A Timely, Well-Written Novel
586328
I picked this book up off of the shelf at my local library, as I thought that it looked interesting enough and I hadn't read a book in quite a while. As it turned out, this was an excellent read.
Even though the author is a first time novelist (and this can be seen in a number of places), he captures the reader's attention very well. There is a lot of medical / viral terminology, but I did not find that I got lost or confused. The novel starts out a bit slow, but definitely picks up as it goes along. The situations leading up to the climax are quite realistic and very possible in today's world.
Overall, an interesting novel and a great effort for a first time novelist who happens to be an ER doctor from Canada.
4945719
Through compelling and well-developed characters, Orange Rain engages the reader and draws them inside the lives of group of individuals who appear defined by sex, drugs, and violence. While being led through a fast-paced and sometimes-erotic adventures through some of society's most intriguing subcultures, the reader is largely unaware that they are being drawn into a web of intrigue spun  around an incisive political commentary directed at Monsanto, the notorious super-corporation responsible for wreaking global devastation and crimes against nature. The audience will find themselves enthralled in the lives of the damaged protagonist and his friends and either cheering or crying as the plot evolves. This timely and important novel is a must read for anyone concerned about the state of the planet or simply looking for a good read.
4831596
This is a fabulous book. It makes the reader aware of injustices done to Japanese-Americans during WWII on a very personal level. The prose is clear and crisp, and the writer treats her subject with sensitivity, not sentimentality. The situation the novel presents is - not surprisingly - relevant to today, where we have a myriad of schemes being hatched constantly by various "public-watchdog" groups to sequester people on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, or flat-out "unpopularity" or "discomfort" (which is what jingoism and/or xenophobia of all types amount to anyway). In addition, Otsuka's docu-novel is a great book for adolescent readers. The vocabulary and sentence structure are uncomplicated, yet mature; the message is direct and straightforward; the book highlights the way families are affected by bias; it portrays a family coping somewhat successfully , as in life itself, with the trauma induced by societal and bureaucratic forces; and the novel is short and to the point. This book can serve as an antidote to the trite and trivial subjects treated in current adolescent fiction, which is mind-numbing in its focus on imaginary dystopias, adolescent romance, and simplicity of style. I strongly recommend "When the Emperor Was Divine"  for the reasons given and also for high school teaching purposes.
76451
"Fallout" by Mark Ethridge, is a very enjoyable story with social justice and making a difference as themes, and that shines a light on current day affairs. I don't read a lot of fiction books anymore and concentrate on non-fiction focusing on ethics, social change, mindfulness and yoga. This book fits right in with these topics, although it is fiction. It is a life-like tale that exposes corporate and personal greed in the antagonistic characters, as well as love for family and commitment to community members in the protagonists.  "Fallout" also explores issues of powerlessness and oppression and the journey of overcoming small-town poverty. And perhaps best of all for a reader it is fun to read - it kept me interested and devouring it straight through. I happened to read it while spending time in an area that could have been the setting for this story and it draws a picture of a geographic area that is not often explored in contemporary fiction - West Virginia and the Ohio Valley - which has a fascinating history worth remembering - and this books recalls some of that history.  I'd highly recommend the book for its point of view and fast pace, and clear, compelling writing.  It has all the elements that make for a good book - well-drawn characters, mystery, suspense, romance, and subjects that thoughtful readers will care about.  The motif of interconnectedness between past and present and the never-ending battle between selfishness and social responsibility makes it a worthwhile read and the great writing makes it fun. The book has more than one hero, which makes it even more unusual  - the efforts of good people of different ages and sexes makes it relevant for a wide range of readers. This is Mark's second book, the first being "Grievances", which I also read and liked, which has been made into a thought-provoking and action-packed movie, "Deadline".
4325023
This novel is so very timely and the story spills out slowly and captivating so that the book is hard to put away. If you have had a teenaged son, can you imagine a situation in which the boy makes a number of ill-advised choices and the outcome is much, much worse than you ever imagined?

