Thursday, January 24, 2019

"The Museum of Extraordinary Things," by Alice Hoffman

This year I decided to begin reading in earnest again, as last year I fell off the bookaholic wagon and only managed to read 31 books (if I counted right on Goodreads, because I wasn't much for social media last year). This book stood out to me on my TBR shelf because it is by one of my favorite authors, and to my knowledge I have never read halfway through an Alice Hoffman book without finishing the rest in short order.

One of the main characters in this book, Coralie, has a charismatic father who runs a "freak" show, though through her perspective at the time, it seems more like a house of dreams than a house of horrors. She has a deformity of her hands- webbing between her fingers- that her father insists she keep from the public by wearing gloves. Her caretaker, Maureen, is much more involved in her day to day life, encouraging her to think more freely than her father would like her to, which basically spurs some of the events in the book.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father's museum, alongside performers like the Wolfman and the Butterfly Girl. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.
'The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his community and his job as a tailor's apprentice. When Eddie photographs the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the mystery behind a young woman's disappearance. And he ignites the heart of Coralie.
'Alice Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a tender and moving story of young love in tumultuous times.'

Eddie is the other main character in this book, and I much preferred his perspective, as it was much less rosily tinted than Coralie's. Raised in the Hasidic Jewish tradition, he changes his ways after dismissing his father as weak and his traditions as restrictive to their new life in a new world. As an immigrant among many other immigrants, he sees his best path forward is to stand out rather than fit in, though he later finds his past is more useful than he thought.

Though the characters are the main focus of this book, the historical setting is always a welcome addition to books for me. The Museum of Extraordinary Things couldn't have been set during a better period, as the early 20th century was a trying time for U.S. immigrants and still supported an audience for peculiarities like Coralie's father's museum. Though I am better versed in worker's rights with regards to the mining profession, this book focuses more on textile and sewing factories, so I did learn a bit more about that.

The Museum of Extraordinary Things does have all the elements I've come to expect from Ms. Hoffman's books: magical beings, unusual experiences, and mystical coincidences. The characters were rendered realistically, though I often found myself reading for the story rather than their experience of it. In the end, I found myself slightly underwhelmed, which is why I didn't rate this book higher, even though Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite writers (and perhaps, because of it). If you love magical things happening in an immersive, historical setting, The Museum of Extraordinary Things may be the book for you.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for my first great read of 2019!


Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for sexual assault, violent elements, and coercive sexual situations.


Page Count: 361 pages in my paperback edition

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Fortnightly Update #47: Long Time, No Update!


I've been planning on publishing this update for so long, I've had to change most of the new/read/acquired books several times to keep it recent. I think most of my trepidation about getting back into the book blogging game comes from returning to my habit of preferring books to normal life activities like socializing, etc. I'm hopeful that I'm better at balancing things now that I have some of my health issues under control (I can still walk cane-less-ly), and since I'm working on my post traumatic stress disorder with a highly qualified therapist who encouraged me to re-engage with my book blogging habits.

Recent Acquisitions (or the Piling of the-Piles):

the-pile Additions:


Tidal Wave: From Leyte Gulf to Tokyo Bay by Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
Late one night, I was up ordering books for Christmas presents (as one does), and I saw an ad for this book. Two weeks later, when my Christmas books arrived in the mail, this also arrived. At the time, I thought I must've ordered it on accident, but after checking my bank records, I am convinced I must've clicked on the ad for a giveaway and won it instead. This is a nonfiction account of naval battles at the end of WWII, based on first person experiences.

the-invisible-pile Additions:


Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
How could I not buy a book endorsed by Patrick Rothfuss and Rachelle at Fortified by Books, especially when it happened to be on sale? In the same manner, I cannot resist asking myself rhetorical questions...


The Gambler: How Penniless Dropout Kirk Kerkorian Became the Greatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History by William C. Rempel
I guess I must've decided I needed all the nonfiction, because I also bought this book on Kindle and I don't recall much of what convinced me to buy it other than a greed for more books.


Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas
If you're an American, you'll likely recognize Elizabeth Vargas from TV as that classy looking lady who always seems so composed as she reads her lines. With that impression in mind, it was a little bit of a shock to learn she deals with anxiety and battled with alcoholism. I'm curious to learn more about her in this memoir.


Deep Dark Blue: A Memoir of Survival by Polo Tate
This has been touted as a YA memoir, and while it's true that the events that transpired in this book happened to a young adult, I'm not sure it has appeal for the typical YA audience, as I haven't read it myself. This is a memoir about a young woman facing abuse (sexual and other varieties) in the Air Force.


Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
As someone who watched both of my grandparents wane at the end of their lives, end of life care with regards to medicine has always interested me. As this book covers the topic and comes very highly rated, I'm inclined to read it.

Currently Reading:


The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
This is about the American immigrant experience in the early 20th century, but also includes Hoffman's signature magical realism elements, in this case having a mermaid and a wolf man. 

Finished These Books:


I think I finished this last November or early December of last year (yes, I've been in a bit of a slump) and it is a great, adult romantic fantasy, but doesn't come as highly recommended by me as her other books. I think my favorite parts of this book were the magic system and world, while the romance just wasn't my particular cup of tea.

In My Life:

I bought a new computer tower to replace one that was roughly 10 years old. To be frank, it's only a little bit faster while browsing the internet, but I did finally get around to playing the Sims 4 since my computer can now handle it. I miss the limitless options of Sims 3, but Sims 4 runs very smoothly and I've only had it crash once. I was a bit worried that my older tower might just up and quit on me someday, so buying a new one at a sale price definitely put my mind at ease.

Happy 2019!

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