My bookshelf - the last half dozen: some good reading for the last days of summer

We've had strange weather this year here on the prairies of Canada. Summer finally arrived but just like that, it is sneaking away.

I've got an eclectic mixture for you for the last weeks of summer that covers the globe, taking us to France, America, Scandinavia, Portugal, Ireland, Britain, and China. There's a bit of historical fiction, some serious social issues, and a whole lot of family dynamics and personal growth. But I'll be my own spoiler: I was infatuated with the beautiful Little Wonder - just go out and buy it already, as they say.

In the order they were read:

Harriet Alida Lye has written several novels and a memoir. I think this book is a 'sleeper', meaning it might go unnoticed but is worth the read. Mother Clown is pretty clever as it tells the parallel journeys of a young adult daughter and her mother as they are both seeking to find themselves as human beings and artists at crisis points in life - the daughter leaving home and the mother experiencing an empty house. The journeys are made all the more complicated when there are secrets and personal demons to be revealed. Twenty-one year old Elizabeth leaves her home in Niagara Falls and travels to Paris to enrol in clown school, but it is not a school to become a clown; rather, it is an intense program to find her inner self. Much to her chagrin (as it would be for many young adults), her mother Catherine follows her in the pretence of making amends - but she also has some truths to confront. Here, their already complex relationship becomes even more strained as their own self-centeredness takes over. The story unfolds amidst the rich backdrop of Paris - of bustling streets and cafes and bars and tiny apartments and an atmosphere heavy with culture and art galleries - in rich descriptive writing that puts you right in the scene. I think the strength of this book is the author’s insight into what could be the most intense relationship - the dynamics between mother and daughter - and how we can need each other and resent each other at the same time, how we grow apart and hopefully grow together, and how we help to shape each other or, as the author says, really ‘see’ each other. Mother Clown is an easy and engaging read with emotional writing. Amidst the search for self, there is romance and sexuality and loss that might be uncomfortable to some; and I would suggest that if you are a mother or a daughter, or both, it might leave you reflecting on your relationships and tug just a bit at the heart strings. I liked it a lot. Rating: 4.5/5

Sally Samuelson is 8 years old and lives with her family in Altadena, California.  She is the youngest of three children with a kind architect  father and an abrupt and somewhat detached teacher mother.  Sally is artistic and keeps to her own little world. Teenager Katie is studious and sullen.  But it is oldest brother Ellis whose actions change the trajectory of the family. He  is golden in both hair colour and stature in the family – he is smart and a gifted baseball player and is preparing to enter  college in the fall.  When he leaves the family suddenly with no information as to his whereabouts, and when his girlfriend suddenly appears on their doorstep, pregnant, the family unit is forced in a new direction. The story transpires over the next four decades, both with the changes that come with aging, as well as some connections and secrets to reveal.  The story is written in what could almost be described as stand-alone stories from the viewpoints of different family members,  and the author explains that the novel was pieced together by adding depth to an original story and then adding chapters about different characters which ultimately joined  together to form the novel.  The book has many characters, and you might be wise to keep a piece of paper and pen handy to keep track. There are some references to the cultures and issues ‘back in the day’ that you might remember. There’s also themes of alcohol abuse and infidelity. Bug Hollow is not a dramatic nor exciting read.  It’s more a  saga about the twists and turns and ups and downs of one family and how a family’s future can be transformed both by decisions and chance.  You know,  it got me thinking that the older you are, the more you realize that every family holds a story. Rating: 3.0/5

I loved Little Wonder – the beautiful story, the beautiful writing,  the beautiful characters, and even the beautiful title. The story begins in early 2016 when Song and her 11 year old son River are  taking a train trip from Harbin, China to Beijing, China so that  River (who is a child prodigy pianist) can study with a noted teacher.  Song is laden down with all their earthly belongings including pots and pans while River clutches his favourite music book. In the kerfuffle of the Beijing train station, they are broken apart, and Song loses sight of River. The story transpires through the next five years of a mother and son searching desperately for each other in the megacity of Beijing. Song had grown up as a poor rural migrant worker, married another migrant worker, and gave birth to River who at age four showed innate musical ability. Song soon became a single mother who will sacrifice anything and herself to help River reach his utmost height as a pianist. Beijing is a world unknown to her and she is a “nobody” .  She becomes a food delivery driver on a scooter both to earn money and to allow her to search the streets for River. River, meanwhile, is on his own search. The writing is so eloquent, it puts you right inside the disparities of life in China, and it is so meaningful that you are reminded of life's little lessons along the way. The characters are unforgettable – Song with her sacrifice and devotion and focus and River with his quirks and talent, and both with their undying resilience and faith in each other.  I also loved the lesser characters – Bing the train station worker, Phylis the benefactor,  and Jade, Bubbles, Blackberry and White Dragon, the commune residents. I especially loved the insight into the harsh life of delivery drivers in one of China’s megacities. You’ll read Little Wonder in a day or so. It would also make a great book club choice, and you can find discussion questions online. If you were wondering, author Sophie Chen Keller knows of what she speaks as she was born in China, has lived in Beijing, and is a classically trained pianist. Rating: 4.75/5

