Babel: Or The Necessity Of Violence : An Arcane History Of The Oxford Translators' Revolution

This massive volume from R.F. Kuang presents lots of food for thought as the New York Times notes "The word “translation” connotes movement: carrying meaning from one language to another, or shifting bodies from one place — or one context — to another, all while recognizing that moving entails loss and change. These books dwell in that potent space between setting out and arriving."Eventuallly it was a DNF although I read over half of the book. 

 Kirkus' review is positive but measured: "In 1829, professor Richard Lovell brings a young Chinese boy now known as Robin Swift from his home in Canton to England. Saved from the cholera outbreak that claimed the rest of his family, Robin has the chance to begin a new, comfortable life at professor Lovell's estate. In exchange for food and lodging, he will spend years studying Latin, Greek, and Mandarin to prepare himself to enter Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. In Oxford, Robin meets other students who are not so different from him: young people brought to England from other countries to maintain the empire. Britain has built its power upon silver bars and the magical powers imparted to them by translation, but in order to maintain that power, Britain needs foreigners and their languages. Though Robin and his friends are met with racism, they also find true joy in their studies and the heady business of translation. Soon, Robin learns of the secretive Hermes Society, a group working against the hegemony of the Royal Institute of Translation. As Robin’s studies continue, he begins to question the colonial machine from which he can’t seem to break free. Kuang draws a keen parallel between extracting knowledge and extracting resources, examining the terrible power of systems built on inequality and the uncomfortable experiences of the marginalized within those systems, whether due to race or gender. While occasionally hampered by rather self-aware critiques of colonialism, in general this is an expansive, sympathetic, and nevertheless scathing critique of Western imperialism and how individuals are forced to make their peace with the system and survive or to fight back and face the consequences. It's ambitious and powerful while displaying a deep love of language and literature." 

Publishers Weekly is somewhat less positive, asserting that the author "underwhelms with a didactic, unsubtle take on dark academia and imperialism." They conclude "The narrative is frequently interrupted by lectures on why imperialism is bad, not trusting the reader or the plot itself enough to know that this message will be clear from the events as they unfold. Kuang assumes an audience that disagrees with her, and the result keeps readers who are already aware of the evils of racism and empire at arm's length. The characters, meanwhile, often feel dubiously motivated. Readers will be drawn in by the fascinating, linguistic magic system and righteous stance, but many will come away frustrated." The New York Times closes their review with this praise: "“Babel” has earned tremendous praise and deserves all of it. It’s Philip Pullman’s “The Golden Compass” by way of N.K. Jemisin’s “The Fifth Season”: inventive and engaging, passionate and precise. Kuang is fiercely disciplined even when she’s playful and experimental..."

Backwater

This short novel by James Sallis received such rave reviews that I was anxious to read it. But you need to adjust your expectations. Here's a summary and review from Publishers Weekly:

"...Sallis, who died earlier this year, delivers a masterful, bittersweet swan song about a retired cop who's called in for one final job. Bishop agrees to take the reins of the tiny police department of Anne's Ferry, his hometown, after its longtime chief walks off the job and is never seen again. He learns how to prepare a budget and report to city council while overseeing a staff of three quirky officers: Hollis, Felicia, and Raymond. To rescue himself from feeling "like tumbleweed, blowing into town, rolling idly about the streets," Bishop digs into the case of a car found abandoned at a truck stop with blood smeared over every surface. He chips away at that inquiry in between dealing with the mundane crimes of small-town America--fender benders, wandering elderly neighbors, squatters in old farmhouses--and learns to find beauty in life's quieter moments. Eventually, the bloody car case gets resolved, as do most of the other daily dramas on Bishop's beat, but Sallis is more interested in the texture of life in Anne's Ferry than page-turning action. Brief but brimming with life, this is a tender farewell from a towering talent."

Booklist claims that "The author's death in early 2026 created a void in existentialist noir..." That's a new genre to me. The New York Times gushes that this "one last noir gem. Like the best of his crime fiction work ... Backwater... doesn’t waste a single word, and conveys more layers of emotion than most books double the length ever could." Similarly, Kirkus concludes their review saying "Although [protagonist] Bishop opines that “we use stories” to fit together the pieces of our lives, his six months in Anne’s Ferry play out less like a story than like a prose poem—or better yet, like a series of riffs on a jazz theme. Sallis’ valedictory novel is his most poignant and elliptical, and that’s saying a bit."

