"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

"The Philosopher's Flight" by Tom Miller

Disclaimer: I was given a free advance ecopy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher, Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

If you've ever dreamed of flying, have I got the book for you! The Philosopher's Flight is set in the early 1900s in a bit of a different world from our own. Society is matriarchal instead of patriarchal (i.e. women go to work and war, have the most influence, and generally rule the roost, while men stay home [for the most part], take care of the kids, and get catcalled on the streets). It's refreshing to read a fantasy book that doesn't have a patriarchal society, especially when it's alternate history. I find some books with your typical Tolkien-style worlds so true-to-history as far as misogyny goes that they're difficult to read (I'm looking at you, George R.R. Martin).

The first half of this novel is the most difficult to get through due to a complex magic system that involves science, therefore making this a bit of a sci-fi book. I had issues initially imagining it, but as the book went on the magic system made a lot more sense and I really began to enjoy it. Philosophers in this book are a bit like scientific magicians: to them, it's simple science to be able to fly, heal people, and transport things and people across vast expanses, but to those who don't understand the science it seems a lot like magic.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):

'The Philosopher’s Flight is an epic historical fantasy set in a World-War-I-era America where magic and science have blended into a single extraordinary art. 

'Eighteen-year-old Robert Weekes is a practitioner of empirical philosophy—an arcane, female-dominated branch of science used to summon the wind, shape clouds of smoke, heal the injured, and even fly. Though he dreams of fighting in the Great War as the first male in the elite US Sigilry Corps Rescue and Evacuation Service—a team of flying medics—Robert is resigned to mixing batches of philosophical chemicals and keeping the books for the family business in rural Montana, where his mother, a former soldier and vigilante, aids the locals.

'When a deadly accident puts his philosophical abilities to the test, Robert rises to the occasion and wins a scholarship to study at Radcliffe College, an all-women’s school. At Radcliffe, Robert hones his skills and strives to win the respect of his classmates, a host of formidable, unruly women. 

'Robert falls hard for Danielle Hardin, a disillusioned young war hero turned political radical. However, Danielle’s activism and Robert’s recklessness attract the attention of the same fanatical anti-philosophical group that Robert’s mother fought years before. With their lives in mounting danger, Robert and Danielle band together with a team of unlikely heroes to fight for Robert’s place among the next generation of empirical philosophers—and for philosophy’s very survival against the men who would destroy it.

'In the tradition of Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness, Tom Miller writes with unrivaled imagination, ambition, and humor. The Philosopher’s Flight is both a fantastical reimagining of American history and a beautifully composed coming-of-age tale for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.'

As someone born and raised in Montana, I expected this book to fail miserably on that end of things, but the setting where Robert Weekes grew up was spot-on for the area (though I did feel like the inclusion of Parmly Library would've amped the setting up a notch). Of course, due to this being alternate history, would the buildings have been the same? I am beginning to doubt that.

The central theme in this book is overcoming obstacles and adversity, along with how diversity should be considered a strength rather than a weakness. Although this book is a lot of fun to read, it does delve deeply into philosophical topics that don't involve magic. The last half of the book I read so speedily I worried I may have missed some of that depth, but when you love a character and their life is in danger, you kind of need to know if they survive that paragraph.

The Philosopher's Flight has the perfect fun to worldbuilding ratio of any book I've read in the past six months. The characters fly off the page at you and you find yourself a bit too invested in their well-being for them to be fictional. I am surprised that this is a debut, because it seems like someone who writes this well has had at least one book under their belt, but stranger things have happened. If you want an immersive fantasy experience that combines all of my favorite genres, The Philosopher's Flight may be the book for you. 

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars for an exceptionally exquisite alternate history debut!

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for sexual content, swearing, racial epithets, and philosophical catastrophes!

Page Count: 432 pages

"The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic Prequel)" by Alice Hoffman

Disclaimer: I was given a free advance ecopy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher, Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

Well, it's time to think back to all the things I loved about The Rules of Magic, because letting it sit without a review irks my perfectionism to no end, especially when the book was as powerful as this one is. It follows three siblings through their adolescence and into adulthood- choosing their own paths, while still trying to avoid the family curse.