If you like WWII historical fiction, drama, espionage, mystery, romance, spies, and a strong female protagonist, The Double Life Of Eve Sinclair might be for you. It all starts with a prologue set in May 1944 with protagonist Eve Sinclair readying to detonate explosives that would blow up a train in Norway,  and the story  then takes off  several years earlier in May of 1939 and carries through the next five years as it provides the backstory and comes full circle to the prologue. In 1939, Eve is a19 year old debutante from a wealthy Montreal family, marrying a handsome diplomat Richard Spence (just as expected) and accompanying him to Stockholm to play the role of the good and dutiful wife. But events transpire quickly, and Eve finds herself entrenched in a world that is highly political, corrupt, and dangerous, completely different from her safe and cushy life in Montreal. She finds herself using inner strengths and smarts that she was never taught and eventually becomes a spy  with the Special Operations Executive to fight  the Nazi regime. The story takes us through Stockholm,  Lisbon, Scotland, and Norway as Eve navigates the spy world, meeting an assortment of  intriguing people, never quite sure whom to trust. There are plenty of plot twists, some which feel almost like a thriller or a crime caper that keep the story moving.  There are also plenty of characters, so between the timelines, the fast moving plot, and the characters,  you might want to keep a pen and paper handy. You might like this book for the historical fiction (particularly the role of the Scandinavian countries in WWII and the role of the Special Operations Executive), or for the steamy romance,  or for the thrill of the chase, or for the transformation of a young indulged woman into a strong, resilient, smart, and beautiful female protagonist. It’s all skilfully  blended. Rating: 3.75/5

Road Trip takes us on a  journey with sisters Maeve and Theresa Dunigan, both strong-minded and very opposite women. Maeve is  an educated and somewhat rigid college professor who likes rules, routine, and predictability while Theresa is a free spirited rebel trying to make her way as an actress.  Needless to say, they have not been close for years. But their mother‘s death forces them to come together; and when they inherit a painting that they believe could be worth a fortune, they embark on a road trip  to Ireland to discover the history of the painting and of their family.  As we follow them to Ireland, we are taken to quaint country inns, to green pastures with flocks of sheep, down winding roads, and through charming villages. We meet colorful characters, some eccentric, some a little evil, and some just plain handsome and charming beyond belief. We are given some history, some mystery, a dose of romance, and even a lesson in  whiskey.   And, of course, in the process, Maeve and Theresa learn a thing or two about themselves and each other.  It took a while for me to ‘get into’ this book (it is long at some 430 pages)  and there are plenty of characters, but I really enjoyed the last half, and the story all comes together in the end with  plenty of surprises.  Some reviewers thought some of the language was a bit crass and juvenile.  I did really enjoy the description of the Irish countryside;  and it took me back to a most excellent travel adventure through the Wild Atlantic Way and County Kerry. Rating: 3.75/5

This is one of those books that you have to decide for yourself if it is for you. It is heavy with themes of overt abuse, violence, poverty, addiction, sexism, and racism; but it is also witty, tender, and full of wisdom and the resilience of the human spirit. The Mercy Step covers a time span of 11 years beginning in 1962 with Mercy Hanson describing her own premature and  reluctant  birth into the world on a cold day in December in northern England. She is born to black immigrants from Jamaica and is one of three, then five, children, not counting the four older siblings left behind in Jamaica. Mercy lives in what can only be described as a dysfunctional environment – already an unwanted middle girl-child, the home is rife with her father’s alcohol abuse and anger and her mother’s undying commitment to the church. Mercy is pretty much left to her own devices in addition to taking on roles that a child should never have to do. So, Mercy finds solace  in her chosen step where she can sit and talk to her toy, Dolly, or through escaping into her imagination. Mercy is smart in all ways beyond her years and, early on, recognizes what she wants and does not want out of life. To me, the strength of this book is it’s uniqueness – how Mercy makes sense of a harsh world through her vivid imagination (such as the cord that binds her to her mother),  how she finds places of solace, and how the story  portrays serious social issues through a smart, engaging, loveable little protagonist. There are parallels between the story and the author Marcia Hutchinson’s life.   According to her bio, she was born in 1962 in the UK to Jamaican parents and was the first pupil  from her comprehsensive school to attend Oxford University.  Marcia Hutchinson describes The Mercy Step as "autofiction". You might want to read more about her on line. This is a unique read. I liked it a lot. Rating: 4.0/5

And that's my last half dozen. I'm pretty firm on my ranking this time, but it's just my opinion: 1) Little Wonder 2) Mother Clown 3) The Mercy Step 4) The Double Life of Eve Sinclair 5) Road Trip and 6) Bug Hollow. I'd love to hear what you think.

"It is really hard to be lonely very long in a world of words" - Naomi Shibab Nye