In short, the crimes of a small town eventually get solved but this is more a philosophical examination of policing and life in general than a typical whodunnit. 

The Shadow Friends

This is the third installment in Tess Gerritsen's "Martini Club" series (see my posts on the two previous books: The Spy Coast and The Summer Friends). This time the trouble comes from a case of mistaken identity and Ingrid's past missions. Publishers Weekly has a good summary.

"Gerritsen's suspenseful third Martini Club mystery ... spotlights former CIA agent Ingrid Slocum. During her time with the agency, Ingrid was responsible for guarding Sophie, a witness against a Russian organized crime syndicate. When five members of that syndicate found the pair at their safe house, they killed Sophie and drove a stiletto through the eye of one of Ingrid's colleagues. In the ensuing struggle, Ingrid's backup team took out four men, leading Ingrid to worry the fifth got away. Decades later, Ingrid is a member of the Martini Club, a group of retired spies living in Purity, Maine, and she is working as the travel coordinator for a bioweapons conference being held in town. The gathering is disrupted when Mikhail Maslov, a bioweapons expert who defected from Russia, is fatally poisoned, and another attendee is found dead in the trunk of a car with a stiletto sticking out of their eye. Ingrid's fellow Martini Club members--her husband, Lloyd, and neighbors Maggie, Declan, and Ben--join forces to help her figure out if her old attacker has reemerged. Gerritsen keeps the action churning at a steady clip without skimping on character development. This series is in good shape. " I love the fact that the protagonists are all seniors in their 60's and I highly recommend this follow up to the earlier books. 

The Tailor

I discovered a great new mystery author with a likable protagonist. Tim Sullivan has seven police procedurals to his name with DS  George Cross as his neurodivergent detective. With no social skills, George keeps a notebook of the appropriate things to say offered over the years by long-time partner Josie Ottey. In this book, the 6th in the series, Ottey has been promoted and DS Cross is about to be tagged with a new partner, never an easy thing for either party. Library Journal calls the book "compelling and cerebral"...and goes on to summarize and review the book:  "The morning commute to Paddington Station is disrupted when a body is found in the train's bathroom. If George Cross had been a passenger, he would've been more than miffed at the disturbance of his routine. Detective Sergeant Cross is assigned as investigating officer in the death of tailor William Titcomb, and he must inquire as to who savagely murdered the renowned clothier in the crowded train's lavatory. Cross is a gifted police officer whose ability to clear cases overshadows his lack of social graces. In addition to his latest vexing case, Cross must adjust to breaking in a new partner. As Cross and his junior officer delve further into the investigation, he comes to believe that Titcomb's widow is hiding information and that there may be connections between Titcomb's death and the suspicious suicide of a scientist. This is far from a tidy homicide probe. ... In this edgy and smart whodunit, Sullivan continues to bring nuance to his stalwart protagonist. Cross possesses the brilliance of a Columbo with the tact of a Temperance Brennan; a transfixing character." 

Kirkus has similar flattering things to say: "Sullivan’s experience as a screenwriter keeps the scenes crisp and entertaining, his vividly drawn regulars augmenting the mystery plot." And they conclude their review saying "readers will likely be entertained by the internal drama of the precinct and Cross’ Sherlock-ian deductions. "A sharp whodunit with an engaging cast and abundant humor.

I will be sure to read the whole series starting with the first book, The Dentist. 

How to Kill a Crime Writer

This book by Sarah Lotz has an interesting premise. When Annie Morrissey dies from an apparently accidental fall from a ladder, estranged daughter Niamh moves into the now vacant cottage in a small rural village to take care of the cat, Brian, and generally look after her mother's affairs. Except that she is "crap," as she will tell you, at dealing with anything-- her grief, the house, her mother's last emails to her or her mother's final book manuscript. She does befriend the cat; however she doesn't expect or welcome the sudden appearance of Leah Overton. "Leah isn't a stranger - she's the ultra-competent sleuth heroine from Annie's novels. The antithesis of Niamh in every way, she's lived in the fictitious character's shadow for years. But why (and how) has Leah turned up now? And why can only Niamh see her?" (Book jacket) And why is she claiming that it wasn't an accident but something more nefarious?