For-profit prisons are a very sad part of our communities here in California. I attended a talk where the speakers were mothers from California's Central Valley (along Hwy 395) whose communities had been changed forever by the building of more and more persons. Approvals had been given based on marketing that the prisons would create local jobs and use supplies from local businesses. The mothers said that the opposite was true: the materials and workmen, as well as the guards, were brought in. They also claimed that the prisons were built way too close to high schools where minority youth were prevalent. Was the message that youth with few employment opportunities would have a short trip to these prisons where paroles were hard to get?

Dugoni's story explores the personal dynamics amid the local corruption. His writing is getting better and better and he may well move up to the level of storytellers such as 5-star writer Elizabeth George.
4635307
Chris Crutcher's latest novel tackles the same types of tough issues as his earlier novels--this one focuses on censorship and the "moral crusaders." Veiled in a story of a boy who loses his family and friends, Crutcher makes a stirring commentary--as he always does. The characters are engaging and sympathetic--Crutcher as always tells the story from everybody's eyes, showing that all characters have a range and depth and their own emotional crises. He even goes so far as to make himself a character in the story, which is, albeit somewhat cheesy, a way to direclty relate to the characters and insert some soliloquoys on censorship.

One of the major thoughts that comes out of this story is telling stories "in their native tongue," as Crutcher says. That idea keeps the story fresh and real, and while sometimes the details and the language is a little rough around the edges, the story is richer for it. The Sledding Hill doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't--it's a story wrapped up in a discussion of censorship--something that Crutcher has seen his share of. Gabriel Garcia Marquez said, "To an extent, all great literature is subversive." This book definitely fits the mold.
4751932
I knew I was going to love "Christodora". It's queer, it's set in NYC, and it's politically and socially important: the foolproof formula to win over my heart. Besides, I have been looking for a good contemporary book that would deal with the AIDS crisis in a way that would counterpoint it in time to things like David Wojnarowicz's writing, "And the Band Played On..." and "Angels in America". The only way I would not like it was if there was something in Tim Murphy's writing that I would not agree with ideologically, but let's face it, I knew a guy from Gays with Guns would not disappoint. And yes, I loved it, it made me cry a lot, and it filled me with light.
I would also very much like to commend Murphy for something in particular. I like that he is not acting precious with the temporality in the novel. He puts emphasis on things that are, indeed, important, he paints history in nuanced, deep and visceral strokes, but he also looks into the future, something that is often lacking in narratives that deal with an end of an era in some way or other. I was terrified that the novel would become an unabashed critique of gentrificationnot that I argue that those shouldn't exist, I just did not want an ideological margin to overshadow the other, very important stuff, and for the building to become a character in a novel which does not call for it. Thankfully, it remained a mesmerizing but humble backdrop for the impossible lives of all characters.
In general, I think that Murphy is very succesful with the balance in his prose: he knows which things to accentuate, and which things to gloss over in a sweet, kind and functional way. He let me know everything I wanted to, he stopped the novel right where it was best, and, generally, he pulled everything off just right. It's a tender book with just enough melodrama to make the reader ache, but also enough self-awareness to make it enjoyable
600743
A timely read for the not so old and older readers who think about 'where to next' and what to do for the rest of one's life.
3756069
What a pleasure it is to read a well-written novel about a modern woman.  This is not a genre romance, though it deals with passion, betrothal and marriage but, rather, it is a story featuring a complicated woman with complicated issues.  As such, REDEEMING EVE is a reassuring shift from classic woman's fiction, requiring some attention on the part of the reader.  The devise that holds the story together is the background of the heroine's work on her doctoral thesis about Jane Austen.  The details about the scholarly process should be interesting to anyone outside of academia.  I found Bokat's novel absorbing and well-paced; I admired the fact that she didn't take the facile way and make her heroine easy to like.  Bokat's writing style is embracing and her story is compelling.  This is post-feminist fiction at its best.
1199933
I am a fan of Jodi Picoult. I'll be honest about that up front. But even given the fact that I like her writing, this book stands out for me among all her novels because it is so timely and pertinent to the United States at this moment. Many things covered over in our society are being brought to the surface in ways that can't be ignored. And this book, about racism, is speaking about a topic that few people WANT to talk about but which MUST be addressed. In SMALL GREAT THINGS, an African American nurse with twenty years experience is accused of killing a white baby while she is on duty in a hospital where the baby has been born. The accusation begins with the baby's parents, who are White Supremacists. The inevitable trial and the conflicts between the nurse, Ruth Jefferson, and white defense attorney, Kennedy McQuarrie, highlight race and all the inequities and problems that racism bring. It's a tense story, and the outcome has some surprises. The book is a wake-up call, and I appreciate both Jodi Picoult's willingness to tackle this subject and the extensive research she did to make sure her characters were plausible and grounded in reality.
2865925
The building itself is as much a part of the story as the people who inhabit it. This is the story of a community of people who live in a building which is now in gradual if still generally genteel decline.

