The Myth of Perpetual Summer

The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall  368 pages

Not long ago I wrote a review for Joanne Bischof’s Sons of Blackbird Mountain. I call it the first “must read” of 2018. Well, I just found the second “must read” of the year, The Myth of Perpetual Summer, and probably the best beach read I’ve ever come across. To quote the back cover, “A struggling girl uncovers her family’s history and sees how the lies of the past echo throughout their dysfunctional lives today.”

It sounds cliché to say that this novel about family and the secrets they harbor is haunting, powerful and beautifully writer, but those are the best words to describe this story. It’s Southern gothic at it’s finest.

The story starts in August 1972 in San Francisco. Tallulah James has just learned that her brother, Walden, had been arrested for murder in New Orleans. Readers may think this is going to be about Walden, but it’s really about Tallulah. All she knows is that she must get home to him, a home that she left nine years ago and has not been in contact with her family since.

The story revolves around Tallaluah’s growing up in Lamoyne, Mississippi with her two brothers, sister, parents, and grandmother. Chapter Two shifts back to 1958 Lamoyne. Her parents are largely absent, and she feels the weight of raising her twin younger siblings, not to mention making sure the family’s reputation doesn’t get any more smeared than it already is. Her dad is a professor at the local college, and her mother is more interested in “causes” than in child-rearing. Their explosive relationship plays havoc on the entire family. The matriarch of the family, is the Southern-to-the-bone grandmother, who does her best to guard the family’s secrets and.

There is some beautiful writing in this novel, and here are a few lines that I just adored:

            “…everyone knows that is brains were leather, Grayson wouldn’t have enough to saddle a June bug.)”

            “He knows more hiding places in this town than a stray cat.”

            “I will the storm to take is time as the grumbling sky argues for a faster arrival.”

            “The anew quickly spread to Margo, a forest fire hopping from tree to tree.”

But then betrayal and death shake Tallaluah to the core.

I have never read Crandall before, but I’m sure gonna get some of her books. The Myth of Perpetual Summer receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Outsider

The Outsider by Stephen King    477 pages

When an 11 year-old boy is found in a park, hideously assaulted and murdered, all of the evidence seems to point to one of the town's most popular men, Terry Maitland.  Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland has coached, orders an immediate and public arrest. Maitland claims he is innocent and even has a foolproof alibi with film footage to prove he was in another city when the crime was committed. However, that isn't enough to save him.

What is clear is that Detective Anderson knows what the evidence tells him but he also is trusting the inner voice that tells him something's not right with this case. The question is, if Terry Maitland didn't commit this crime (since he clearly was somewhere else at the time), who left that evidence?  King constructs a plot that slowly unfolds, drawing in different characters who discover there is a horrifying killer still out there. Just who (or what) is this person?  You know I can't tell you --- but suffice to say, if you know Stephen King's work at all, you know it's going to be someone unpleasant.

I enjoyed this story, as I have most of Stephen King's books (at least the ones written after "Christine.").  I did feel like the book was screamingly slow at the beginning, but I understood why King was building things slowly. There's a lot that goes into constructing the story, so it needs to be carefully built piece by piece --- and, as you discover things at the same time that the characters do.

Generation Abandoned

A Generation Abandoned: Why 'Whatever' Is Not Enough by Peter D Beaulieu, 261 pages

In the opinion of Peter Beaulieu, the contemporary world faces a crisis of acedia - of restless boredom, of dissatisfied complacency.  He sees this as the natural consequence of widespread moral indifference, incarnated in a shrug of the shoulders and the word, "whatever".  This, in turn, is a result of what he calls the "Big Lie" of "mandatory amnesia", the total rejection of the past and, with it, any kind of standards beyond the political fashions of the moment, leading inexorably to the conclusion that nothing really matters.  The alternative he presents is that of the Catholic Church, which asserts that everything matters.