Library Journal would like to see a sequel. "Lotz's ... cozy mystery throws possible solution after possible solution at readers, but it does play fair. The fun odd-couple pairing of Leah and Niamh sets up a potential series. They'd be worth visiting again." Publishers Weekly asks "Can a meek woman solve her famous mother's murder with the help of her mother's fictional protagonist? That's the concept of this ambitious but slow-moving whodunit from Lotz..." They conclude their lukewarm review with "Though Niamh and Leah eventually crack the case, the plot never really heats up, and the ghostly conceit at the center of the novel feels undercooked. This feels like a missed opportunity." Booklist is considerably more positive. "Cozy mystery readers will relish Niamh and Leah's prickly relationship, Niamh's first-person narration, the book's dark humor and fresh plot, and Niamh's growing confidence as she and a ghost close in on a killer." And Kirkus finds merit in this tale. "Lotz creates a compelling mystery that’s also a genuinely touching look at grief. Annie’s career as a writer provides a fun meta touch, while Niamh and Leah make a charmingly mismatched crime-solving duo. And while the premise may involve a fictional character come to life, Niamh’s believable feelings about the loss of her mother keep the story grounded in reality. An absorbing murder mystery with a unique twist and a poignant look at grief."

 

The Book Witch

This delightful fantasy by Meg Shaffer imagines a world where specially trained people, Book Witches, can go into stories and save characters and story lines from bad actors in the real world, Burners. Rainy March--yes that's her name and not a weather forecast--has been a 3rd generation Book Witch since she was 15. She is an orphan, never having known a father and a mother who died when she was just 6 months old. She was raised by adoring grandparents and Pops--as she calls her grandfather--is still alive and living with her in Fort Meriwether, Oregon. Book Witches live by a series of rules which include the rule saying real people belong in the real world and fictional characters belong in works of fiction. So it is extremely against all the rules when Rainy falls in love with a character, a detective called the Duke of Chicago, when she is on a mission to save one of his books. Worse yet, the Duke falls in love with her, too. When her grandfather goes missing and the book her mother left her--her only inheritance--is stolen, there is no one Rainy trusts to help her solve the mystery except the Duke. The resolution of the book is a total surprise, or at least it was for me. Rainy will end up "uncovering secrets that could change the course of Rainy’s life"  (Kirkus). Kirkus goes on to say that Shaffer's writing style, while "a touch too cutesy to mine real emotional depths, the charms of the heroine and the conceit itself make up for it in spades. Catnip for anyone who ever wished they could walk around in their favorite book." There are lots of literary references and adventures inside other books on Rainy's mission to solve the mystery. Booklist calls it "magical, emotional and charming."

The Phoenix Crown

Two award winning authors of historical fiction, Kate Quinn and Janie Chang, team up to tell this tale of intrepid women in the weeks preceding and the years following the earthquake and fire that destroyed San Francisco in 1906. 

Booklist provides this useful summary of the storyline:  "In 1906, opera singer Gemma Garland moves to San Francisco to take her place in the chorus for a performance by the great Caruso, hoping to room with her old friend Nellie Doyle. But when she arrives, Nellie is nowhere to be found, though her housemate, botanist Alice Eastwood, encourages Gemma to stay. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Suling Feng dresses as a boy to help deliver her family's laundry, doing brisk business with hand-embroidery on the side. She is desperate to escape an arranged marriage, and she's also trying to forget her white lover, Reggie, who disappeared without a trace. One of Suling's hustles is serving champagne at the parties of industrialist Henry Thornton, who becomes taken with Gemma and offers to become her patron. But it's mere days before the devastating San Francisco earthquake and it will draw the women together in surprising ways. " They conclude their review with these praises: "Lushly detailed, richly imagined, and utterly satisfying, The Phoenix Crown will entrance readers."

Publishers Weekly agrees in their praise, "Readers of historicals with strong female leads will savor this."

 

 

Mad Mabel

Sallly Hepworth's newest novel opens with the lines "It's interesting to note that there are two groups of people who are rarely, if ever, suspected of murder. These groups are elderly women and little girls." Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is 81 years old and has been living a quiet life on Kenny Lane for 60 years. She gets along with all her neighbors except for the man next door who lets his yappy dog poop on Elsie's roses. Elsie throws the feces back over the fence in an endless battle. When the neighbor dies, Elsie's dark past is revealed by one of her neighbors to the police. In her youth, she was known as Mabel Waller, the youngest person ever to be convicted of murder. Her height and red hair would probably be enough to single her out for torment as as a child, but her father spreads the rumor that, when 3-year-old Mabel got polio, she intentionally exposed her younger sister. Sister Kitty was a toddler and subsequently died from polio. Mabel herself did not know the story until the neighborhood kids started calling her "Mad Mabel."

