Book Report

I haven't done a book report in six months so I thought it was time to review a few of the books I have read recently.  As always when I say read I really mean listen so I'll include my thoughts on the narration as well.

I continued my binge reading of Louise Penny so I'll review the last three books I've read in her Inspector Gamache series.  

A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny:  The seventh book in the series takes us back to Three Pines which I was happy about.  Book six was set mostly in Quebec City and I missed all the denizens of Three Pines.  The story centers around Clara Morrow's rising success in the art world and the murder of an estranged childhood friend the night of the celebration of her art show.  Nothing like waking up to a dead body in your garden to take the glow off a lovely evening.  There are no lack of suspects since the murdered woman was an art critic who's reviews had ended or derailed many an artist's career, Clara's included.  

The underlying theme of this book is forgiveness.  Can Clara forgive Peter for his jealousy and inability to be supportive of her career, can Olivier forgive Gamache for putting him in prison for a murder he didn't commit, can the rest of of Three Pines forgive Olivier for his greediness, and can Jean Guy forgive Gamache for what he perceives as leaving him for dead during the raid.  It is these subplots and character development that keep me coming back for more Louise Penny.  The actual murder story line is secondary to me.  

The part when the murderer is revealed was a little heavy handed and clichéd (it was a dark and stormy night, lights flickered…yada yada).  I think the story could have been tightened up a bit.  A lot of time was spent rehashing the raid that happened in the previous book.  And while addiction (both Jean Guy's and the murder victim's) was a theme throughout I don't think the Alcoholics Anonymous parts rang true.  Certainly a man of Gamache's profession would have a better understanding of AA and not need so much background digging on the topic.  Narration by Ralph Cosham, as always, spectacular.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny: The eighth book in the Inspector Gamache series and, truth be told, my least favorite so far.  The choir director of a monastery in the wilderness of Quebec is murdered.  Outsiders are rarely, if ever, allowed into the monastery so all signs point to one of the two dozen cloistered monks as being the murderer.   The monks are world famous for their recording of Gregorian chants and I do love how Louise Penny educates her reader on the topic.  However there is just so much you can read about a monastery and chanting.  It just dragged on and on.  And then we have the continued story line of the factory raid from two books ago.  By the end I really didn't care who murdered the choir director.  The books spans just a couple of days but it seemed like it dragged on for months.  Narration – same as above.  ⭐⭐⭐

 

How the Light Gets In by Louse Penny: We are back in Three Pines for the ninth book in the series and this one was classic Louise Penny.  The story line is about the last surviving quintuplet who was murdered just as she was getting ready to visit Three Pines for Christmas.  Louise Penny often fictionalizes an event that mirrors something that actually happened.  Like with monks and their Gregorian chants (remember back in the 80's when they were all the rage?) and in this case, the famous story of the first surviving set of quintuplets (real life:  Dionne quintuplets, fictionalized: Pineault quints) that were made wards of the state and basically a tourist attraction for all of their childhood.  

Where the last book was all about forgiveness this one is about redemption.  I can't say much without giving away the story but it made the previous two books worth it.   There is a secondary story line about corruption in the Sûreté that was just riveting.  I was very much on the edge of my seat reading this one, especially the last two chapters.  And there is a scene with Jean Guy, Ruth and Rosa that will make you cry.  I listened to the last chapter twice, it was so good.  Narration – fabulous (and sadly there is only one more narrated by Ralph Cosham).  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Okay – on to different authors!

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng:  This has been on the best seller list for ages and I finally got around to reading it and I think it deserves about 75% of the hype.  I think the author is very adept at character development and setting the climate. 

Quick synopsis:  It's the story of an itinerant artist, Mia,  who is trying to keep one step ahead of her past, moving to an affluent Ohio suburb so her daughter, Pearl, can have some stability, particularly with her education, and how their lives intersect with the affluent Richardsons who own their rental duplex.   It delves into financial inequality, racial inequality and the dynamics of a mother/daughter relationship.  You think you are going to root for the underdog (in this case the poor artist Mia) but actually everyone is flawed and everyone has redeeming qualities.  You don't think Mrs. Richardson is going to be the least bit sympathetic but once you get to know her you can sort of understand her sheltered, yet idealistic views on life.  You think Mia is the one to root for but she has done some questionable things as well so it's hard to pick a side, as it were.

The story opens up at the ending and then does a flashback to half a year or so earlier.  Parts of it read a bit young adult because so many of the characters are teens.  The author does a great job of developing the female characters but not so much with the males who end up rather one dimensional.  With the exception of the youngest Richardson son who marginally gets more page time.  I do say the relationship between Mrs. Richardson and her youngest daughter didn't quite ring true.  The explanation on why she was so hard on her didn't seem plausible considering her general life philosophies.

I did thoroughly enjoy the book and went through it quite quickly.  Narration by Jennifer Lim was good.  No complaints there.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller:  This is the story of 13 year old Walter Lavender Jr. whose pilot father disappeared on a flight before he was born.  Walter has a motor speech disorder which prevents him from speaking properly and as a result he is very isolated and shunned except in his mother's enchanted bakery where there is an element of magic to all of her baked treats.  Walter has an uncanny ability to find lost things and it was fun reading the descriptions of him working with various people to find their lost objects.  When a book that is the root of the bakery's magic disappears Walter sets off through New York City with his clumsy Labrador to find it before the bakery is shut down.   

He meets all kinds of interesting characters as he is trying to track down the book, all who, like him, live on the fringes of society.  His interactions with them lead him to make some discoveries about himself that have contributed to his isolation.  So, in a sense, he is finding himself as well as the book.

The book dragged a bit in the middle and then towards then end you think things are wrapping up but then there is a twist and off you (and Walter) go again.   Sophie Chen Keller does a fabulous job of making you feel the mounting anxiety Walter is experiencing as the day wears on and he is unable to find all the pages of the book.  There wasn't a lot of relief from that tension for a good portion of the book.  The book was narrated by Kirby Heyborne who narrated Gone Girl.  He does a splendid job with Walter and makes each other character really stand out.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read a few other books but they aren't worth reviewing.  One of them I couldn't even remember the plot and had to look it up!  Bad review for a book, for sure.  I am currently reading The Blue Castle by L.M Montgomery.  I'm only three chapters in so far.  I find L.M. Montgomery to be very charming and so far I am enjoying this book.   

Any recommendations for books that you have read and enjoyed?