Beaulieu's thoughts pour out onto the page in a rhetorical flood, and, like a literal flood, the result is a muddied mess.  Counter-intuitively but convincingly, given our mass media obsession with vacuous fantasy, Beaulieu indicts our contemporary anti-culture of a lack of imagination, and it is clear that imagination is something he possesses in abundance, but organization does not seem to be among his gifts.  There are some startlingly brilliant diamonds in this rough - who else would directly contrast the lives of CS Lewis and Michael Edwards (Priscilla Presley's second husband)? - but the rough is deep and extensive.  Beaulieu amuses himself (and occasionally his readers) with frequent digressions, but oftentimes the digressions overpower his point.  Anecdotes are repeated without acknowledgement of the repetition.  Unfortunately for a book condemning indifference, the author is somewhat sloppy when it comes to facts (the Marquis de Sade was not in the Bastille when it was stormed in 1789, Descartes was not a priest).  Sad as it is to say, however, the book's greatest shortcoming is its author's laudable defense of the lives of the unborn - Beaulieu writes so passionately on the subject of abortion and returns to it so frequently that it is difficult to believe that anyone who disagrees with him at all on this key issue will find his book palatable.  In the end, its incoherence makes A Generation Abandoned ineffective as either a summons for the unchurched or a sermon for the faithful.

The Breadwinner

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis     171 pages

Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. Parvana’s father — a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed — works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day, he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food.

As conditions for the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner.

This book was hard to read - the atrocities happening in Afghanistan seem unbelievable in our modern time: women's freedoms being limited to just their homes, unless accompanied by a man, having to cover up in full while out, not being able to go to school or hold jobs, not allowed to make noise or have a voice, etc.

But this book does important work shedding some light on the experiences of Afghans at the hands of extremists. It's an important work that children and adults should be exposed to and I'm glad I was able to read it. 

The Hate U Give

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas     444 pages

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

This is a read that reflects the troubles of our modern times, including racial profiling, injustice, and police brutality. It was a hard read, but I am glad I did read this book. It's important to understand and to reflect on the words of those closest to these troubles, to listen and to think of ways to be a part of the solution, not the problem.

I think teens will get the most out of this novel - it speaks with a teen voice and the characters people-ing it are mostly teens. This is there story and it is a powerful one.

I think for her first novel, Thomas did very well. The story is compelling, its characters are well-rounded people who feel like they could be out in the world, living there lives right now. I appreciate that the story ends on a hopeful note, even as it challenges the reader to continue to fight: your voice is your weapon - use your weapon.

I listened to the audiobook of this story and it is read well. I very much enjoyed listening to it.

Queens of Innis Lear

Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton     575 pages

The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.

The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.

Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.

The book is long, so I'll keep my review brief: Writing: amazing. Story: well constructed, based off of King Lear but retold in a clever way, slow going. Characters: Well rounded, flawed, full of angst (every last one) Overall, I can say I liked the book, but definitely not as much as I was expecting to. It was much too long, or the story took too long to grab hold. Lots of flipping back and forth from past to present and so much narration of people, places, things that it took a long time between moments of action. This book was 50% peoples inner thoughts and monologues, 40% people talking to each other but not doing anything, and 10% things actually happening. It was slow, but well written. Is that enough for me to give it four stars? No. For some, this may be a four star or even five star read. Not for me. I don't regret having read it, but I'd only recommend it to people who like long, methodical world building and character development in their high-fantasy.

Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race

Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein     288 pages

Everyone's favorite game maker, Mr. Lemoncello, is testing out his new FABULOUS FACT-FINDING FRENZY game! If Kyle can make it through the first round, he and the other lucky finalists will go on a great race--by bicycle, bookmobile, and even Mr. Lemoncello's corporate banana jet!--to find fascinating facts about famous Americans. The first to bring their facts back to the library will win spectacular prizes! But when a few surprising "facts" surface about Mr. Lemoncello, it might be GO TO JAIL and LOSE A TURN all at once! Could Kyle's hero be a fraud? It's winner take all, so Kyle and the other kids will have to dig deep to find out the truth before the GAME is OVER for Mr. Lemoncello and his entire fantastic empire!

