MAUREEN (2023) - Review

Maureen by Rachel Joyce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On sale: February 7, 2023

After reading and reviewing "The Devil You Know" by P.J. Tracy, which turned out to be #3 in a series, I was discouraged to realize that my next assignment was "Maureen" by Rachel Joyce, also a third book in a trilogy I had not read. Reviewers claimed that the book could stand alone.

The first book was "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" and was continued in "The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy", and ends with "Maureen", in what each is now referred to as 'A Harold Fry Novel'.

FIRST SENTENCE: "It was too early for birdsong."

THE STORY: There is a Preface where the author explains how readers who met Harold Fry in her first book kept insisting she continue the story. Eventually she wrote the second and thought once again that she was finished, but Maureen needed her own closure, her own journey, her own life.

WHAT I THOUGHT: "Maureen" by Rachel Joyce is a beautifully written, emotionally charged novella that serves as the conclusion following the journey of Harold and Maureen as they come to terms with their past and present.

Throughout the book, Joyce masterfully explores the complexities of love and loss, and the power of human connection. The author's writing is poignant and touching, capturing the deep emotions and relationships of the richly drawn characters, and their stories are interwoven in a way that is both satisfying and thought-provoking.

One of the standout features of "Maureen" is its exploration of the themes of hope, resilience, and redemption. Despite the challenges that Harold and Maureen face, the book is ultimately a testament to the human spirit and its ability to overcome adversity. The characters are relatable, and their journeys are both inspiring and heartwarming.

In addition to its emotional impact, "Maureen" is also a well-written, engaging book. The writing is clear and concise, and the narrative is both compelling and easy to follow. The book is a quick read, but its themes and messages will stay with readers long after they have finished it.

The descriptions of the English countryside are particularly evocative, and the book has a sense of timelessness that gives it a classic feel.

However, one of the weaknesses of the book is its brevity. The story feels somewhat rushed and underdeveloped in places. There are many intriguing characters and plot threads that are introduced but never fully explored, leaving the reader wanting more.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED While the brevity of the book may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied, it is nonetheless a beautifully written and deeply affecting story that is well worth reading. Rachel Joyce is a talented author who has created a character that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "Maureen" by Rachel Joyce from NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group for an honest review.

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ALL THE LOVERS IN THE NIGHT (2022) - Review

All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On Sale: May 3, 2022

Not much happens and everything happens in "All the Lovers in the Night". Mieko Kawakami, the author of the internationally best-selling "Breasts and Eggs" has written an "unforgettable story about women, loneliness and relationships" beautifully translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.

FIRST SENTENCE: "Why does the night have to be so beautiful?"

QUOTE: "The job that I was doing, the place where I was living, the fact that I was all alone and had no one to talk to. Could these have been the result of some decision I had made? I heard a crow crying somewhere in the distance and turned to the window. It occurred to me that maybe I was where I was today because I hadn't chosen anything."

THE STORY: There are long silences in Fuyuko Irie's day whether she is proof reading alone or is with another person. Small things in her quiet life loom large - light, darkness, weather. Two women befriend her and suggest ways she could interact with the world. Kyoko, an editor who owns her own business, has made sure Fuyuko has a way to support herself. Hijiri, Fuyuko's total opposite in temperament, shares opinions and her love of social life.

The day Fuyuko sees her reflection in a store window she recognizes how drab she has become. She reaches out to make connections finding courage in beer and vodka. After she meets Mitsutsuka, an older high school physics teacher, she joins him weekly at a coffee shop to talk about music and light.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A very intimate story, every reader will find something of themselves reflected as the author shares the differing choices women have made. Even though the men in Fuyuko's life are disappointments, exploring relationships with others helps her move forward with a sense of self-acceptance.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "All the Lovers in the Night" by Mieko Kawakami from NetGalley/Europa for my honest review.


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LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY (2022) - Review

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
On sale: April 5, 2022

Every once in a great while, a book takes you by surprise. At first I found "Lessons in Chemistry" charming. Then I realized it wasn't the rom-com the cover seemed to suggest. Eventually I noted it wasn't just about chemistry. And finally I didn't want the story to end.

