Silence Once Begun

Silence Once Begun
by Jesse Ball

Genre:  Fiction
Published:  1/28/14 by Knopf Doubleday
Pages:  256
Format:  Hardcover

My rating:
4 out of 5 stars







I picked up this book because I was in the mood for something different.  It definitely fit the description for something different...and I enjoyed it!

Silence Once Begun is a story narrated by Jesse Ball, who writes as an interviewer who is investigating a crime that happened in Japan in the 1970s.  A man named Oda Sotatsu signed a confession, admitting to being responsible for a crime he did not commit, the disappearances of eight people known as the "Narito Disapperances."  Once arrested, Sotatsu refuses to say a word to anyone in his own defense.  So the interviewer takes it upon himself to interview those who knew Sotatsu to find out the truth.

This novel is structured like a series of interviews, and it reads more like a piece of journalism than a novel.  Before each interview, Jesse Ball, the interviewer, writes a note which often gives warning that the person being interviewed is not to be fully trusted for various reasons.  And I was often left wondering if I could even trust the interviewer, as he didn't seem to have an objective voice either!  There are unreliable narrators all over the place here.  Each person who shares their point of view has their own skewed version of the truth. (in this sense, it reminded me a bit of Cartwheel by Jennifer Dubois).   I found it incredibly fascinating to read between the lines of what each person was saying in order to attempt to figure out what really happened.  However, the one person who might be able to shed light on what happened, remains silent throughout the entire novel.  

The first page states "the following work of fiction is partially based on fact."  The cover also alludes to this idea, with the words "A Novel" being scribbled out.  The style of writing is meant to persuade you that this is in fact a story based on truth.  However, after wading through all the lies and misconceptions throughout this book, in the end, I wonder if there was any fact in this story at all.  The interviewer says he has changed names and dates and locations.  How are we to know what is true and what is fiction?  That seems to be a central question through this whole story.  The themes of truth, silence and justice were thought-provoking and made for an intriguing read.

My guess is that this style of writing is not for everyone, as I have read that others found it gimmicky.  It's a bleak and tragic story, so again, it may not be for everyone.  I think I picked this up at just the right time, because it was exactly what I was in the mood to read.  Something unique, something a little dark and something that made me think.  It is a short little book and the interview style makes for quick reading.  

The Sea of Tranquility

The Sea of Tranquility
by Katja Millay

Genre:  Young Adult
Listening Length:  13 hours and 10 minutes
Published:  6/4/13 by Simon and Schuster Audio
Format:  Audiobook

My rating:
5 out of 5 stars 







This story about two teens who are trying to cope after tragedy is dark, raw, intense and not especially uplifting.  It also has a lot of mature content for a teen novel.  But I really loved it and was pulled into the story from the very beginning.  I listened to the audiobook, which is a format I don't use very often as I sometimes have trouble paying attention.  I didn't have any trouble paying attention to this story as it grabbed me and didn't let go until the last word, 13 hours later.

At the beginning of The Sea of Tranquility, Nastya, a 17 year old girl with a mysterious secret, starts attending a new school.  It is apparent early on that she has suffered a severe tragedy, and that she is most definitely not okay.  She doesn't speak to anyone, she dresses like a whore, she has issues with her left hand, and as the novel continues, the reader (or listener, in my case) pieces together bit by bit what has happened to leave her in such a state.  Josh Bennett has also suffered his share of tragedy, as nearly everyone he has ever loved has been taken from him.  

At this point, the story sounds like it will be predictable teen fare:  two teens with tragic pasts find solace in each other's arms and all of their problems suddenly disappear.  And while there are elements of this in The Sea of Tranquility, I felt like the novel was so much deeper.  I was especially pleased with the ending.  I was worried about where the story was going, and that I wouldn't like it.  I thought either everything would be wrapped up in a perfect little bow, or everyone would be left wallowing in their misery.  Somehow, Katja Millay managed to find a middle ground, providing an ending that was both satisfactory and realistic.  

One Plus One

One Plus One
by Jojo Moyes

Genre:  Fiction
Published: 7/1/14 by Pamela Dorman Books
Pages:  384
Format:  Hardcover

My rating:
5 out of 5 stars







Jojo Moyes has done it again with this book!  I just loved it and found it be a very enjoyable read.  I would go so far as to say that this is the perfect summer beach read!  