Another great installment in the Lemoncello series. This book centers on research and knowing how to search for and find information, all wrapped up in the thrill of a race with high stakes. Kyle and friends are about to find out amazing facts about some incredible figures in history: Abraham Lincoln, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Edison, Michael Jordan, etc. What do all these figures have in common? They've failed, but kept on working hard until they succeeded. 

I love how Grabenstein includes valuable information, like how to do research and how to use libraries for research, within his stories. The Lemoncello series shows just how useful and fun libraries can be and, as a librarian myself, I appreciate that. The fact that this book and the others in the series can be about such mundane activities as research and still be fun and full of adventure is a credit to Grabenstein's writing. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of different cultural backgrounds in this one. It was done in a very natural and everyday way. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, quick read or those who have read the previous Lemoncello books.

Life and Times of Michael K

The Life and Times of Michael K by John Coetzee, 184 pages

Michael is a gardener.  To sow seed and care for growing things is what he knows, and what he wants.  Unfortunately, meek Michael is constantly in danger of being trampled into the dust.  Born with a harelip which caused him to be rejected by his mother - at least, until age and poverty made her dependent on him - and raised in an orphanage, what Michael wants most of all is to be left to fend for himself, free from those who would help him as well as those who would exploit him.  The State is, needless to say, his unnatural enemy, preoccupied as it is with official papers, civil wars, and labor camps.  Yet he does not reject all human society, to the contrary, he longs to live with others who are willing to receive what is offered them rather than forcing the world to give them what they want.

Much of The Life and Times of Michael K makes for dreary reading, immersed as it is in Michael's own perspective, knowing little of the ways of the world and yet understanding enough for tragedy.  In the end, this makes the book, and its protagonist, that much harder to ignore or forget.

Medieval and Renaissance Treasures

Medieval & Renaissance Treasures from the V&A, edited by Paul Williamson and Peta Motture, 89 pages

This short book showcases 35 items from the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum, from a pair of seventh century Anglo-Saxon brooches to pages from Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks.  The items are divided into three categories - "Status and Display", "Piety and Devotion", and "The Secular World" - although the reasoning behind the division isn't entirely clear.  Certainly all of the items from the first category could easily have gone into one of the others, and the boundary between the two latter categories was not as clearly drawn then as it now is (or seems to be).  Each category is introduced by a short essay, and each object gets a couple of pictures and a one page description, few of which provide much in the way of insight or illumination.  Compensating for this, the included objects are undeniably treasures, and largely speak for themselves.

One Last Word

One Last Word by Nikki Grimes, 120 pages

"In this collection of poetry, Nikki Grimes looks afresh at the poets of the Harlem Renaissance -- including voices like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglas Johnson, and many more writers of importance and resonance from this era -- by combining their work with her own original poetry. Using "The Golden Shovel" poetic method, Grimes has written a collection of poetry that is as gorgeous as it is thought-provoking. This special book also includes original artwork in full-color from some of today's most exciting African American illustrators, who have created pieces of art based on Nikki's original poems. Featuring art by: Cozbi Cabrera, R. Gregory Christie, Pat Cummings, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Nikki Grimes, E. B. Lewis, Frank Morrison, Brian Pinkney, Sean Qualls, James Ransome, Javaka Steptoe, Shadra Strickland, and Elizabeth Zunon. A foreword, an introduction to the history of the Harlem Renaissance, author's note, poet biographies, and index makes this not only a book to cherish, but a wonderful resource and reference as well." I appreciate what Grimes has done with this and even liked some of the poems but poetry is not my favorite genre so I would probably never pick this book up again.  However, children who like poetry will almost certainly want to read this.

The Quilts Of Gee’s Bend

The Quilts Of Gee’s Bend by Susan Goldman Rubin, 56 pages

“Explores the history and culture of a group of African American quilters from Gee's Bend, Alabama, offering details on the community and their traditions.” This is a fascinating account of the history behind these quilts.  Children who have interest in African American history, especially some of the lesser known history, will enjoy this.

