunge into history.  Porter’s writing style is engaging, and the material is never dry or slow.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the subject - I only hope Porter writes another book soon.

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Title: Deep Down True
Author: Juliette Fay
ISBN: 9780143118510
Pages: 432
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Dana Stellgarten’s main personality characteristic is that she is nice.  Even through her divorce, she was always a nice person.  But now, her temper is starting to get the better of her.  Her two kids still haven’t fully accepted their father’s decision to leave, and Dana’s daughter is having trouble navigating the treacherous social waters of sixth grade.  Money is becoming more and more of an issue, as Dana chose to be a stay-at-home mom once her kids were born.  In the end, Dana has to look deep within herself, rather than at those around her, to discover what she wants out of life and how lucky she is.

Review:

I enjoyed Juliette Fay’s first novel Shelter Me, so when I received her second novel for review, I was excited to read it.  Dana Stellgarten is certainly an interesting main character.  She is unfailingly nice when the novel begins, trying to be the best she can to everyone around her.  But as things get more difficult, her temper begins to flare and Dana realizes that sometimes, you have to be strong and stand your ground rather than trying to just be nice to others.  She certainly is a realistic character, and I appreciated how much she grew over the course of the novel.

Deep Down True dealt with a lot of contemporary issues that will ring true for anyone reading.  One of the most interesting is Dana’s realization that, in some ways, women never really leave high school.  There’s always going to be the popular people, the queen bee, and the desire to be liked.  I enjoyed watching Dana deal with this unpalatable information and the way she chose to respond to it. 

The novel also deals with other issues, including eating disorders (an especially difficult problem) and the effects of divorce on children.  Fay does an excellent job incorporating these important discussion points into the story and treats them very realistically.  In fact, that is a word that perfectly describes this entire book - realistic.  From the characters to the situations, I was surprised at how much everything in this book really rang true.

I enjoyed Deep Down True and think it would make an excellent book club pick.  It’s easy to read and would appeal to a variety of readers, and I think different people would get different things out of it.  I’m glad it lived up to my expectations after Shelter Me and I can’t wait to see what Fay comes up with next.

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Title: Fall For Anything
Author: Courtney Summers
ISBN: 9780312656737
Pages: 224
Release Date: December 21, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Teen/YA
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Eddie Reeves is seventeen years old and without a father.  Her famous father, a photographer, committed suicide and Eddie is consumed with the question of why.  She cannot move forward with her life until she understands what happened and why he would want to leave.  Her best friend Milo wants to help, but instead Eddie is drawn to Culler, a student of her father’s that she didn’t know about until after his death.  Finding a kindred spirit in Culler, someone else with the need to understand, Eddie begins searching for anything that might connect her with her father.

Review:

I have been very impressed with Courtney Summers’ first two novels, Cracked Up To Be and Some Girls Are, so reading her latest, Fall for Anything was definitely a no-brainer for me.  This book is different from her first two, but displays the same searing emotion and deep truths that make Summers such a wonderful author.

Eddie is a difficult and heartbreaking teenager.  She pushes everyone away and is caustic and hard to deal with, but she is never unlikeable.  Summers makes sure the reader always sympathizes with Eddie, even when she’s at her worst.  She is in so much pain, hurting so badly, and she just wants to understand.  What the reader realizes, even if Eddie doesn’t, is that there is a good chance she never will.  After all, suicide is rarely logical.

Fall for Anything is a beautiful novel about the need for peace and acceptance after an unexpected death.  What makes it even more difficult is that it was a suicide.  Eddie and her mom both wonder if they were at fault, something that, while horrible, is a natural part of the grieving process.  While a difficult book to read, Summers does an incredible and realistic job portraying the complex emotions behind such a horrible tragedy, as well as maintaining that there is always hope, no matter how bleak things seem. 

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Title: Pictures of You
Author: Caroline Leavitt
ISBN: 9781565126312
Pages: 336
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Isabelle is driving along a foggy road, fleeing her marriage after discovering that her husband had impregnated another woman.  She unexpectedly comes upon a stopped car turned the wrong way around on the road, with a woman standing in front of it.  Isabelle isn’t able to stop in time, and ends up striking the woman with her car.  After the accident, she finds out that the woman’s name was April and she was killed.  Her son, Sam, was outside the car in the woods.  The question that Isabelle, and April’s husband Charlie, must ask is why April was driving away that day, and where they might go from here.

Review:

The first thing I need to say in this review of Pictures of You is that it was my book club’s pick, and I’m writing this review after we’ve already discussed it.  I try not to do that because my club’s opinion ends up affecting my own, but I’m going to try to separate my thoughts as much as I can in this review.  I will say that it made an excellent book club pick - it was one of the liveliest discussions we’ve ever had because there was just so much to talk about in this novel.

I was very impressed by Pictures of You while I was reading it.  I was completely engrossed in it - I read it in one sitting.  I was so involved in the characters and their stories.  Leavitt did an incredible job with her characters.  They all seemed very lifelike and real to me.  I could see them in my head, picture them going about their days.  I was completely sucked into this book and absolutely loved the experience of reading it.

After I finished it and had a little time to reflect, I still really liked it but had some minor issues.  Specifically, I was fascinated by April, the dead woman.  There is a brief flashback scene in the novel where the reader learns that she had some problems.  Specifically, it seems as though there she might have had some mental issues, as unhappiness didn’t really fully account for her behavior.  I would have loved more exploration of April, but at the same time, I know it wasn’t really her story.  As a result, this isn’t really a criticism, just how I felt.