The news that Mad Mabel was living in this quiet cul de sac of Melbourne spreads quickly and the press and conspiracy fanatics show up in droves. Mabel decides to reveal her history to two young documentarians who want to present Elsie/ Mabel's side of the story.  The chapters alternate between young Mabel's childhood and the present day. This is a story of redemption which "emphasize[s] resilience and the power of friendship" (Kirkus). Library Journal concludes their review by saying, "Hepworth... showcases her storytelling prowess with this dual-timeline tale that is part thriller, part historical mystery and filled with quirky characters that will pull readers in different directions emotionally. The twists may not all be surprising, but readers will be fully enraptured by the story and fall in love with Mabel, curmudgeonly woman that she is."

Welcome to Cottonmouth

This inaugural and action packed thriller by Jay S. Bell takes you on a wild ride from the very start. The book jacket asks, "What does the U.S. government do with spies and special operators when they pass their expiration date? They retire them to a small town deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas, where they're certain to cause no trouble." What could possibly go wrong with this scenario, right?! When a car breaks down nearby carrying two women who are fleeing from sex traffickers with connections in high places, Devlin Mahoney, the de facto "mayor" of Cottonmouth, Texas  must choose between "doing what's right and doing what he's told." Once you get to know Devlin you will know he always chooses what's right and so begins a war between the handful of Cottonmouth's "special citizens" and a man with endless supplies of money, ammunition and ruthless killers. Devlin's predictable infatuation with one of the women, Britte, causes some near-fatal mistakes because of it, but you can trust that most things come out okay in the end.  Gets rave reviews from readers and I hope there's a sequel.  

Someone Else's Husband

This suspenseful mystery is the newest novel from Kimberly McCreight (2026) which offers "plenty of surprising secondary twists" (Publishers Weekly). The Boston Globe similarly comments that "“Multiple sleights of hand propel this pleasurably head-spinning thriller."

Kirkus introduces their review with this summary: "When Gretchen Falk and her husband, Richard, are awakened in the wee hours by police officers pounding on the door of their Upper East Side apartment, neither knows anything about why an up-and-coming artist named Frankie Callahan is dead—but it turns out that Richard knew Frankie fairly well, the two having met on a climbing expedition of Mount Kilimanjaro. The narration switches between Gretchen as her family copes with Richard’s arrest on murder charges and Frankie in the week before her death as she’s concerned about a man from her past; there are also scenes from the Kilimanjaro trip, which involved a tragic fall..." They go on to note that "Much of what connects these characters has to do with American social class" and conclude with this lukewarm assessment "McCreight focuses on class tensions in a plot that doesn’t quite rise to the heights of her previous books."

The New York Times has a more positive review, calling this a "labyrinthine mystery, told from multiple points of view in multiple timelines. It’s far more complicated than it first appears, and it rewards patience." Publishers Weekly likewise praises "Dynamic characters and expert pacing further bolster the proceedings." I was surprised by the ending as we are offered several red herrings that suggest who the murderer might be, and I found the storyline engaging. Secondary characters are only minimally developed; however, they serve to highlight aspects of the main characters.

The Housemaid

This book is the first in a series of 4 novels featuring the "Housemaid" by prolific writer Freida McFadden (pseudonym for Sara Cohen). Our initial narrator is Millie,an ex-con who is desperate to find a new job after getting fired from her last one and now living in her car. She interviews and is hired into the wealthy Winchester household by Nina who is crazy according to all the neighborhood gossip, having been hospitalized on more than one occasion for "delusional" behavior.  Although the husband Andrew is kind to his wife and to Millie, Nina seems determined to make Millie's life a misery, deliberately trashing the house, and giving Millie incorrect information about tasks and then blaming her for the mistakes. Millie is drawn to Andrew and the feeling seems to be mutual resulting in a one-night stand while Nina is out of town. Subsequently Andrew tells Nina that he doesn't love her anymore and throws her and her daughter Cecelia out of the house. The second part of the book tells the story of the marriage from the wife's point of view and to say anything more would be a spoiler. 

This is definitely a psychological thriller that will keep you engaged until the end. The Guardian calls the book "deliciously dark" and "ultra-twisty." The book was adapted as a movie.