The Inquisitor’s Tale or The Three Magical Children And Their Holy Dog

The Inquisitor’s Tale or The Three MagicalChildren And Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, 363 pages

“Crossing paths at an inn, thirteenth-century travelers impart the tales of a monastery oblate, a Jewish refugee, and a psychic peasant girl with a loyal greyhound, the three of whom join forces on a chase through France to escape persecution.” This book is pretty amazing.  Any child who likes historical fiction needs to read it.

Undead And Unforgiven

Undead And Unforgiven by MaryJanice Davidson, 286 pages

“If Betsy Taylor has learned anything about ruling Hell it's: 1) She can't do it alone, and 2) She doesn't have to. She's got the help of a devoted vampire king, a dateless zombie, an exhausted new mom, an unshowered cop, a bitchy ghost, a kindly dead priest, and her late stepmother ("Go Team Satan 2.0!"). But the latest major hurdle in her afterlife is so big she can't even see it until it's on YouTube. Betsy's father and half sister Laura (a former Antichrist with a grudge) have teamed up, for what sinister purpose Betsy can't imagine. The former Antichrist didn't take kindly to getting what she wished for, and has decided that's entirely the fault of the vampire queen. What that means for Betsy is trouble (more than usual, even) and possible exposure to an unsuspecting world. Meanwhile Hell is having a deleterious effect on Betsy's friends ("I didn't think it was possible, but the damned are getting meaner."), the newly dead are confused about Hell's new rules ("A buddy system? Really?"), and the vampire king is trying to poach on Betsy's territory. Betsy loves her husband, but that's not the same as trusting him. Before long the king and queen of the vampires aren't speaking to each other, the mansion on Summit Avenue is a war zone, and Betsy's getting calls from a werewolf, a mermaid, and worst of all, her mother ("What do you mean you can't babysit?"). No one said life after death would be easy, but c'mon: this is ridiculous.”  These books are still pretty funny.  The storylines are getting a little crazy but I’m still enjoying them.  These are for people who like supernatural romantic comedy.

Laugh Out Loud

Laugh Out Loud by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein, 275 pages

“Imaginative middle schooler Jimmy follows his dream to start a unique book company while he is still a child.” This book may not be laugh out loud funny, but it is a lot of fun.  Kids who have read Patterson’s other books will enjoy meeting some of the characters they know and love from other books in this story and they will enjoy the humor in this story as well. 

My Brigadista Year

My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson, 198 pages

“A historical novel about a young Cuban teenager who volunteers for Fidel Castro's national literacy campaign that taught those throughout the impoverished countryside to read.” I knew nothing of this time period in history and I really liked learning a little about it through this novel.  This is really well done and kids who like historical fiction will love this book.

Zack And the Turkey Attack

Zack And the TurkeyAttack by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, 163 pages

“While helping on his grandparents' farm, Zach, his best friend Matthew, and neighbor Josie outsmart a tormenting turkey and, in the process, solve a mystery of missing jewelry.” This was a fun read for elementary kids who like realistic fiction.

Behemoth

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, 485 pages

Bottom of Form

“The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.” I can’t believe that I waited so long to read Westerfeld’s books.  I love this series and teens who like steampunk, adventure, or fantasy will want to read it.

Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls

Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls by Elizabeth Renzetti  304 pages

"Why are there so few women in politics? Why is public space, whether it’s the street or social media, still so inhospitable to women? What does Carrie Fisher have to do with Mary Wollstonecraft? And why is a wedding ceremony Satan’s playground?"

These are just a few of the questions that acclaimed journalist Elizabeth Renzetti addresses in this collection of essays. Her decades of reporting on feminist issues show here; she has a wry and sharp sense of humor and there were a lot of essays that I found thought-provoking (and also funny).  She makes observations on current politics, but also examines how life was back when her mother was working.  Basically, it's a look at how far women have come . . . and how far we have to go.  I liked this book a lot and found it a great companion to other books I've read, including Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay.