Pictures of You was an incredibly interesting read that I really enjoyed.  I absolutely loved how realistic it was, from the characters, to the twists and turns of the storyline, and I appreciated that Leavitt didn’t take the clichéd, easy way out.  As I said, this novel made an amazing book club pick.  If you’re looking for a book you’ll be itching to discuss, definitely consider Pictures of You.

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Title: Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth
Author: Lisa Napoli
ISBN: 9780307453020
Pages: 304
Release Date: February 8, 2011
Publisher: Crown
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Travel
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

In this memoir, Lisa Napoli recounts her move to Bhutan, a tiny country near India, in order to help run a brand new radio station. 

Review:

When I first heard about Radio Shangri-La, I knew I wanted to read it. Though I have heard of Bhutan, I know almost nothing about it.  This book gave me the opportunity to learn something about a new place, while simultaneously enjoying a personal story.  Additionally, the premise reminded me of The Woman Who Fell From The Sky by Jennifer Steil, a book I really loved about a woman moving to Yemen to help run a newspaper.  I knew I was in for a treat with Radio Shangri-La, and I was right.

I absolutely loved Napoli’s observations about Bhutan.  From the way of life, to the landscape, to the interesting people she meets, I drank up every detail Napoli had to offer about Bhutan.  The country has a fascinating history, and it’s so interesting that life there has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years.  Now, though, the encroachment of modern technology such as television and radio have begun to change the culture.  While the young people living in Bhutan want to be in touch with the rest of the world, they are losing their connection with their culture.

Napoli presents a very interesting quandary in Radio Shangri-La.  On one hand, people are attracted to Bhutan because life there is so simple, yet the people are so happy.  In fact, the country makes it a point to measure the Gross National Happiness (instead of GDP or GNP, like most other countries).  At the same time, though, the influx of foreign visitors is changing the country.  As a result, the people who crave the peace and happiness of Bhutan are changing it simply through their presence.  There are a lot of discussions about this subject in the book, the balance between the need for modernization and the protection of culture, and it made the book simply fascinating.

While Napoli did discuss her experiences trying to run the radio station in Bhutan, the focus isn’t on her job.  Instead, it’s on her personal observations and experiences.  While I did enjoy those aspects, I would have loved more information about the cultural difficulties she found in educating the Bhutanese about how to run their radio station.  Napoli tends to skim over this, though it would have made the book richer had more of this information been included.

Radio Shangri-La is a really interesting read.  I loved the discussion about modernization in Bhutan - Napoli loved how preserved the culture was, yet she was helping to change that with the radio station.  It really will give the reader a lot to think about, and since this is an easy read, it makes it perfect for book clubs.  I thoroughly enjoyed my armchair travels through Bhutan in this book, and am now eager to learn more about the happiest place on earth.

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Title: The Anatomy of Ghosts
Author: Andrew Taylor
ISBN: 9781401302870
Pages: 432
Release Date: January 31, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

John Holdsworth has experienced tragedy as of late.  His young son, Georgie, drowned in an accident.  His wife, Maria, was unable to cope with Georgie’s death and ended up drowning herself in the Thames.  After their deaths, Holdsworth penned a pamphlet called “The Anatomy of Ghosts” arguing that there are no such things as ghosts.  Now, just as he is starting to recover from these deaths, Holdsworth is summoned by a Lady Anne Oldershaw.  Lady Oldershaw’s son, Frank, is in Jerusalem College at Cambridge and claims to have seen a ghost.  Since then, he has lost his wits and has been put in a sanitarium.  Lady Oldershaw asks Holdsworth to travel to Cambridge to determine what is happening with Frank.

Review:

Upon first picking up The Anatomy of Ghosts, one thing struck me quite forcefully.  If I didn’t know better, I would have thought this book was written in the 1700s. The way it’s written and the way it reads - it’s really like a Georgian/Victorian novel.  It’s a testament to how well this book evokes the time period it’s set in.  I felt transported, like I was a part of that time, utterly absorbed in Taylor’s writing and details.  I was very impressed with his writing style.

At the same time, though, because it was written in that style, the novel moves slowly and takes some time to get into.  Taylor takes his time setting his his characters and the story, and as a result, readers may become impatient with the narrative.  It meanders quite a bit, and the writing is anything but concise.  There is a great mystery underneath all the excessive verbiage, but this is one you’ll have to be determined to stick with if you want to find it.

The mystery in The Anatomy of Ghosts doesn’t really assert itself until about halfway through the book.  Up until then, there are tantalizing clues here and there, but nothing substantial.  Once the mystery comes to the front and center of the book, though, the pace of the narrative picks up.  I really enjoyed the twists and turns that Taylor took me on, and in the end, though I had an inkling of how everything was going to turn out, I was very satisfied with the mystery.

The atmosphere of Jerusalem College is very well done in The Anatomy of Ghosts.  Taylor successfully evokes the academic life of the time period, as well as the darker undercurrents just beneath.  The politics necessary for advancement in the college are very interesting, as are the severe class distinctions.  Taylor does a wonderful job depicting the setting and time period, and I can’t say enough good things about his detail.

The Anatomy of Ghosts was an interesting book that took me awhile to get into, but I’m glad I stuck with it.  Taylor does an exceptional job with the setting of this book; it makes me very curious to go back and read his previous novels, as I enjoyed the combination of historical details and mystery that comprised this novel.

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