TEN SHORT REVIEWS

More short reviews of books read for the second or third time.


THE TIGER'S WIFE by TEA OBREHT (2011)
Second reading
Set in an unnamed war-torn Balkan country, combining the story of a young doctor's relationship to her grandfather with the tales he told her about the deathless man and a deaf-mute girl's relationship with a tiger which had escaped from a zoo. Including both magical realism taken from folk tales and a realistic portrait of a country haunted by war, Obreht manages to create a haunting novel which is well worth reading. It won Britain's Orange Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award.


THE LAST HARRAH by EDWIN O'CONNER (1956)
Second reading
An interesting novel in a historical sense; it's the story of a mayoral campaign in a large Eastern city by the last of the old-style "machine" politicians, one who garners votes by awarding favors, before the era of television ushered in the cult of personality. It is also interesting from the aspect of the current political climate, when the favors awarded are to major campaign donors. Though a student of politics would undoubtedly find this a rewarding read, it feels very dated as to style and is actually somewhat boring as to plot. I give it a C+.


HOWARDS END by E.M. FORSTER (1910)
Third reading
First, Howards End is the name of a house, not referring to a man named Howard. This is a very English novel, concerning three social classes -- rich capitalists, middle class cultured intellectuals, and the struggling uneducated poor. Forster highlights their prejudices and follies through a surprisingly dramatic story, which was risque' for its time, as it includes violent death and an out-of-wedlock child. Extremely well done, except that I felt the heroine was too tolerant and forgiving to seem real.


MISTER PIP by LLOYD JONES (2006)
Second reading
I love this novel about the power of literature to help a reader survive through strife and anguish. It revolves around the experience of a young girl during a time of war. With their whole world in disarray, the children are helped to retain some sense of normality by their teacher, who reads Great Expectations by Charles Dickens to them. The character Pip becomes the young girl's shelter from her otherwise harsh reality. The story is harsh, often brutal, and lovely at the same time. This was short-listed for England's Booker Prize.


THIRTEEN MOONS by CHARLES FRAZIER (2007)
Second reading
This is a novel by the author of Cold Mountain. an excellent book which won awards. Unhappily, this is much less impressive. It is a historic novel about a white man who fought in the Civil War, became a member of the Cherokee tribe, and was involved in an unsuccessful fight to keep the tribal lands. It's also a love story of sorts. All in all, Thirteen Moons was a disappointment.


THE FOURTEEN SISTERS OF EMELIO MONTEZ O'BRIEN by OSCAR HUELOS (1995)
Second reading
Huelos won the Pulitzer Prize in 1990 with his novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, about Cuban immigrant brothers and their adventures in music and in love. That was an excellent book. This one -- not so much. Actually, it is too much to be effective. It covers fifteen siblings, children of an Irish father and a Cuban mother, from the era of the Great Depression through the present (1990s). Huelos has no real focus, and some of the stories seem highly unlikely. I consider this a C effort.

GAP CREEK by ROBERT MORGAN (1999)
Second reading
I did not care for this book, although it was generally well regarded at the time of its publication. (It was one of Ohrah's Book Club picks). It tells the story of a strong young woman in the early 20th century who withstands the deaths of her father and brother, the immaturity of her young husband, and all sorts of disasters. And she endures. It is meant to be inspirational, I suppose. I find it to be hackneyed and forgettable.

THE BOSTONIANS by HENRY JAMES(1886)
Second reading
In contrast to many of James's later novels, this is actually very readable. However, it is difficult for me (and according to my research, problematic for professional critics) to quite discern his intent and message. On the surface, this seems to be about a young charismatic girl who is torn between becoming a leading speaker in the woman's movement or a traditional subservient wife. Underneath the surface, the conflict is between the girl's old-maid mentor, who hates all men, and the Southern man who is physically appealing to her. In other words, the whole novel appears to be about a conflict between lesbianism and heterosexual attraction. Interesting, considering the time when this was written. It seems to me that James did not perceive either alternative to be indicative of lasting happiness.


BARNABY RUDGE by CHARLES DICKENS (1841)
Second reading
The titular character, Barnaby, is actually peripheral to the plot of this early Dickens novel, which centers on the Gordon Riots of 1870 against those of Catholic faith. It actually tries to do too much, as it encompasses a mystery (easily guessed very early), two love affairs, and the effects of the riots on the characters. It does, however, contain several very memorable characters, as is typical of Dickens. Later Dickens novels are more focused. This is for hard-core Dickens fans.


THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY by EDITH WHARTON (1913)
Second reading
A drama about the lust for money and power. The protagonist, Undine Spragg, is one of the easiest to hate in literature, as she destroys man after man in her quest for social status and a lavish lifestyle. It becomes infuriating to the reader that she succeeds just because she is beautiful and knows how to flirt. Edith Wharton is a wonderful writer, with a great talent for revealing character motivations. Her Age of Innocence is one of my favorite novels.