Welcome to Glorious Tuga - Francesca Segal

Oh. my gosh. I turned the first few pages of Welcome to Glorious Tuga - and I knew I wouldn't be able to put Francesca Segal's book down until I turned the last page!

Why you ask? Well the wonderfully imagined setting was somewhere I wanted to be. A very, very small island that's more than a bit of a paradise.

There's a large group of characters and there is list of their names and connections at the front of the book, but I found that I really didn't need to refer to it. The characters are just as richly described as the setting. I easily picked up on who was who. People do come and leave, and everyone has a place and job on the island. Charlotte is one of those coming in - she'll be studying the gold coin tortoises in the jungle. 

And the plotting? Excellent! As readers, we're privy to everyone's inner thoughts and actions. And we're unable to point them in the right direction. (Or what we think is right). Segal also gives us a yes, no, maybe so romantic subplot.

What's also wonderful is the caring on the island. Everyone knows your business, but for the most part, that's not a bad thing. I hated to leave Tuga - I wanted to sit in the sun and watch the waves roll in. 

Definitely recommended - read an excerpt of Welcome to Glorious Tuga.

The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt

The Librarianist is award winning author Patrick deWitt's latest novel. 

The life of Bob Comet is the heat of the plot. The timeline opens with Bob at seventy one years old, ruminating on his life. The next jump takes us back to Bob as young man, next a child, and finally, circling back to the end.

Bob, in his words and thoughts, lives a small life, and it is and has been enough in his opinion.

"Bob had long given up on the notion of knowing anyone, or of being known. He communicated with the world partly by walking through if, but mainly by reading about it."

I liked Bob immediately and enjoyed his observations of time, people and place. But I also felt sad for him - he seems so very alone. But that view is seen through my own filters and opinions. I loved the childhood time frame and the epic adventure he embarks on. I wanted him continue to grow that venturesome spirit. But on the flipside, his quiet, calm, thoughtful manner is very appealing. And his love for books is much appreciated by this reader. 

deWitt's writing is quite different for me. The interactions, escapades, situations, thoughts and more took on the feel of vignettes. The dialogue is often funny, but I had to get used to the bantering, off center style. I quite enjoyed the ending. A bit implausible, but fitting.

If you enjoy character drawn tales, this is for you. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Librarianist. 

Small World - Laura Zigman

Small World is Laura Zigman's new novel. 

What's it about? Family. Two sisters - Joyce and Lydia - find themselves sharing an apartment after their divorces. This proximity has them reliving and often reverting to childhood behaviour. But can this close physicality perhaps help them to confront and deal with unresolved issues as well? 

I loved that Joyce and Lyndia were not cookie cutter characters. They're both quirky and believable. I didn't love them all the time, but quite liked them. Perhaps because Zigman has captured the truth with her characters? 

Small World is told in a past and present narrative. This style of storytelling gives the reader aha moments as the 'why' pieces of the present snap into place. 

The book was a slow burn for the first part, but picked up momentum as part two brings supporting players to the table - and more issues. Or perhaps not...

Zigman captured the emotions and hurts alongside the joy and acceptance. On reading the author's notes, I discovered there is more than a little of her own experiences woven into the book. 

An excellent read on many fronts. And I have to say, I stopped more than once, reflecting on my own familial ups and downs. Zigman is a very talented wordsmith. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Small World. 

Oh, and there are also many entries from a neighbourhood online group (called Small World)  that have been turned into poetry by Joyce. I quite enjoyed them!

Now is Not the Time to Panic - Kevin Wilson

Now is Not the Time to Panic is Kevin Wilson's latest book. And it's one of the most unique, offbeat, complex, additive, perfect books I've read in a long time.

Frankie is sixteen and lives in the small town of Coalfield, Tennessee. She's a loner by choice. When Zeke moves to town, she finds a kindred soul. Frankie writes and Zeke is an artist. They decide to collaborate on a project - a poster that they'll anonymously post around town. Frankie's words are oddly powerful and unsettling. Zeke's illustrations are also compelling and disconcerting. But soon the project grows in dangerous leaps and bounds...

"The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us."(Say it a few times - it is addictive and intriguing, isn't it?)

That small town summer is seen through Frankie's thoughts, actions and experiences. The poster is important, but its not all of the story. The book is also a coming of age tale, an exploration of family, young love, self, friendship, and yes, art. Bookending that summer is the grown up Frankie's voice, twenty years on. 

I was immediately drawn to Frankie. Zeke was harder to get to know. I'm sure that Wilson's depiction of teenage angst will spark memories for many readers. But the supporting players are just as interesting and offbeat. Frankie's mom appealed to the adult in me. 

I think Wilson has written a wonderful story, remarkable in so many ways. His insight captured me. As for how it ends - not what I expected, but suits what has gone before. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Now is Not the Time to Panic.

The Captive - Fiona King Foster

The Captive is Fiona King Foster's debut novel.

Sometime in the near future, one state has decided to secede from the union. (An idea that has been bandied about by more than one state in the US.)

Brooke Holland, her husband, Milo, and their their two daughters make their home on a farm in that seceded state. They've carved out a life that sustains them. "Poor but free." And for fifteen years, Brooke has steered clear of revealing her past to Milo - until the day Stephen Cawley shows up at the farm. The Hollands and Cawleys have had a blood feud for generations. (I immediately thought Hatfields and McCoys.) There's a bounty on Cawley's head and Brooke sees it as a way to deliver him to the Federal Marshalls, collect the bounty and keep her family safe. That's the idea anyway, but the best laid plans.....

I liked the idea of the rebel state, imagining what that would look like. King Foster's setting is a throwback to rural history and suits the story being told. The juxtaposition of  old and new, then and now, rural vs city, provides a great backdrop for a inevitable reckoning. In more than one way for Brooke. 

Her past is slowly revealed in memories and gives the listener a better idea of who and why she has chosen to disappear down a remote country road. While there are plenty of action and tense situations, The Captive is a character driven novel, with Brooke at the helm. Mothers, daughters, families, love, loyalty loss and more all figure into King Foster's novel.

I'm not sure how I felt about Brooke. I applauded her loyalty to her husband and daughters, but the time for revealing the why of what they're doing came and left more than once. A lot of what happened could have been resolved by speaking the truth. And it made me a little frustrated with her. But, on the flip side, she believes she is protecting them. Milo, in fact, ended up being favorite character. 

Without providing a spoiler, I did find one of the plot devices used in the final chapters out of sync with the tone of the journey there. But all in all, The Captive was an enjoyable listen and a great introduction for a new writer. 

I chose to listen to The Captive. The reader was Courtney Patterson. She has a lovely voice, pleasant to listen to and clear and easy to understand. She provided many easily identifiable voices for the characters. (Teenager Holly's was perfect!) She has lots of movement in her reading, matching the action of the plot and the emotion of the characters. I had expected Brooke's voice would be a bit 'rougher' given her past. But she grew into the character I had imagined. I do enjoy listening to books as I find I become more immersed in the story. And that was true with The Captive. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Captive.