This is definitely a romance novel, and while not typically my favorite genre, the story and the characters in this book are just great to read.  Jess is a poor single mother who can't seem to catch a break.  Ed is a rich, successful businessman who just made a mistake that could cost him everything.  A chance meeting on the side of the road turns into an unforgettable road trip, and inevitably a love story is born.

I read and loved Me Before You, Moyes' previous novel.  But I have to say that Me Before You is a bit of a downer.  One Plus One is much lighter and happier, though there are still moments that may cause a tear or two to fall.  I was a bit teary-eyed when I finished, but not because it was sad.  It was just a warm, fuzzy, happy feeling kind of cry.  In contrast with Me Before You, which had a fairly pessimistic view of life, One Plus One is full of hope and optimism for the future, even when things in life are not going well.  I wonder if Jojo Moyes thought about the opposite themes in these two books as she was writing them?  I found it to be an interesting contrast, and I enjoyed both stories.

I am pretty sure that I loved all the characters in One Plus One.  They were real, and their struggles felt real.  When the characters were struggling, I felt for them.  When they were happy, I celebrated too.  I would say that this is one of Jojo Moyes greatest strengths as a writer:  creating genuine characters that evoke your empathy.  

If you are looking for THE summer beach read of the year, look no further...this is your book!  

Landline

Landline

by Rainbow Rowell

Genre:  Fiction

Published: 7/8/14 by St. Martin's Press

Pages:  320

Format:  ebook

My rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Having read and enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's past three books (Eleanor and Park, Fangirl and Attachments), I was very eager to get my hands on Landline.  I actually bought it the day it was released, which is very rare for me.  And I wasn't disappointed.  As I have come to expect from Rowell, this was a fun, witty, and enjoyable book.

Landline is about Georgie McCool and her husband Neal.  They have been married for 14 years, they have two kids together, and their marriage is in trouble.  Then Georgie discovers a magic phone that allows her to communicate with her husband in the past, and she is forced to evaluate her life, her career and most importantly, her marriage.

Really, there is a magic phone in this book!  And Rowell, with her trademark wit and charm, manages to make it work in a way that isn't totally cheesy and unbelievable.  Granted, it is unbelievable because magic phones aren't real.  But you just have to be willing to accept the magic phone for what it is...a magic phone!  I read an interview where Rowell was asked about how the phone worked and her response was, "Don't be that guy who is like 'but how did that phone get to be magic?' Just go with it."

It's really a very simple plot.  There's not much more to it than what you read in the official synopsis.  Maybe that's why I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5.  I really enjoyed it, but it didn't overly wow me in any way.  It was a nice story, and one that I can relate to as someone who has been married for more than a decade with two kids.  There were several quotes about marriage that struck me and stand out now in my memory, such as...

"You don't know when you're twenty-three.

You don't know what it really means to crawl into someone else's life and stay there. You can't see all the ways you're going to get tangled, how you're going to bond skin to skin. How the idea of separating will feel in five years, in ten - in fifteen. When Georgie thought about divorce now, she imagined lying side by side with Neal on two operating tables while a team of doctors tried to unthread their vascular systems.
She didn't know at twenty-three."

and also...

“It's more like you meet someone, and you fall in love, and you hope that that person is the one--and then at some point, you have to put down your chips. You just have to make a commitment and hope that you're right.” 

All of Rowell's other books focus on the initial attraction and early stages of falling in love.  I think that is Rowell's greatest strength:  telling real stories about how people fall in love.  Landline is a little different because it starts with a couple who are far beyond the stages of early love and moving dangerously close to falling out of love completely.  Rowell was sneaky though and was able to sneak in many snippets of those early days in love through flashbacks and of course, the magic phone.  I'd say she knows her strengths, and I did think it was interesting to juxtapose those two drastically different periods of life and love, looking at how life changes through 14 years of marriage, a demanding career and two kids.

The characters in Landline felt so real to me, even if they weren't always likeable.  I actually thought these were some of the more unlikeable characters that Rowell has ever written.  Yet, I was still cheering for them in the end.  Their flaws only made the characters seem more real to me.  Even when they were talking on magic phones!  I felt like they could be my friends talking to me. Although I don't think my friends are cool enough to throw around as many pop culture references or speak with such intelligent wit.  