The novel tackles some subjects considered taboo in traditional Egyptian society, including homosexuality.  The people in this novel, including a corrupt iman, are human with all of the faults and frailities this entails.

I enjoyed this novel because it is well-written, because the characters were multi-dimensional and because it demonstrates that no one society is 'better' or 'worse' than any other.

Highly recommended to those who'd like to read some contemporary literature from outside a predominantly western framework.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith
3381082
Timely novel, which looks at future web and internet activities an what could possible happen in the Future!
A great read!
2884378
A sixteen year old gets pregnant in 1974. She faces a number of difficult choices, a divided family, and a small town that judges her. The author tells her story with sensitivity, bringing the characters to life in a realistic way. I found that it was difficult to put the book down after I was engaged. I cared about the characters, and I wanted to know what happened to them.

The second half of the story takes place thirty years later, and it is better than the first half. Most of the characters continue to play an important role. The action picks up speed, and I became more reluctant to put this book down. It became a genuine page-turner.

Robert Whitlow writes as a Christian. His message is unapologetically pro-life. This novel was refreshing and enjoyable like few novels that I have read recently. The writing is professional, although not as good as very finest writing being published today. Some of the dialogue, description and plot construction seemed awkward to my reading. None of those shortcomings was enough to make me change my mind about this great story. I recommend it without reservation.
82382
I was concerned that this book was just another book treading ground that has been tread before in literary fiction. But, I felt this one did a really good job exploring something very timely  an accusation and its impact to the family members of the accused as well as the community in which they live. In this particular story, a heroic teacher who everyone loves is accused of sexual impropriety by students and the fall out is the primary focus of the novel. How does his family deal with how the community reacts to the accusation? How does the community treat the family? How do his wife and children cope with loving this man and yet wrestling with his potential guilt? Ultimately, this is about rape culture and the impact these situations have to the individuals and communities in which they take place. I like that the story felt complete by the end of the novel and yet it didn't get all tied up in a pretty bow. There is so much here to think about in terms of how we treat others and how rape culture affects our decisions when these types of situations take place. I really think this is one worth reading, especially if you're interested in the intersection of rape culture and community life.
652349
This is a fine novel in many ways, at once probing the fissures and scars of life in modern Vietnam in an uncompromising manner while telling a tragic tale of family conflict and broken dreams. The descriptions of everyday life are rich and detailed in ways that move the story along, and the author has framed the story well by presenting much of it as flashbacks and flashbacks within flashbacks, which enables her to compellingly uncover the complex snarl of events and episodes entangled with Vietnam's troubled history as all of this affects the present.

In terms of pages this is a novel of modest length, but so much is going on. There is a definite political edge to it, a sharp critique of the absurdities, deprivations, and hypocrisies of life under a Communist regime by a former true believer. But that's only the beginning. The polarization of urban and rural life is also a major theme, as is the complicated links and disjunctures between generations. Even geopolitics as it affects individuals comes into play, and all of this in a way that seems perfectly natural in this well-told tale.

Still, the characters, while generally convincing, are sometimes just short of three-dimensional. Hang's Uncle Chinh is always despicable, her Aunt Tam is always strong and vengeful, and so on. Not quite caricatures, but a bit too close nevertheless. And while the role of food is important in this novel in many interesting ways, signifying bounty and comfort but also manipulation and power, still sometimes the grocery list gets a bit long. All of which just means that the novel is excellent but not perfect. The translators have also provided an introduction, a glossary, and a note on the author that helpfully and unobtrusively give the reader the right amount of context to appreciate this fine work.
69632
NOTE: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review on my blog and on Amazon.

