Multiple Choice! This month was tough for me. Ordinarily, I’ve just finished a book I’m very-excited about (like last month’s pick Gone Girl or March’s The Orphan Master’s Son) or I’ve read a book a while ago that fits some type of theme for the month (February’s Ready Player One being a tribute to geek love for Valentine’s Day or January’s The Leftovers a good pick to kick the new year off with), but nothing entirely grabbed me this month. So, I’ve done what all wishy-washy bloggers eventually do and decided to throw multiple choices up on the canvas. To me, July is all about fun, it’s the epitome of the summer, and only fitting that I divided this month’s five (that’s right, F-I-V-E) choices into “fun” categories and more serious categories. Maybe one will strike you as interesting, and, if not, feel free to look back at selections from month’s past that are now out in paperback.
The Fun Side of Things…
“Holy Night” by Seth Graham-Smith came out in late spring and rocketed through my hands as an extremely fun read. Really, it’s more of a summer book though, and I think people can easily finish it in a day at the beach. Smith (the author of other page-turners like “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” and “Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies”) re-imagines the tale of the Three Wise Men as an action-adventure tale. This book has little to do with The Bible, and more to do with these cutthroat bastards (led by the murderous but charismatic thief Balthazar) as they escape King Herod’s Army and try to stay one step ahead of the Roman empire. Eventually, they run into a very simple, nervous couple named Joseph and Mary and the rest is history. This epic tale includes vivid, exciting action scenes and moves at an enjoyable pace without sacrificing depth.
Runner-Up “Fun” Pick…”Lifeboat” by Charlotte Rogan. No one would probably call a book about a group of lifeboat survivors in 1919 much fun, but what makes this devious, misleading thriller so much fun is what happens after the old-timey boat sinks. Once the 39 survivors get into the boat, it’s not just the nature that might kill them, but each other. The novel shows all the various power plays and alliances that form when the going gets tough and we’re told early on that a “survival tactic” may just have been a murder. All of this is told through the unreliable narration of Grace, a young woman only pretending to be frail.
On the serious side of things…
“The Land of Decoration” by Grace McCleen. To call this book “serious” makes it sound like work but it actually moves at a fast clip and clocks in at less than 300 pages. It’s about a young girl growing up in a strict household whose only real escape is the elaborate miniature sets she creates…until she begins to wonder if she can make “miracles” happen with them. This subtle, disturbing thriller gets gradually more intense, and it exerts a dark pull that stayed with me long after I put it down.
Runner-Up Serious Pick…”The Spoiler” by Anna McAfee. This book is about two dueling female journalists, one a legendary war correspondent and the other a trashy tabloid “journalist” more interested in the old legend’s sex life than her career. It’s the least successful of the ones mentioned so far, and feels longer than it is at only 270 pages (some of the descriptive writing makes even the most patient reader want to skim), but whenever the two reporters are in the same room, the sparks fly. It has a lot to say about the problems with new journalism and the horrible way today’s reporters are trained. The final chapter is a nasty surprise in the best possible way.
And finally…why not take a second look at…
“Gone Girl” by Gillian Jacobs. I feel slightly ahead of the curve by picking this book to be last month’s pick, and now it’s at the top of the best seller lists. That doesn’t happen often with me, so I might as well gloat. Here’s a link to read more it…
http://alabamaliberal.com/archives/2238
And, if you want to buy a copy of it, I certainly wouldn’t blame you ;)