In my first “Upcoming Books!” post, I had mentioned a book out tomorrow/Tuesday that all Brontë lovers would hopefully enjoy. “The Flight of Gemma Hardy” by Margot Livesey received a great review from The Boston Globe, and it has calmed my classic literature fears. Normally I veer away from rewritings, adaptations, offsprings, and homages to classic works, but apparently this particular novel is up to par! Read on to see what Meredith Maran has to say about the book.
The Duke of Deception by Geoffrey Wolff 
Duke Wolff was a flawless specimen of the American clubman — a product of Yale and the OSS, a one-time fighter pilot turned aviation engineer. Duke Wolff was a failure who flunked out of a series of undistinguished schools, was passed up for military service, and supported himself with desperately improvised scams, exploiting employers, wives, and, finally, his own son.
In The Duke of Deception, Geoffrey Wolff unravels the enigma of this Gatsbyesque figure, a bad man who somehow was also a very good father, an inveterate liar who falsified everything but love.
I had to read this for my advanced nonfiction writing class, and it was extremely difficult to read through and find something positive. So instead, I’ve resorted to the analytical in hopes that it can enlighten future readers of the content.
Geoffrey Wolff entangles the reader in a long, arduous explanation for why he is thankful his father died. As a reader, I felt the memoir was too long, too detailed with explanations, and I found myself focusing on mental and behavioral issues Duke and Geoffrey shared. Whether or not I focused on the wrong details, it helped to enlighten the link between father and son and the excuse for why he was so thankful over the death of his father.
What every person has in common is a connection with another human being, blood relation or not. We are naturally curious about how another lives and what different facets in his or her life are like. How does one act around friends? Family? Strangers? While I enjoyed reading about these two men, I could not relate to them. Trust and honesty is a foundation in my life, and it seemed the only person in this memoir who I could trust to be honest was Geoffrey’s mother. She was a woman stuck in a sad situation, and wanted to make the best of what she had.
Duke drilled Geoffrey to tell the truth, to be proud of who he is, and yet Geoffrey lied as much as Duke. These two constantly tried to cover up their individual pasts and create newer, brighter histories for their identities. They lived in a world of confusion, and thrived off the snowballing of the tales. This probably explains why Geoffrey gave detailed accounts the various women who would walk in and out of his life. He was desperate for something to cling to that was solid, stable, and loving. If a girl showed any interest in him, he would leap at the idea and make advances far beyond his understanding and control to ensnare her. Love was his excuse to leave this world of deception.
The prologue and epilogue bookend the memoir of “things.” Things that Duke collected, enjoyed, stole, bartered, and in turn shared with his son and his fascination of material items. We learn of the squalor Duke died in, his loss of things. This loss, I think, opened up the door to the truth Geoffrey so desperately wanted.
Rating: ★ of 5
GoodReads: 3.92 of 5
Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James 
The year is 1803, and Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years. There are now two handsome and healthy sons in the nursery, Elizabeth’s beloved sister Jane and her husband Bingley live nearby and the orderly world of Pemberley seems unassailable. But all this is threatened when, on the eve of the annual autumn ball, the guests are preparing to retire for the night when a chaise appears, rocking down the path from Pemberley’s wild woodland. As it pulls up, Lydia Wickham – Elizabeth’s younger, unreliable sister – stumbles out screaming that her husband has been murdered.
As a staunch Austenite, any Austen adaptation or rewriting is generally avoided. However, I’d heard from several of my friends and read reviews from various sources (including NPR) that I became incredibly curious and bought it for my Nook.
I do not regret it!
The prologue sums up Pride & Prejudice for any reader who has not read Austen. This certainly helped the story and set the tone for the writing – James brilliantly wrote this novel sounding like Austen wrote it herself! The recap of the novel linked the classic to this murder mystery in such a way that the reader could view this novel in two ways: as an extent of P&P or a novel with similar character names but essentially a stand-alone piece. James excellently mimicked Austen so well that the known characters resembled their Austen counterparts. It was also fun to see a brief mentioning of an “Anne” who was in a “happy marriage with a naval captain” (Persuasion), and later of a “Mr. and Mrs. Knightley of Donwell Abbey…a friend of Mrs. Martin” (Emma). She also included an entirely new cast of characters, which helps to separate this murder mystery from P&P.