A young man, having lost everything, must re-discover both the reason and the will to keep on going. The setup is far from original, but timely for our overly depressive cultural environment. The narrator-protagonist is introduced to us at the lowest point of his life. He is injured, imprisoned, and suicidal. Our dominant emotion during those first paragraphs is pity, for we meet him as a victim. However, only a few pages in, we find out that in the dreary world of victims and brutes, he is neither. His heart longs for freedom even if the concept is unknown. He enjoys achievement even if it brings pain rather than reward. He values knowledge even if it is forbidden. Not quite a hero, not yet at least, but someone who strives in that direction as we, the readers, cheer him on.

The middle chunk of the novel, while lower on action, is impressive nevertheless in its own right. The author shows instinctive understanding of how someone who had only ever known oppression might behave if unexpectedly thrown into a free society. Simple acts, like smiling to passer-by and having small talk with strangers, took getting used to. Anything beyond, like engaging in political arguments, while intellectually accepted, took a while to internalize. And so a scene where the protagonist expects a woman to be arrested for criticizing the mayor in public, for me goes somewhat beyond simple amusement. I also appreciated references to speech patterns. Yes, even using the same language, free people speak differently. If the language of the novel at times feels stilted, you will notice that it gets less so over time, and I thought it was both subtle and brilliant as an artistic choice by the author.

The Big Reveal at the end is not particularly shocking, but is played for all it's worth both emotionally and in terms of dramatic suspense. A thriller reader in me wished for some parts towards the end to be tighter, with less talk and more 'splosions, but the pacing remained decent enough. The last line of the novel is as satisfying as the first line was hooky, and it's really hard to complain of minor details when the novel leaves you in such high spirits once you turn the last page. With freedom under attack all over the world, this book is a gift and an inspiration to liberty loving readers everywhere.
4210004
Full review on my blog: http://readherlikeanopenbook.com/2014/10/30/friendswood-probes-small-towns-toxic-tensions-in-richly-plotted-novel/

Rene Steinke, author of the 2005 National Book Award finalist Holy Skirts, has returned to the literary scene after nearly a decade with a timely and absorbing novel. Friendswood explores two issues that are seemingly discrete but are actually intertwined: corporate polluters turning a residential neighborhood into a toxic waste site and sexual abuse by high school athletes in a small town that worships football. In both cases, the immoral and possibly illegal behavior of privileged actors is indulged by the majority, who value economic growth and athletic prowess over questioning their way of life, the choices they make, and the cost of both.

The narrative is shared by four characters. Lee is a mother turned single-minded environmental activist when her teenage daughter Jess dies from a strange cancer. Jess's death eventually drove Lee and her husband apart; now her life revolves around her part-time job in a doctor's office and monitoring the adjacent property, the site of a former refinery. When she discovers that the site is belching toxins from the soil again, Lee moves from vigilant to vigilante.

Hal is a former mediocre high school athlete struggling to make a living in real estate; he is living vicariously through the athletic exploits of his son, Cully, and hoping that a recent religious rebirth will save him, his business, and his wilting marriage.

Willa is a 15-year-old student with an artistic streak and an eccentric persona that doesn't fit easily into the culture of this small town located between Houston and the Gulf.

Dex is a classmate of Willa and Cully with more on his mind than just football and girls. Their lives intersect in ways they could not predict, even though readers probably can.

...

As the narrative progresses, the various plots and subplots become more tightly wound, eventually resulting in a single intertwined thread. Steinke has written a book with engaging characters who are trying to achieve their goals; occasionally they come across as somewhat stereotyped but not to the extent that it undermines the story or its message. You may feel that you've met these people before, if not in real life, at least in other books or movies. Steinke grew up in the actual Friendswood, Texas, and she knows small towns and their residents well; she knows that football, religion, and the oil business are often the Holy Trinity in such places.