Time to Burn

This suspense novel by Ellery Lloyd (the pen name for a British husband-and-wife writing team) posits a current day world in which time travel is possible, but only at great expense. We join a small group of travelers and their guide in 1941 London during the Blitz. En route to the return portal, one of the travelers is severely injured by flying glass from an explosion and one traveler, Sasha, does not come back with the rest of the group. This of course could be a public relations nightmare and so all resources are brought to bear to try and locate the missing person and bring her home.  Here is a summary from the book jacket:

"Mercurial tech entrepreneur Inigo Frank has perfected commercial time travel, though it is tightly regulated and so expensive that it's open only to the very wealthiest. His company, Tempus Tours, has so far been approved for just one route: a journey back to London in 1941, to the days of the Blitz, allowing the super-rich to experience the awesome sights and sounds of the aerial bombardment of the capital during World War II. It's a slick operation--routes across the wartime city are meticulously plotted, guides are extensively trained, and rules for the time tourists are strictly enforced. To immortalize his achievement, Frank enlists award-winning filmmaker Phoebe Hunt to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary. On her first day shadowing Inigo, she is set to witness the return of a billionaire property developer and his family from their trip to the past. But instead of their awe-filled return, she captures the group arriving bloodied and traumatized, with one of their number missing. Not only that, but Phoebe recognizes the missing woman, and knows not only that she's not who she claims to be but that she has every reason to harbor a grudge against her. And as events begin to unravel in the present day, it seems increasingly clear that she had sinister motives for returning to the past--and that people close to Phoebe are in danger. Phoebe must race to untangle the truth--before past and the future are rewritten."

Library Journal says in their review that "The setting is wonderfully constructed, the pacing is fast and orderly, and the characters are well-drawn. ...This is a thriller blended with old-school science fiction at its best: a story rooted in current reality and fertilized with a healthy dose of dystopia." Publishers Weekly concludes in similar fashion: "Well-wrought characters lend texture and emotional resonance to the intricate and diabolically clever plot. It’s a triumph."  

 

Plant Lady

Minyoung Kang (translated from Korean by Shanna Tan) introduces us to unassuming Yoohee in this "addictive South Korean import...part horror story, part noir mystery, and part women's revenge tale" (Booklist). Publishers Weekly offers this summary and glowing review:

"A woman abandons her office job to open a nursery that sells more than plants in Korean journalist Kang's brilliant debut. At her new shop in the quiet Sejin City neighborhood of Dosan-gu, Yoohee has created a lush, peaceful storefront brimming with her favorite plants. Sometimes, she offers her clients advice on removing troublesome insects from their gardens; other times, she helps them kill and dispose of the abusive men in their lives. News of her services spreads through careful word of mouth, but the disappearances pique the interest of police detective Cha Dokyung, who visits Yoohee's shop seeking answers ... What follows is a delightfully tense game of cat and mouse between Dokyung and Yoohee, who devises increasingly ingenious methods of dispatching entitled, dangerous abusers while avoiding detection. Smoothly translated by Tan, Kang's prose is both propulsive and plainspoken, and glimpses of Yoohee's past lend the narrative significant emotional depth. The result is an exquisite ode to female rage."

Although I found the writing to be a little stilted at times, perhaps due to the translation, I was definitely rooting for Yoohee to succeed in her plant-inspired vigilante machinations. This is a quick read. 

The Monogram Murders

This is the 1st installment of Sophie Hannah's authorized continuation of Agatha Christie's "Hercule Poirot" series of mysteries (see also my post on The Mystery of Three Quarters). In Booklist's starred review, they praise that "Hannah... proves more than capable at re-creating the legendary Belgian detective, who once again puts his little grey cells to good use, this time in unraveling an exquisitely tangled triple murder."Also giving this a starred review, Library Journal agrees that Hannah "has re-created the sleuth's voice and character as true to the original as anyone could."

Publishers Weekly offers this summary: "One evening in February 1929, Hercule Poirot is dining alone at a London coffee shop when a woman arrives who looks as if she had "come face to face with the devil." Poirot joins the distraught woman, known at first as Jennie, who tells the sleuth that no one can help her because she's "already dead," and that no one should search for her killer. "The crime must never be solved," she proclaims. Another cryptic remark Jennie makes before fleeing into the night-"please let no one open their mouths"-resonates with Poirot and Insp. Edward Catchpool, the Scotland Yard detective ... after two women and a man are found poisoned in a hotel near Piccadilly Circus, each with a monogrammed gold cuff link inserted in his or her mouth. The rest of the novel lives up to the promise of the opening, complete with dazzling deductions, subtle cluing, false endings, and superb prose."