Any “Downton Abbey” fan could find pleasure in this, as well. The new characters included servants, their backgrounds and points of view, lawyers, witnesses, and villagers. Austenites know the elite, but rarely ever hear about or see the “downstairs” group of people. As I’ve said several times already, this aids the novel: one can read it without thinking of James “polluting the shades of Pemberley” with her adaptation.
In terms of the mystery, I was kept on my toes. Two characters were on my mind up until the trial as suspects, but when the truth was revealed, I’ll admit I was shocked! Yet evidence pointed directly to this character. And, of course, any and all loopholes were tied after the trial as characters relieved their heavy burdens on Darcy and Elizabeth.
Well-written, historically accurate, mimicked Austen rather well, and could be read separate from or with Pride & Prejudice.
Rating: ★★★★.5 of 5
GoodReads: 3.13
This semester, in my final literature course, we’re focusing on the Gothic elements! My favorite genre. Here’s what we’re reading starting next week!
Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White
Great Horror Stories, a compilation with Stoker, Poe, and Lovecraft; Sheridan Le Fanu’s In a Glass Darkly; and Classic Ghost Stories, another compilation that includes Dickens!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining fertility, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…
I was stunned. Dystopian novels are typically not my favorite genre, but this one felt too real, too plausible, believable and futuristic. Everything from the names of the Handmaids (Offred meaning “Of Fred” or “Property of Fred”) to the descriptions of the setting (red brick walls, large football stadium, classrooms, dormitories, everything pointing to an abandoned Harvard), to the backwards and seemingly reasonable feminism left me reeling.
While reading, I noticed I was most intrigued by the writing style. The reader can become completely absorbed in the tales Offred is telling, and yet nothing about these tales is remarkable. She is merely describing ordinary life. And yet, to the reader, this is not ordinary life at all – there is something completely wrong under the surface.
Heated topics could be discussed with this book: feminism, women’s rights, sexual freedom or lack thereof. This novel is a warning. I was hesitant to begin the novel, and now I’m hesitant to write a proper review. Words cannot describe my racing thoughts at the close of the final page.
Rating: ★★★★ of 5
GoodReads: 3.95 of 5
The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons
Through years of war and devastation, Tatiana and Alexander suffered the worst the twentieth century had to offer. Miraculously reunited in America, they now have a beautiful son, Anthony, the gift of a love strong enough to survive the most terrible upheavals. Though they are still young, the ordeals they endured have changed them—and after living apart in a world laid waste, they must now find a way to live together in postwar America.
With the Cold War rising, dark forces at work in their adopted country threaten their lives, their family, and their hard-won peace. To regain the happiness they once knew, to wash away the lingering pain of the past, two lovers grown distant must somehow forge a new life . . .or watch the ghosts of their yesterdays destroy their firstborn son.
The third and last book of the epic Russian trilogy, immensely powerful and moving. It’s difficult to review this as a stand-alone, because I will need to compare it to The Bronze Horseman and Tatiana and Alexander. The first book was extremely detailed, spanning across the beginning of WWII Russia, and mostly revolved around love, heartbreak, starvation, and death. The second dealt with separation, immigration, and the brutality of war. This final one focused on the marriage, spanning across several decades. Tatiana and Alexander grow quickly in this last book – the First Page atmosphere vastly different from the Last Page.
I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole, but this book alone was not as enjoyable as the first and second. The writing was great, the plot complex and detailed, and Simons excellently drew upon many issues that could/would arise in any marriage. However, one trait that I did not like with Tatiana and Alexander is their passive aggressive arguments. It was reasonable in The Bronze Horseman because they were so young, and most young lovers refuse to get right to the point of an argument so quickly. But in this final book, when their lives span several decades, the did not seem to grow out of it. As someone who likes to get right to the root of an argument, a “just say it!” attitude, I found this a bit frustrating. Beyond this nit-picking detail, The Summer Garden was a good ending to the trilogy.
Rating: ★★★ of 5
GoodReads: 4.2 of 5
I scrolled through my 50 Book Challenge list and, despite all the starred ones, three left a lasting impact on me during the year of reading. I’ve limited my list to three new books – plus two favorites I’d reread for 2011. These two books I reread nearly every year, I love them so much.
