Review: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is nothing earth-shattering or new in the plot of this book about a circumstance-tossed but resilient girl growing up in Nazi Germany. The story, and her new life with foster parents, starts with tragedy, proceeds through terror and desperation piled on top of typical growing pains, and winds up with more tragedy cloaked in “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” It’s a harrowing tale, but also a heartwarming one, as we meet the people who shape Liesel’s life: her accordion-playing stepfather, her foulmouthed stepmother, her best friend, the Jew in the basement, the mayor’s miserable wife, and … Death, who is the narrator of this story. Yes, some readers have claimed this is gimmicky, but I found it worked completely. In this case, it’s a creative and fitting alternative the third-person unknown narrator. And who could serve as a better omniscient storyteller during the Holocaust than Death?

I started out by saying there is nothing earth-shattering about the plot. But there are so many other reasons for story-lovers to read this tale. The characters will become friends and neighbors just as they are to Liesel, the colors will sing to you, the sky will appear in all its grayness, and you will feel the frigid water of the river on your skin. With writing is so vivid and transformative, this is one of the few books I’ve read in which I can say that the writer’s craft transcends and truly uplifts the story. For someone who reads constantly and writes for a living, it’s rare and wonderful to find a voice with new ways of painting with words. I can’t wait to read more from Zusak.

 

Review: Palace of Justice

Palace of Justice by Susanne Alleyn
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

It’s no secret that I adore this series. Alleyn has done a masterfully creative job of integrating a well-paced series of intricate mysteries into the politically vibrant and sensually dismal period of post-Revolution Paris. You can see, smell, and taste the teeming streets and cloying chambers as brooding pseudo-detective Aristide Ravel makes his way through suspects and informants, burdened with such oppressive baggage of his own that we sometimes wonder if he’ll wind up on the other side of the law. (I love a good antihero with a heart of gold.)

The reason I didn’t give this book the full five stars lies in the lack of development of one important relationship, that of Ravel and his longtime friend, Mathieu Alexandre. Having read the books out of chronological order (the way they were published—oh, that’s so wrong!), I knew that Mathieu, especially within the period of events that takes place in this book, would become part of Ravel’s ever-growing burden of guilt, shame, and regrets, and I looked forward to seeing their relationship in action. I was disappointed. They could have been casual acquaintances.

Other than that, this book, like the others, did not disappoint. It provided the wonderful twists and turns that I fell in love with while reading the rest of the series.

Now, I am sad. I have no more Ravel mysteries to read.

To anyone who plans to read the series, I recommend devouring them in chronological order, and so does the author. Here they are, from Susanne Alleyn’s wonderful website:

Aristide Ravel Mysteries:

The Cavalier of the Apocalypse
Book 1 of the Ravel Mysteries

Palace of Justice
Book 2

Game of Patience
Book 3

A Treasury of Regrets
Book 4

As I said, I read them as they were published, which means in the following order: 3, 4, 1, 2. Go figure. It did not matter so much in the end; I had Ravel’s every move memorized, so I could easily fit the puzzle pieces together. But I plan to reread the books in order in the future.

Mystery and history buffs everywhere, you’ll enjoy these novels immensely! And then you can join me in the fervent hope that we’ll all see Aristide Ravel again soon.

Review: Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christine wakes up each morning not knowing who is she, where she is, or when she is … some trauma has impeded her ability to make and keep memories. But then the mysterious stranger lying next to her explains he’s her husband, and he shows her pictures, and he walks her through the house that she comes to understand is her home — at least for that day, until she sleeps again.

In the course of each day, Christine finds out more and more about herself. She has been seeing a doctor. He calls to remind her that she’s been keeping a journal.  She reads it and finds out what has been happening and what she has discovered.  And soon, she unravels some unsettling ideas.  Besides that, she’s having flashes of memory.  And they don’t seem to coincide with some things she’s being told. Can she figure it out and write it all down before she goes to sleep?

Despite some dissatisfaction voiced in the reviews of others — that there were plot holes (there were a few) and that the outcome was predicted long before the reveal — I really enjoyed reading this book, and that’s why I read for leisure: to enjoy! The pace was excellent, the writing crisp, and the characters interesting enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. Like others, I guessed early on that some people were not really who they said they were … but I suspended my disbelief and got a payoff with the “Hollywood thriller” ending (which I know some did not like either — but you know I’m a movie girl, so it worked for me). Definitely glad I read it!

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Review: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 1/2 stars.

Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit) tells the spellbinding story of the life of Louis Zamperini, from his days as a feral, street-wise youth, to his success as an Olympic runner, to his harrowing experiences in the Pacific Theater during World War II, and finally to his coping in the aftermath of returning home.

I typically read fiction for pleasure, and much nonfiction feels stilted and unmoving to me. But there were times in this incredible story when I was on the edge of my seat. Hillenbrand did a commendable job of conveying the epic adventure of Zamperini’s life along with an amazing array of facts, statistics, and little-know tidbits about the period.

The reason I did not give the book a full five stars is a small complaint that I’ve read from other reviewers: Some of the amazing revelations are glossed over a bit. A few nearly unbelievable facts are not really explained or expounded on to the level they seem to deserve. Some might say that this is due to the author not wanting to intercede in offering merely what happened, and not why or what it’s significance was. But this isn’t the case; she explains many things throughout the book for readers’ greater understanding, but then leaves others hanging in midair.

Despite this one nagging little issue, the book is overwhelmingly worth reading. In fact, everyone should read it (or another book like it); it brings home to the heart what some have had to suffer, makes one think hard and long about what we take for granted and how we treat others, and provides a shining example of mind-over-matter attitude — in the end, Zamperini and others around him survived their ordeals due to their deep senses of self-worth, optimism, and dignity. And, Louis would add, the grace of God. It’s a true-life lesson for EVERYONE!

Review: The Cavalier of the Apocalypse

The Cavalier of the Apocalypse by Susanne Alleyn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful installment in the Aristide Ravel canon!

(Actually, if you are about to begin the series, start with this book, which introduces Ravel and his relationship with the police that figures prominently in the rest of the series.)

CAVALIER offers an intriguing mystery with a satisfying ending, all set against the historic backdrop of unsettled times in pre-revolution France. I was so engrossed that it was quite an unhappy day when I finished this volume.

In this book, which spans several weeks in the life of our brooding, cursed, but talented hero, we meet Ravel and learn about his past and why he is currently a penniless (er, centime-less) scribbler living in the odorous abattoir district of Paris. We also meet his soon-to-be colleague, Inspector Brasseur, and learn what makes him tick as well (which would have been nice to know as I read the other two books I’ve finished so far in the series, thanks to what the author says was her publisher’s insistence that they be published in the wrong order … go figure).

Soon we find the unlikely pair investigating — and Ravel getting tangled in — a series of strange occurrences that seem to be tied to the Masonic order.  A murder, plus the disappearance of both the cadaver and a connected gentlemen, make for a mystery more mysterious and harder to unravel than most.  An especially juicy addition is a visit with an actual historical figure who advanced medical science in a strange and macabre fashion.  There’s even a subplot more personal to Ravel that shows the haunting nature of the predicament in which his family history has left him. Overall, highly satisfying.

One more Ravel book to go — I almost do not want to start it because I don’t want it to end too soon — and then dear Ms. Alleyn will need to write some more!

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