I am more inclined toward the review from Kirkus: "So Poirot attaches himself to the case, ... alternately lecturing and hectoring Catchpool, and sounding very little like Agatha Christie’s legendary sleuth except for the obligatory French tags. Hannah... would seem an odd choice for the job of resurrecting Poirot. The main strengths she brings to her task are a formidable ingenuity and a boundless appetite for reviewing the same evidence over and over again. The herrings-within-herrings denouement, which goes on for 100 pages, hovers between tour de force and unintentional farce." 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

V.E. Schwab weaves an historical tale of a young woman who, out of desperation, makes a deal with "the darkness" even though she has been warned by the village wise woman to "never pray to the gods that answer after dark." Adeline LaRue has a wild spirit that longs to escape the confines of her small French village in the 1700s. When her parents promise her to a local villager as a bride, Addie runs away and inadvertently trades her presence for freedom. "She is cursed to be instantly forgotten by everyone she meets...A lonely Addie travels the world, sometimes forcibly moved by Luc, the literally handsome devil to whom she now owes her soul. She must survive by stealing and hiding because she is unable to establish any personal or business relationships... However, as she nears the 300th anniversary of her bargain, she may have discovered a loophole in the curse... " (Library Journal). They close their review, calling this  a "well-crafted exploration of the human condition... Recommend to those who appreciate atmospheric, character-driven dramas."

Publishers Weekly gushes in their review: "This sweeping fantasy is as much a love story as it is a tribute to storytelling, art, and inspiration. Schwab's diverse cast is beautifully rendered, and the view of human connection on offer is biting and bitter, yet introspective and sweet. This ambitious and hopeful work is a knockout." Similarly, Booklist praises, "Narratively, this is a whirlwind--deeply romantic, impossibly detailed, filled with lush language, wry humor, and bitter memories. This often startlingly raw story begs the questions: what is a soul? What does it mean to be remembered? And what prize is worth giving those things up?" Kirkus also recommends the book: "This spellbinding story unspools in multiple timelines as Addie moves through history, learning the rules of her curse and the whims of her captor. Meanwhile, both Addie and the reader get to know Henry and understand what sets him apart. This is the kind of book you stay up all night reading—rich and satisfying and strange and impeccably crafted. Spanning centuries and continents, this is a darkly romantic and suspenseful tale by a writer at the top of her game."

The Antidote

This novel by Karen Russell is set in the fictional town of 1935 Uz, Nebraska--right in the heart of the dust bowl and still struggling with the repercussions of the Great Depression. Some books are notable for drawing the reader in with the opening sentence or paragraph, but this one will deter many readers with a prologue which describes a hideous act of animal cruelty. Chapters are told from several different characters' points of view. One of the magical elements of this historic novel is the presence of what are called "prairie witches," who can store people's painful or unwanted memories until the owner wants to retrieve them -- if ever. In this way Antonina Rossi, was the prairie witch of Uz, says she can be the antidote to guilt, shame and other undesirable thoughts. The sheriff of Uz has  often coerced Antonina into hearing and storing the memories of prisoners who the sheriff wants to prevent from complaining about their abuse at his hands. Prairie witches go into a trance whenever someone shares their memories so they don't recall what they are told, but Antonina knows that there are terrible things going on. When she loses her abilities to store and retrieve memories during the April 14, 1925 "Black Sunday" dust storm, she takes under her wing a local teenage basketball star named Dell, short for Asphodel. Together they concoct a scheme to offer fake memories to those who come to retrieve memories. Dell has recently lost her mother to a murderer and has come to live with her uncle Harp Oletsky, a farmer who seems inexplicably to have been spared some of the worst effects of the drought and dust storms. The main narrators are rounded out by a New Deal photographer, Cleo Allfrey, who is traveling the west to provide pictures that would support Roosevelt's agenda.  Cleo comes into posssession of a camera which takes picture not of what is seen through the lens but instead of what historically existed or what could possibly exist in the future on that piece of land. She says of this inexplicable phenomenon that "The emptiness of any place is an illusion.  That's what this camera has taught me. Any piece of earth is brimming over with living (p. 319)."There are a couple of ancillary narrators, too: a sentient scarecrow, which is also spared the ravages of the storms, and a cat. All are ultimately involved in an effort to reveal the cover up of the sheriff, who has arrested and sentenced to death a young hobo for the murder of several women in the area, including Dell's mother. 