I have read many of Alice Hoffman's books. This one, for me, was the best of the bunch- the only two that come close are Turtle Moon and The Dovekeepers. I think the reason this one is 5 stars while the others I mentioned only garnered 4.5 stars is because I read this one precisely when I needed it. My grandmother passed away last year on October 3rd, and I'd only begun to read this book a few weeks prior (and slowly, as I was trying to savor it). This book has themes of death, grief, and injustice that resonated with me as I side-stepped through my own familial dramas.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):

'Find your magic

'For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

'Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

'From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

'The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.'

What the future would be was yet to be discovered. As for the past, they already knew it too well.

            ~The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, 73% Kindle edition

Whether you love, hate, or feel some sort of apathy toward your family members, they shape the way you grow up, and The Rules of Magic explores that avenue. I developed an immediate like for Franny and Jet, and a disgust for Vincent, who does typical teen boy stuff (or at least, what some of the typical teen boys I knew did). All of them are a bit lost in the world, and they cope with it in different ways, but in the end I found myself relating more to Vincent than any of the female characters (which I consider quite the miracle due to my initial dislike of him). 

Another of my favorite parts of this book is the fact that all of the Owenses have their own distinct plotline- and yet I never got bored or disinterested, even when most of their behavior was predictable. There was something delightfully operatic about this book that kept me reading even though some of the themes felt a bit too painful for me to touch at the time. Ms. Hoffman brought tears to my eyes and made me smile, even when I didn't want to.

The Rules of Magic is the sort of book you need when you don't know what to do. It is not, by any means, a self-help book, but it helped me nonetheless. Sometimes fiction is a much easier medicine than nonfiction to share ideas and stories, and I feel that is the case with The Rules of Magic. I recommend this book to everyone, whether you want to read it or not. Too bad, it's now my favorite, and therefore will be ruthlessly mailed as a gift to acquaintances and friends near and far for all occasions. 

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars for an extraordinary novel that helped me navigate 2017!

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for sexual content, drug use, violence, swearing, and themes of grief.

Page Count: 369 pages

"River of Teeth (River of Teeth #1)" by Sarah Gailey

This is a hippo western. If you don't like the idea of semi-tame hippos let loose in the U.S. as an alternative to the traditional cattle farming in an alt-history West, you probably would be better off finding another book. Of course, there are some likable characters and the plot is decent, but mainly- hippos. You must love them.

About those hippos- the idea for this book came from actual history- here's a Wired article about it. Prior to this book's forward, I'd never heard of such a thing, but as always, I am game to read about books with unusual animals in them. Hippos in real life are one of the most dangerous animals in the world, but in this book, the "hoppers" are somehow able to be tamed. Now that I've fed you sufficient info (that will hopefully prevent you from becoming a hippo farmer), let's get to the meat of the story.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In the early 20th Century, the United States government concocted a plan to import hippopotamuses into the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This is true.
'Other true things about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.
'This was a terrible plan.
'Contained within this volume is an 1890s America that might have been: a bayou overrun by feral hippos and mercenary hippo wranglers from around the globe. It is the story of Winslow Houndstooth and his crew. It is the story of their fortunes. It is the story of his revenge.'

The most interesting part of this story (other than the hippos) is the characters. That isn't a bad thing, and works for me in most books, but with this book I felt it wasn't quite enough. The plot was interesting enough, but I felt since this is a hippo western, there was a lack of depth to the world. What are the consequences (beyond stray feral hippos) of hippo farming in the U.S.? I get that this is a revenge centered tale, but I wanted more worldbuilding than was on offer. True, maybe the implications will expand with the next book, but I felt the campy Western bits would've been better served in a more nuanced world with a bit more than a spit polish to the plot.

These characters I mentioned- my favorite (by leaps and bounds) was Hero, a black non-binary person who uses the pronoun they. Hero had enough attitude and it wasn't as over-the-top as some of the other characters, one of whom drove me nuts (Archie). Though this book starts with Winslow's perspective, I was glad it switched around because I found him a tad bland. Adelia was the runner up in terms of my admiration- I always admire authors who include pregnant ladies in their adventure novels.

