The Diamond Eye - Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn's previous book The Rose Code was my favorite historical read last year. When I heard she had a new book coming out I wondered - could she match that fantastic read? Well, the answer is a resounding yes! The Diamond Eye has just released and it too is a fascinating blend of fact and fiction.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Mila Pavlichenko. You’ll recognize the first name, but most likely not the second. Pavlichenko was a Russian sniper in WWII who came to be known - and feared - as Lady Death. 

Quinn brings Mila to life in the Diamond Eye. We meet her as a young mother, a hard worker, a loyal patriot, and a historical librarian student. When the Germans declare war, she immediately steps up to defend her country. She’s such a great lead character, strong, feisty, determined and clever. She’s also a woman and a mother and Quinn explores and depicts those facets of her life as well. She faced great deal of adversity on all fronts. Not everyone thinks Mila should be the sniper she is, or the face of the Russian soldier. There’s lots of action, danger and a mystery woven into The Diamond Eye.

I chose to listen to the The Diamond Eye. The reader was one of my favorites -  the very talented Saskia Maarleveld. She has the most wonderfully expressive voice. Her voice is rich and full with a gravelly undertone. She provides different voices for each of the characters that very much suited the mental images I created for each. Mila's voice is so strong and absolutely brought her to life. And yes, her Russian accent was realistic and consistent. There are many male characters as well and the voices and tones Maarleveld provided were also believable. She captures the plot of Quinn's work easily with her voice. As well as the emotions and settings. Her voice is easy to listen to, well enunciated and the pace is just right. I've said it before and I'll say it again - when listening to a book, I find I am much more immersed in the story and that was definitely the case with The Diamond Eye. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Diamond Eye.

The Paris Library - Janet Skeslien Charles

I kept hearing and reading wonderful reviews of  Janet Skeslien Charles' new novel, The Paris Library, and knew it was one I wanted to listen to.

There's a real surge in wartime historical fiction, especially WWII. The Paris Library is that, but it's a little bit more as well. The Paris Library is also based on fact. 

"...the incredible true story of the librarians who stood up to the Nazi “Book Protector..."

Janet Skeslien Charles actually worked at The American Library in Paris. The details, settings and atmosphere benefit from that first hand knowledge. I could imagine the smell of the library, the feel of a book, the taste of a café au lait, the cobbled lanes and so much more.

Charles tells her story in an absolutely perfect back and forth, past and present narrative. The bridging character is Odile, a young librarian at The American Library in 1939 and a reclusive neighbor of young Lily in 1983 Montana. The two end up bonding over their love of books and language. As a devoted reader, I loved the references to the Dewey decimal system, the turn of a phrase, choosing a book, the joy of the written word, getting lost in a tale and and so much more. 

The Paris Library is a love letter to libraries and books, but it's also a story of love lost, love found and love betrayed. Romantic, familial and friendship. And betrayal, also on so many levels.

As present day readers, we are aware of history and know what is going to happen. Charles does such a great job, bringing the past to life as Odile, her family and counterparts live through this horrific time. But it is done from such a unique and more personal perspective. Charles has included actual staff of The American Library as characters in The Paris Library. Their lives are truly remarkable.

The story in 1983 Montana is just as well written. Charles has also lived in Montana, and the place and time also benefits from that personal knowledge. Lily is also an engaging character. Her story too is a tale of relationships, with love and loss on the table.

I chose to listen to The Paris Library. A cast of three brought this book to life. I was happy to have multiple readers - Nicky Diss, Sarah Feather and Esther Wane. I'm not sure who did what part, but they were all very good. The voice for Odile in France was perfect - the accent rang true and was believable. The accent stayed with her as she spoke English as well. Other characters from the Paris setting were just as well done with each character being easily identifiable. The emotion was translated from the written word to the spoken and for me, this brought the book to life. That also goes of for the voice of young Lily - believable as a teenager and capturing the ups and downs of her life. All voices were clear, easy to understand and pleasant to listen to. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I find listening to a book immerses me in a novel. This was very much the case with The Paris Library. The cast has done an admirable job. And I enjoyed the notes from the author as well.