The Washington Post praises the book, noting at one point in their review, "what’s wondrous about “The Antidote” is how implacably it keeps swelling, gathering up swaths of history. In some sections, we’re drawn into a brutal institution for unwed mothers, which allows Russell to examine the way sexual roles were proscribed and enforced to control young women. We learn about Polish peasants who escaped oppression in Europe to settle in Nebraska, Native Americans who were removed from this land to make room for White farmers, and the agricultural malpractice that contributed to the Dust Bowl." 

NPR calls this a "spellbinding" and "epic American novel." Kirkus also praises, saying "Russell has always expertly woven the strange into depictions of the everyday, and her long-awaited second novel is no exception." They close with these comments: "A singular, haunting vision that fearlessly excavates the past and challenges the reader to face the future head-on. A storytelling tour de force that lives up to the promise of its name." Publishers Weekly calls it "an inspired and unforgettable fusion of the gritty and the fantastic." The New York Times says the book "blends speculative and fantasy elements with rich language and vivid characters in an effort not to escape reality but to comment even more thoughtfully on it....Sometimes you need to invoke the impossible to capture the truth."They go on to praise, "Russell’s lyrical writing dazzles on every page."

 

 

The Fox Wife

This novel by Yangsze Choo defies genre definition. Booklist offers this summary and recommendation: "In early 1900s Manchuria, aging detective Bao is enlisted to uncover the identity of a courtesan found frozen in a doorway. Superstitious locals claim she was lured to her death by a fox in human form. The case has special significance for Bao, who has unofficially investigated rumors about foxes since a childhood visit to a shrine that may have resulted in the gift of telling truth from lies. Elsewhere, a mysterious woman named Snow joins the household of a family whose eldest sons seem fated to die before age 24. Unbeknownst to the family, Snow has come to town with ulterior motives--she's seeking revenge for the death of her daughter. These two seemingly disparate stories soon converge as Snow and Bao seek the same man, and people from their pasts reemerge in surprising ways. Equal parts detective story, folktale, and family saga, the highly anticipated latest novel by Choo ...will appeal to fans of diverse, imaginative literary fiction, historical mysteries ..., and fantasy ..."

Publishers Weekly closes their review by saying "Choo's writing is lush and the slow revelation of complicated relationships and reunions hum with tension. This is a treat." I agree with their assessment that the writing is lovely and that this is a very slow burn. I initially found the switching of narrators in alternating chapters to be distracting. This is a common storyline structure but in this case the timelines of the the two narrators do not synch up until later in the book. 

Kirkus offers this summary and review: " The rich Asian tradition of fox folklore provides the backdrop for Choo’s complex and atmospheric tale of identity and discovery set in early 1900s Manchuria. Snow (later also referred to as Ah San) narrates the story of her search for a shadowy figure—the photographer Bektu Nikan—during the waning days of the Qing dynasty. She crosses Manchuria and travels to Japan in her efforts to locate the man she believes is responsible for the death of her very young daughter. Snow’s slow reveal of her trek and travails is often whimsical or wry and is particularly informative about the habits and practices of the shape-shifting foxes who are believed to appear in human form. Quite reasonably, this knowledge is derived from Snow’s own experiences…as a fox. Running on an eventual collision course is the slowly evolving story of a private investigator, the aging Bao, whose initial assignment is to determine the identity of a woman whose body was found frozen and dead outside a restaurant. As he follows the scant clues in that case, he becomes more and more enmeshed in circumstances that lead him into the orbit of Snow and her growing posse of humans and foxes. (Events in Bao’s early childhood have encouraged his belief in the presence of human-seeming foxes and have also left him with the personally and professionally helpful ability to discern when a lie is being told.) As the circuitous and alternating stories unfold and begin to converge, coincidence and historical events play out. Snow’s difficulties as both a fox and a young woman in a man’s world are clearly drawn, as is the pathos of Bao’s situation as a gentle soul who’s always been in search of something or someone.An intriguing vulpine mystery worth the suspension of disbelief."