I will definitely add Landline to my list of Rainbow Rowell books to recommend (which includes ALL of her books!).  

What is Visible

What is Visible
by Kimberly Elkins

Genre:  Fiction
Published: 6/3/14 by Grand Central Publishing
Pages:  320
Format:  Hardcover

My rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars





After suffering from scarlet fever as a two year old, Laura Bridgman lost four of her senses:  sight, smell, taste, and hearing.  The only sense she had left was the sense of touch.  This novel gives a voice to the real life and person of Laura Bridgman, who was largely overshadowed by her counterpart Helen Keller.  In the 1800s, before Helen Keller was born, Laura Bridgman was famous for her abilities to read, learn and function without four of her senses.  She was raised and taught by the great Dr. Howe at the Perkins Institute.  This novel begins with her early years at the Institute and follows Laura through her life as she matures and tries to figure out how she fits into the world.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book during Laura's earlier years at the Institute.  It was so interesting to see things from her perspective and try to imagine what life was like for her.  Very fascinating!  As the novel continues, it begins to shift more attention to Dr. Howe and his wife Julia.  I just didn't care as much about them as characters, and I felt my attention start to wane during the chapters from their points of view.  I also wasn't a fan of the descriptions of Laura's exploration of her sexuality as she grew up.  After reading the author's note at the end, I understand a little more why she chose to take the story in that direction, but still I did not enjoy reading it.

Actually, I think the author's note was one of my favorite parts of the book!  It was interesting to find out what was true about Laura's life and what was fiction, along with reading about the reasons why the author chose to take the liberties she did with the fictional parts.  I'm glad that I read this book and learned more about Laura Bridgman.  I'm pretty sure I never would have learned that she even existed if not for this book.

Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss
by Stephanie Perkins

Genre:  Young Adult
Published: 12/2/2010 by Penguin Group
Pages:  384
Format:  Hardcover

My rating:
3 out of 5 stars







This is a light and breezy YA book about Anna, a high school girl who is sent to boarding school in Paris for her senior year.  Once there, she makes some new friends, learns about a new city, culture and language and falls for a handsome British boy who also has a girlfriend.

This story is exactly what you would expect from the title and the cover.  Nothing surprising. It was sweet.  It was easy to read and fairly enjoyable.  Although it was also a little annoying at times.  I realize that I, as a thirtysomething mother of two, am not the target audience for this book.  But there was just a bit too much teen angst going on for my liking.  If Anna would have questioned one more time whether or not St. Clair liked her or not, I might have thrown the book out the window!  I felt like the author had to work too hard to keep Anna and St. Clair apart.  There was just not enough conflict to drive the story through to the end.  It got stuck in the cycle of "he loves me, he loves me not" for far too long.

However, despite my complaints, I did find this to be a fun book to read.  I picked it up when I just needed something to keep me reading and keep me distracted.  And this book did exactly that.  If you are a 15 year old girl looking for a nice romance or if you are a 30 year old like me looking for a distraction, this isn't a bad choice.

The Elite

The Elite
by Kiera Cass

Genre:  Young Adult
Published:  4/23/13 by Harper Collins
Pages:  323
Format:  Hardcover

My rating:
2 out of 5 stars





The Elite is book number two in The Selection series by Kiera Cass.  This teen dystopian romance is about a girl named America who is chosen (forced) to be a part of The Selection, a Bachelor type program run by the king and queen used to choose the country's next princess.  Prince Maxon is charming and the apple of all the girls' eyes, including America.  However, America is torn between the charming prince and her childhood love interest Aspen, who just happens to be stationed as a guard in the palace (and right outside her room too, how convenient!).

I thought the first book in this series, The Selection, was a lot of fun to read in a guilty pleasure sort of way.  It is a combination of The Bachelor and the Hunger Games and pretty much every other dystopian teen romance out there.  Fun, but nothing overly original or thought provoking.

But this book, The Elite, was just not that fun or good.  I found it to be really obnoxious, as America spends the WHOLE book debating whether she loves Maxon or Aspen and questioning whether they return her affections, confused as they may be.  Did anything even happen in this book???   I think not. As far as the plot of the story, I felt like book two ended with everyone in pretty much the same place as book one.  

I am curious to read the final book, The One, just to see if anything is ever going to happen to move this plot forward.  My feeling is that The Elite was just a filler book, biding time until the final book was released.