An easy five star listen. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Paris Library.

Film on Friday #56 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

I kept hearing again and again from fellow booklovers that I needed to read Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - a #1 New York Times Bestseller. I never did get around to it, but jumped at the chance to watch the HBO film of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Henrietta Lacks is at the heart of a myriad of medical breakthroughs and developments. Polio, AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis and so many more. How you ask? Her cells - cells that didn't die. Cells taken during a cancer biopsy - cancer that killed Lacks in 1951. But taken without and used without her permission. Her family received little information, respect and no compensation. Initially these cells were shared freely amongst medical communities. But later they were charged for, becoming the basis of the biomedical industry. The cells were known as HeLa, but never publicly attributed to Henrietta Lacks.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is told after the death of Henrietta as her daughter Deborah (played by Oprah Winfrey) searches for answers about what happened to her mother, as well as a sense of who that mother really was. That was also the case for Rebecca Skloot (played in the film by Rose Byrne.) Winfrey did a wonderful job conveying Deborah's heartache, confusion and loss. She came across as believable. (Although sometimes it is hard to take 'Oprah' out of her roles.) Byrne does a wonderful job as Skloot. Her dogged determination to find answers for not just Deborah and her family, but for herself and to show the world what really transpired. But at the heart of it - who was Henrietta Lacks? Young Henrietta was played by Renée Elise Goldsberry. The joie de vivre of Henrietta simply shone through in her portrayal.

And what transpired sickened me. Lacks was nothing more than cells to the medical community. The treatment of her and others like her was appalling and despicable. I found myself crying many times at the cavalier nature of their attitudes and actions and the heartache of her children. The treatment of Deobrah's older sister Lily is also a disturbing piece of medical history.

Moving, profound and a story that should have seen the light before now. This viewer loved it.

Little Deaths - Emma Flint

Little Deaths is Emma Flint's latest novel.

Flint professes that "Since childhood, she has been drawn to true crime stories, developing an encyclopaedic knowledge of real-life murder cases. She is equally fascinated by notorious historical figures and by unorthodox women – past, present and fictional."

Those interests are put to good use in Little Deaths. The novel is a fascinating blend of literary mystery, character study and social commentary.

Set in 1960's blue collar New York. Ruth Malone is a single working mother of two. She works nights as a cocktail waitress - and yes, she exploits her looks and her body for extra tips. And even when not working, she likes to look good. And so what if she unwinds with a drink now and then. Sex is not a taboo word for her either.

Except that one morning she wakes up and her children are missing. Gone. And Ruth's lifestyle, demeanor and attitude all factor into the police's opinion of what happened. The reader knows from the first pages that Ruth is in prison. Flint takes the reader back through the investigation, vilification and conviction of Ruth. Her clothes, her drinking, her carousing, her not behaving 'as she should.'

The glimpses into Ruth's past, mind and thinking are fascinating and go far to explain who Ruth is - and why she wears 'armor.' I was sickened by the police investigation, the bullying of the lead officer, the newspaper's bias, the certainty by most of the neighborhood that she is guilty. One reporter doesn't believe she is guilty though and makes it his mission to clear Ruth's name. While Ruth is not perhaps a likeable character, my sympathies were in her corner.

And as I read, I realized that really, nothing has changed. Social and public judgement is still there, but has changed venue - appearing online everywhere. Thought provoking for sure - what would be your thinking?

Was the ending what I expected? No, not quite. But it absolutely fits. Little Deaths is based on the actual case of Alice Crimmins.

Little Deaths is another of Entertainment Weekly's Most Anticipated Books of 2017. Read an excerpt of Little Death. You can connect with Emma Flint on her website and follow her on Twitter.