 

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

Publishers Weekly offers this summary and recommendation of Anna Johnston's debut novel: "Johnston debuts with a sweet story of mistaken identity and second chances. The narrative begins with a failed rescue attempt, as impoverished widower Fred Fife tries to help a nonresponsive man, who turns out to be nursing home resident Bernard Greer, away from a river's edge. After Bernard falls into the river and is carried out of sight, a harried nursing home employee ushers Fred, who looks just like Bernard, back to the home. Because Bernard exhibited signs of dementia, nobody believes Fred's insistence that he doesn't belong there, and when Bernard's body is discovered with Fred's wallet, which fell into the river during the botched rescue attempt, he's identified by the police as Fred. After Fred's initial resistance, he settles into the relative comfort of the home, befriending fellow resident Albert, who, in his dementia, believes Fred is his brother. When Bernard's estranged daughter, Hannah, appears at the nursing home, Fred, who always longed for children and deeply misses his late wife, decides to lean into his lie to offer Hannah a happy and supportive version of the man who abandoned her. Johnston places the painful realities of grief and aging alongside Fred's puckish antics and lands a convincingly hopeful ending. The result is a triumphant last act story." Similarly, Library Journal describes the book as "a heartwarming story about growing old, grief and learning to navigate life's many challenges." And Booklist concludes their review with similar sentiments: "This touching narrative explores themes of community, family, and the redemptive power of new beginnings, illustrating the impact of past choices and the potential for personal transformation."

I found the book almost too sweet for my taste. I didn't dislike the book but it never really engaged me either.  

Dear Committee Members

This epistolary novel by Julie Schumacher is a snarky send up of academia at a small college. Jay Fitger is a professor of English and creative writing who shares his candid views of students--present and former, colleagues, the administration, and his ex-wife among others. 

Library Journal offers this summary: "Jason Fitger, professor of English at a small liberal arts college, is experiencing the death of the humanities in higher education. While his colleagues in the "money making" departments have all the perks imaginable, his department has suffered budget cuts and staff eliminations. Fitger's own writing languishes in the face of relentless interruptions, from writing letters of recommendation for students to commenting on departmental activities to seeking work for his last remaining grad student. Also included in the story is his lively correspondence with his ex-wife and his ex-girlfriend, both of whom also work on campus. In his copious correspondence, he is not afraid to state his mind, even when it's not appropriate to do so... Sadly, Schumacher... has nailed the state of higher education exactly. She has done so with humor and wit, using this one-sided correspondence to tell a larger story. " 

 Kirkus describes our letter writer as "a caustic, frustrated and cautiously hopeful English professor named Jason Fitger. He's a former literary wunderkind who parodied his own writing teacher in a successful first novel called Stain 20 years ago and has since parlayed three unsuccessful follow-ups into a tenured position at a small liberal arts college."  They close their review with "It’s an unusual form for comedy, but it works. "Truth is stranger than fiction in this acid satire of the academic doldrums. Publishers Weekly calls Fitger "a man who exudes both humor and heart."    The New York Times calls the book "terrific" and "hilarious." NPR closes their review with "Like the best works of farce, academic or otherwise, Dear Committee Members deftly mixes comedy with social criticism and righteous outrage. By the end, you may well find yourself laughing so hard it hurts."

This is a light read that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the politics and personalities of academia.   

Curtain Call

This is an oldie but goody--revived by Vintage Books in 2015--that takes place between World Wars I and II in 1936 London. A rising star of the stage, actress Nina Land, has embarked on an affair with a married man, Stephen Wyley, who is the portrait painter  in demand with high society. Quite by accident, Nina interrupts ann attempted murder by a serial killer and unwittingly put a target on her back. Through various social contacts, Nina re-encounters the intended victim, Madeleine Farewell and they collaborate on providing the police a drawing of the potential killer. The brassy larger-than-life theatre critic, Jimmy Erskine, plays an outsized role in epitomizing the moral ambiguity of the age, keeping his life as a homosexual a secret even while constantly flirting with imprisonment through his "recklessly promiscuous" behavior. (The Independent). His talented secretary Tom Tunner is keeping his own secret about his epilepsy as he doesn't want to be  defined by his disease. Madeleine and Tom cross paths and begin a friendship, based on the shared secret of Tom's health and the not shared secret of Madeleine's life as an escort. The Author's Note says that he didn't want the who done it to dominate the story, but rather let the characters he created weave their way toward a conclusion. The New York Times concurs with this approach by saying that "This is a novel that would work as a character study alone — Quinn is that good — but it also happens to be a terrifically satisfying whodunit." The reviewer goes on to effuse "I cannot recommend “Curtain Call” highly enough. As a story, as a mystery, as a visit to between-the-wars London. Basically, drop everything you’re doing and read it." The Guardian calls this a "faultless murder mystery" and goes on to provide a lengthier summary of the characters and storyline. The Independent describes "Quinn's refined narrative voice ... as crisp, melodious and sure-footed..." and closes by saying the book is "a beautifully written, absorbing work of historical fiction."