The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Cogan          Audio Book:  9 hours, 13 mins      Hardback Book: 368 pages               

Good book.   Set in England at the beginning then in the Highlands of Scotland thereafter, there is such a delightful sharing of the people and landscape told here that the reader really feels and visualizes being there.    I learned that in Summer in Scotland it stays light outside until after 10:30p.m. at night.   How cool.   I had never heard that before, nor did I ever consider the longitude and latitude of the country having close ties with the north pole so much so that the aurora borealis can be seen there at times.   Man!  How cool is that!   I had no idea.    You learn so many things from books.   I love it and the descriptions of the voracious appetites for books and reading that the folks in the small Highland town and countryside that the main character meets and deals with throughout is refreshing.    It starts out with our heroine losing her job at the small Library she has worked in for years.    She decides to go against her normal introverted character and finally pursue her dream of owning a bookshop.   Unfortunately her dreams and her pocketbook are at odds so she thinks outside the box and decides to purchase a cargo van she sees an ad for sale in Scotland to house a mobile bookshop.    Kind of like selling out of the boot (trunk) only bigger.    Her original plan was to buy the van and go around her English hometown to sell books, but, the people in the small Scot town are so intrigued with her idea of the van serving as a bookmobile they try to talk her into doing it as a Library there since their Library closed and there are none anywhere close by.    The inhabitants miss the Library and cajole until finally it works.    While still a bookstore not a library since she has to make a living to support herself as this will be her only source of income, she does end up moving there and bringing in books to sell she gets on the cheap from bookstores and libraries, etc. discounting their materials.    Her landlord and his ex-wife have refurbished one of their barns into a stylish living area which she jumps on because since the landlord is in the midst of divorce he doesn’t know what to charge and gives her a ridiculously low rental fee.    So much goes on, she meets a Latvian man and falls for the romance she reads about in her books more so than really what is in front of her.    It becomes a dangerous deal for her love interest as he drives a train and she gets him to transport the books from London and other areas to her at midnight (for free) by stopping the train for lame excuses long enough for them to unload the books into her van.   She is a bit of a user and really rude at times to her partner in crime and also to her landlord  though she gets annoying toward the end for being such a little jerk seems to me.   She plays it off like the chances people take are their choice – REALLY?   Loads happens.    She wants her way a lot without looking at the other person’s view, so when squirrely things happen to her, I feel she has it coming for being inconsiderate, but, after twists, turns and surprises and what could be really horrendous consequences, I ended up feeling she redeemed herself.    Good book.   If you like Scotland, brogue and books, aye this is a canny story.  

Alice I Have Been

Alice I Have Been  by Melanie Benjamin   351 pages  

Written is 1856 by Charles Dodgson, Alice in Wonderland is still among the most influential “nonsense literature” books ever written. Dodgson was an awkward mathematics professor at Oxford when he made the acquaintance of the Dean’s daughters, Lorina, Alice, and Edith Liddell. In the summer of 1862, Dodgson and friends were boating with the girls while Charles regaled the party with a story of a little girl named Alice who fell down a rabbit hole and traveled into a fantastical world. The story was a success and the “real” Alice urged Dodgson to write it down for her. After some time, under the pen name of Lewis Carroll, the story was published, becoming a sensation the world over, and immortalizing and forever changing the life of Alice Liddell.

For years, Dodgson had been friends with the Liddell girls, often using them as subjects for his hobby as a photographer, until the relationship suddenly ended in June, 1863, for unknown reasons. There are many speculations, and Benjamin choses to weave this historical fiction around the theory that Dodgson had inappropriate and romantic feelings toward Alice, even when she as young as seven. Clearly, rumors of this nature would have destroyed the reputation of any girl in the Victorian era, and the premise of this story is based on Alice’s perpetual confrontation with her lurid past and how her flawed repute followed her to the grave.

The story briefly follows Alice through a failed romance with Prince Leopold, a compromised marriage, the birth of three children, and the loss of two sons during World War I. I was disappointed that Benjamin took the low road and used a sensationalized version of hearsay to literally condemn Alice to a life of compromised options due to her perceived ruined reputation. This version of history also, with no evidence to support it, compromises the reputation of the author, which could very well taint a reader’s impression of a children’s story.

Posted By:   Regina C.   (submitted to Jen 5/22/18)