Category Archives: novels

Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder is hard to put down

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What I read

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

What it’s about

Set in the mid-1800s, an English nurse, Lib Wright, is called to Ireland to observe 11-year-old Anna, who has gone months without eating. Anna is becoming known as a miracle child, as many of the Irish Catholics around her believe she must be chosen by God to have survived this long without sustenance.

Lib’s task isn’t to care for the girl but to simply watch Anna over a two-week period, exchanging shifts with a nun, to confirm that Anna is not eating. Non-religious Lib believes she will uncover a hoax, but what she ends up uncovering instead results in her trying to save the girl, despite her orders.

Why I picked it up

Donoghue has written many books, but Room was the only one I’d read before The Wonder. Room was hugely successful and was made into a film, which Donoghue herself wrote the screenplay for.

Reading Room was enough to show me what a good writer and storyteller Donoghue is, but I’m not sure it would have been enough to make me pick up The Wonder. However, I knew I would be attending Donoghue’s talk at the Toronto Public Library, and I while I book-browsed one day, I decided to start reading the novel before the event.

What I liked about it

Donoghue does a good job of creating suspense in this book. I read the first 100 pages of The Wonder over a few days, and then the last 190 pages all at once. The plot went in places I didn’t expect, but they were always places that worked well, and my interest kept increasing as I read.

There is a strong sense of setting here, of being inside that room with Lib and Anna. There is a feeling of darkness, a sense of gloominess that comes with well-written gothic tales.

You’ll want to read it if…

The Wonder is a good choice if you like historical novels with a mystery involved. Like Room, this book confronts some difficult subject matter, so it might not be the best choice if you’re looking for something light, but it’s definitely a book that will stay with you after you’ve put it on the shelf.

Recommended refreshments

Food is obviously a main subject in this book, but it’s more about the absence of it. To stay on theme, you could try reading this book with only a few teaspoons of water. But that’s not a reading experience I can recommend. Instead, maybe grab a mug of hot cocoa. It might warm you up if a chill or two runs down your spine.

Cordelia Strube’s latest novel shines

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What I read

On the Shores of Darkness, There Is Light by Cordelia Strube

What it’s about

The story centres around Harriet, an 11-year-old artist who is independent and resourceful, and her little brother, Irwin, whose medical condition is the focus of their mother’s and stepfather’s attention. Harriet plans to escape her family and head to Algonquin Park, where she can live and paint like Tom Thomson. But not everything works out the way Harriet plans.

This is a story that explores the complexities and imperfections within families. It’s a story that’s sad and tragic, but there’s lots of humour inserted that gives the narrative balance and also makes it true to life. There is darkness, and there is light.

How I got my hands on it

I quite enjoyed Strube’s last two novels–Milosz and Lemon–so the author was on my radar. I knew I wanted to read this one when it was released earlier this year, but I only recently picked up a copy at my favourite independent bookstore.

What I liked about it

As with Lemon, Strube does a fantastic job of creating interesting and complex young female characters. But it’s not just Harriet’s story that kept me reading. There are so many fascinating and flawed characters in this book and several subplots. There is a well-executed twist in this book, too. Who can resist a good literary twist?

You’ll want to read it if…

This is a great book to pick up if you like stories about families and especially about sibling relationships. If you live in, have lived in, or have a fascination with Toronto, you might get a kick out of the mentions of many of the city’s landmarks, too.

Recommended refreshments

In the book, Harriet often visits a convenience store where the owner gives her some of the damaged treats he can’t sell. So I suggest opening a bag of broken Doritos, biting into a smashed Caramilk bar, or, if it’s a lucky day, guzzling down a bottle of Orangina.

Musings on The Muse

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What I read

The Muse by Jessie Burton

What it’s about

In 1967, 26-year-old Odelle Bastien has taken a job as a typist at the Skelton Art Gallery in London, England, after moving from Trinidad a few years earlier. Soon after starting to work in the gallery, Odelle encounters a painting that connects her with southern Spain in 1936. Odelle is compelled to piece together the mystery behind the subject of the artwork, the artist who painted it and the story of how it ended up where it did. 

The novel follows two narratives–one taking place in 1967 and the other in 1936–and demonstrates the power of art and how art is bigger than, and separate from, the artist.

How I got my hands on it

I first heard about Burton through the Twitter account of her literary agent, Juliet Mushens, when Burton’s first novel, The Miniaturist, came out two years ago. The Miniaturist received much acclaim, but I didn’t read it because the premise didn’t interest me. But when I started hearing things about The Muse, it piqued my interest. I bought my copy at my favourite independent bookstore.

Things I liked about it

I love stories that show interconnectivity between people, time periods or geographical locations, and this book does all three. What’s more, the story makes these connections through discussing art–an ekphrastic tale of sorts. Also, Burton does an excellent job of placing the reader in two separate time periods and locations; there’s a different feeling and landscape to each narrative.

I also like that while Odelle and the reader put together the story of the painting, not all details are left neat and tidy. It makes for a satisfying ending that’s also realistic.