FIRST SENTENCE: "Back in 1961, when women wore shirtwaist dresses and joined garden clubs and drove legions of children around in seatbeltless cars without giving it a second thought; back before anyone knew there'd be a sixties movement, much less one that its participants would spend the next sixty years chronicling; back when the big wars were over and the secret wars had just begun and people were starting to think fresh and believe everything was possible, the thirty-year old mother of Madeline Zott rose before dawn every morning and felt certain of just one thing: her life was over." (The longest first sentence I have ever recorded.)

THE STORY: It's the 1960s again bringing back all the "outrageous sexism" women had to deal with as they began fighting for their equal rights. Our scientist heroine, Elizabeth Zott, meets Calvin Evans, a renowned scientist and avid rower. How this partnership changes them is the beginning of a story that touches and changes others.

Later when Elizabeth cannot find a position as a scientist, she improbably becomes the host of a television show called 'Supper at Six' where she uses chemistry to explain food preparation.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Having lived through the 1960s and experiencing much of what Bonnie Garmus describes, I realized how far we have come and how much farther we have to go. "Lessons in Chemistry" evokes a variety of responses and emotions ranging from constant laughing out loud to anger to tears and everything in between.

And Elizabeth is an amazingly kind, strong, stubborn, intelligent woman sometimes as irritating to the reader as she is to the people around her. All the characters (except for the villains) are people we want to have as friends too including Six-Thirty, "a really great dog".

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Reading this book is an experience you do not want to miss! April 25, 2022 issue of People Magazine had this as its Book of the Week

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus from NetGalley/Doubleday Books for my honest review.


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OLD LOVEGOOD GIRLS (2020)

Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The amazing Old Lovegood Girls is a story of friendship between two women who become talented writers. It recalled personal memories going back many years. An extraordinary read, it was filled with thoughts I wanted to ponder, remember, and cherish.

THE STORY: Finalizing room assignments for Lovegood Junior College in 1958, the dean decides to make some adjustments and places Feron Hood with Merry Jellicoe. Feron has had an unpleasant childhood and Merry might be a good influence. These oddly compatible young women become friends, but a tragic event causes Merry to leave school after one year.

Ten years later they inhabit different worlds and have not been in touch, but their friendship remains. Feron says that once someone is in your 'reference aura' they stay there forever. Over all the years, each is a touchstone for the other.

FIRST LINE: "The dean and the dorm mistress stood brooding over the student housing plans laid out on the rosewood conference table."

WHAT I THOUGHT: Such beautiful writing evokes memories about our own lives. I read Old Lovegood Girls on my Kindle, but I need to buy a hardcover copy so I can underline and write in it (blasphemy, I know). So many memories began to surface with this book that I felt the need to reel them in to continue reading. A more careful reading would let me explore each personal memory, what it meant then and what it means now.
 
The story constantly circles back revealing more and reminding the reader. At first I found that repetitious and a bit annoying, until I settled into the ebb and flow of the story. The ending seemed abrupt, but it drew together the themes of continuity and change. The technique woke me to a bad habit I have developed in this overstimulated world. Snap decisions. Superficial judging. Both save time but miss meaning.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I read lots of books I end up loving but this one stole my heart. I felt it was written for me alone. I hope other readers will feel the same way.

Disclaimer: A copy of Old Lovegood Girls was provided to me by  Atlantic Monthly Press/Net Galley for an honest review.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (May 5, 2020)
ISBN-10: 1632868229
ISBN-13: 978-1632868220

Gail Godwin is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the bestselling author of twelve critically acclaimed novels, including Unfinished Desires, A Mother and Two Daughters, Violet Clay, Father Melancholy's Daughter, Evensong, The Good Husband, and Evenings at Five. She is also the author of The Making of a Writer: Journals, 1961--1963, the first of two volumes, edited by Rob Neufeld. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts grants for both fiction and libretto writing, and the Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She has written libretti for ten musical works with the composer Robert Starer. She lives in Woodstock, New York.