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
By far one of the most chilling and haunting ghost stories I’ve ever read or heard. Today, we find horror films filled to the brim with blood and gore and massacres – so much so that we’ve become immune to the violence. Hill’s story, however, is literally spine-tingling. Set in Victorian England, a young lawyer travels to a manor to deal with the property left by an old woman. Immensely spooky things happen – the classic horrors of strange noises, faint visibility, the sensation of something touching you when you are in an empty room – which left me nervous at night an unable to sleep for a week.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
I was skeptical to read the trilogy, at first, mostly due to people comparing it to the Harry Potter series (and, as a fan of that from the beginning, I find that untouchable). The summary description also makes it sound like a sci-fi novel, a genre I’m not particularly drawn to. One summer day, I gave it a chance – and I couldn’t put it down! The writing is meant for a younger audience, very simple and to the point, but the plot moves and the characters are fascinating and there are cliff-hangers everywhere. I’ve recommended this book to everyone I know. It truly is remarkable.
One Day by David Nicholls
I am an Emma. My closest friend is a Dexter. The trials these two go through, their friendship shrinking and growing with time, the different directions in life – it’s unbelievable how strong they are. They each have immense flaws, and that is what makes their bond so beautiful. It was as if I were looking into several of my friends’ friendships rolled into one. The things Dexter and Emma say to each other, to break the other down or to cheer the other up, is exactly what every person wants to say and needs to hear. Witty, charming, and heartbreaking, I highly recommend this book.
And now for the books I reread in 2011: two of my favorite classics!
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 
While I love Pride & Prejudice to pieces, I find this short and sweet novel incredibly uplifting, cheerful, and entertaining. Mr. Darcy hardly holds a candle to Mr. Tilney – he talks to Catherine! Catherine’s imagination is wild and fun, spinning everything she observes into a horrifying Gothic mystery. My own fascination with Gothic literature is probably why I relate to Catherine on some level. Austen’s typical use of satire pokes fun at the concept of a Gothic novel and the silliness of Bath society. A quick and enjoyable read.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
My absolute all-time favorite book, and a real Gothic novel. Written like an autobiography, a memoir, and based partly on Brontë’s life, Jane Eyre moves me more than any other book has. I find myself running back to it every year when I need Jane to talk some sensibility into me, to reassure me. Some argue Jane is one of the first feminist characters, what with her self-respect and the independence she asserts to everyone she meets. She is a strong character, regardless of your stance in feminist literature. Beyond her, there’s the dark story behind Mr. Rochester, the hauntingly beautiful setting of Thornfield, and the creepy moans from the walls at night.
Happy New Year! Read many books!
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
One miscarriage too many spelled the end of Max and Zoe Baxter’s marriage. Though the former couple went quite separate ways, their fates remained entangled: After veering into alcoholism, Max is saved in multiple senses by his fundamentalist conversion; Zoe, for her part, finds healing relief in music therapy and the friendship, then romantic love with Vanessa, her counselor. After Zoe and Vanessa, now married, decide to have a baby, they realize that they must join battle with Max, who objects on both religious and financial grounds.
As usual, Picoult shares an exquisitely compelling story by taking a controversial topic and creating layers of complication that grips the heart and questions moral and ethical issues. Several current social issues combined into one with Sing You Home: divorce, gay rights and relationships, Christianity, definitions of “family,” and gender roles. Picoult is with the times, and writes through the perspectives of Zoe, Vanessa, and Max for a polished work. And, as is her style, the court case is gripping, with several twists and turns that had me question my own opinions in the strenuous mess.
In an effort to stay distant from politics and without pointing fingers in this review, I believe this book excellently outlines the viewpoints of each side of the gay rights issue. Because of that, I would highly recommend Sing You Home to anyone who wants to understand homosexual relationships, who wants to understand why some Christian extremists lobby against such relationships, and to any allies of the gay community.
It is a terrific read, with several humorous lines, well-developed and lovable (love to love and love to hate) characters, and several fantastic insights to various social communities.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ of 5
GoodReads: 3.72 of 5
Scribbles & Wanderlust 