You’ll want to read it if…

You might enjoy The Muse if you’re a fan of art, mysteries or historical fiction. And if you like all three, that’s even better.

Recommended refreshments

Gin and tonic with a slice of lemon. That’s what Odelle and her new boss partake in when they have lunch during Odelle’s first week at the gallery. And, really, art and libations are a classic pairing.

The Girls: a tale of teenage loneliness and grisly murder

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What I read

The Girls by Emma Cline

What it’s about

This debut novel follows 14-year-old Evie Boyd during the summer of 1969 when she is drawn to a group of girls—and one in particular—who belong to a cult. The story is inspired by the Manson family and the murders they committed, but it’s about more than that: Most notably it’s a story about teenage loneliness—of wanting to be seen by someone, anyone—and it explores the dynamic of female relationships.

How I got my hands on it

The Girls came up in conversation at work. When I mentioned I was interested in reading it, a coworker was nice enough to lend me her copy.

Things I liked

All I really knew about this book before I read it was that it was about a young girl who joins a cult and that it was inspired by the Manson family. That premise intrigued me. But I didn’t expect that I would enjoy Cline’s style of writing as much as I did. While she may have overdone it in places, many of her metaphors and descriptions were beautiful.

The structure of the book is also worth mentioning. The story interweaves the present—where a middle-aged Evie reflects on the past—with the summer of 1969. The parts of the book that take place in the present are not as interesting or as powerful as the parts that take place in the past, but Cline gets the balance right. And when we are in those present-day sections, Evie feeds us tidbits of details of what ends up happening, providing bait that I eagerly bit into.

You’ll want to read it if…

If, like me, you’re fond of coming-of-age stories, you’ll like this book. This is also a good read if you’re someone who likes psychological books—if you like to try to get into the mind of someone who does something you can’t fathom.

And if you’re avoiding it because of its gruesome inspiration, I’d ask you to reconsider. The story is really more about searching for identity, looking for a place to belong and trying to connect with another person.

Recommended refreshments

The first thing that comes to mind is a tall glass of OJ. This might be partly because of the California setting, but there are a few mentions of orange juice in the book. Granted, usually it’s mentioned to remark upon its absence (someone going to get orange juice but not bringing it back, a description of a splash of OJ in a glass filled with vodka). Maybe that’s symbolic of the absence of sunshiny optimism, or the disappearance of the innocence of youth. Or maybe I’m giving it too much thought. In any case, the pot of Earl Grey tea seen in the above photo suited me just fine, so that’s an option, too.

A little disappointed with A Little Life

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What I read

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

What it’s about

A Little Life follows four friends who meet in college and move to New York after leaving school. The story centres around Jude, whose life is filled by one horrific experience after another, and his struggle to endure the traumas he faces. The people closest to Jude try to help him survive.

How I got my hands on it

Sometimes I like to go to the bookstore and pick something out on a whim. Other times, there’s a title I’ve heard and read so much about that I need to see what all the fuss is about. With A Little Life, it was the latter.

I had been excited to read this one for a while, as I’d heard how readers couldn’t put it down, how people were having such emotional reactions to it that they couldn’t go to sleep. Sometimes books that make me cry my eyes out are just what I’m looking for. So when I had some vacation time coming up, I went to my favourite independent bookstore and picked up a copy.

What I liked (and what I didn’t like)

The writing is set a good pace. Even though A Little Life is 800+ pages, it has taken me longer to read shorter books. The subject matter might be dark and heavy, but the writing isn’t dense.

But even though the story held my attention, I mostly did not like this book. This was partly because I was expecting (and looking forward to) a story about four friends and the dynamics of their friendship, and it turned out to be mostly about Jude and how the other three friends try to help him survive all the terrible things that happen to him.

Also, while awful things happen to Jude, I just didn’t sympathize with him. I was so conscious that I was reading about a fictional character. I didn’t connect with him the way I do with protagonists in books I love, where I feel as though the character is a real person I know.

However, I admit that, for a book I didn’t like all that much, I’ve definitely been thinking about it. Mostly I’ve been trying to figure out what other people saw that didn’t resonate with me. This hasn’t changed my feelings about the book, but it’s different from other books I don’t care for, when I don’t give it another thought after turning the final page.

You’ll want to read it if…

I’m tempted to say that you’d like A Little Life if you like depressing books, but I’m not sure that’s enough. I mean, I like depressing books, too. Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure is a perfect example of this. (Is it a coincidence that Yanagihara chose the same first name for her protagonist?) But I can say with certainty that you shouldn’t read this if you don’t like depressing books. It’s pretty bleak.

Recommended refreshments

There are several mentions of food in A Little Life. Jude bakes and cooks and even works in a bakery at one point. There are descriptions of Thanksgiving dinner and other meals. But with some of the disturbing subject matter, it’s hard for me to recommend enjoying any of the foods mentioned in the book while you read it. Instead, you might try a peppermint tea for a bit of comfort and to help settle the stomach.