River of Teeth is a novel buoyed by the strength of the subject and characters. If not for the hippos, I can't say I'd have picked this up to begin with as I'm not a fan of Westerns. Though hippos and characters may seem strange strengths to recommend a book on, this one is on the shorter side and doesn't take much time at all to read. If you are intrigued by the concept of a hippo Western, you may want to check out this book.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good hippo-populated adventure.

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for cutthroat violence, murder, and cut scene sex.

Page Count: 192 pages

"The Wrath & the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1)" by Renee Ahdieh

I'd read several reviews that rated this book highly before I even put it on my watchlist because I'm very picky about young adult books, I tend to be disappointed by some of the highly rated YA books, and really, I tend to like adult books better. But the reviews were such that I convinced myself this one would be okay, as it had fantasy and romance and I tend to like that combination.

Initially, I liked it- the author has a wondrous way with words, Shahrzad is independent minded and bent on revenge, and the other characters (other than Khalid) were fairly likable, too. The atmosphere in this book was the best part of it for me- I'm a fan of Gothic romances, and this seems to follow in that tradition. You may see where this review is going- I liked some of the book, but I did have some major issues with the rest of it.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'One Life to One Dawn.
'In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.
'Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?
'Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.'

I noticed someone comparing Khalid to Edward (of Twilight fame), and really, that's too kind of a comparison in my book. If Joffrey weren't so spoiled and single-minded- that is Khalid in my opinion. I can't discuss much in this review because I think more than a few people may go on to read it, but I felt like Shahrzad's spine dissolved after about two days in the palace (another highly disappointing part of the book for me). The love story failed to make me believe in it, and given that's core to this book, well- it's no mystery why I didn't like it.

Another issue I had with this book- although I tend to forgive most historical novels for keeping the heroine relatively secluded, not much happens with Shahrzad in this book. She pretty much kicks around the palace for most of it. The palace, while intriguing at first, bored me. Shahrzad is queen- that much is true, but I felt this book would've been better served with more action and less introspection/storytelling.

The Wrath and the Dawn is a lavishly written book that failed to impress me with its "love story". While I'm sure many people will find this book more than palatable, it didn't sit right with me, so I won't be recommending it unless you like hot, brooding boy kings. I may end up reading the second in the duology because I bought both for my Kindle, and though I scoff at the main love story, there is a secondary one that interests me.

Rating: 2 of 5 Stars for a fairy tale retelling that failed to spellbind me.

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for cut scene sex (you don't read it, but you know it's there), violence, and murder.

Page Count: 395 pages

"China Dolls" by Lisa See

China Dolls isn't like many other of Lisa See's books, which is why I think it suffers from a lower-than-usual average Goodreads rating. So many of the reviews there mention that they wanted more Chinese culture in this book, when China Dolls is about mostly second generation Americans who are trying their best to fit into the more Eurocentric culture of the late '30s and '40s. You view the story from three perspectives: Grace's (a girl from the Midwest who's new to the big city), Helen's (who defies her family in order to help Grace and become her friend), and Ruby's (a personality-plus girl who isn't shy about getting her way). Because Grace is a country bumpkin like I am, I tend to relate to her perspective the best- her parents raised her without Asian cultural influences, so a lot of what Helen and Ruby introduce her to is new. Since the summary gives it away- Ruby is Japanese, but passing for Chinese, which becomes an important part of the book later on.

This book focuses on friendship, but also why people become friends in the first place. Grace obviously needs a friend at the start of this book, and when Helen steps up to help her and they later meet Ruby, it seems pre-destined that they should all become companions, especially when they all end up working together. All of them have different motives for this, but as the book progresses they become more clear. If you don't like books about complex friendships between women, this is probably one you'd be better off skipping.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'An exciting new novel set in the "Chop Suey Circuit" of San Francisco right before World War II, from the beloved bestselling author of Snowflower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls.
'In 1938, Ruby, Helen and Grace, three girls from very different backgrounds, find themselves competing at the same audition for showgirl roles at San Francisco's exclusive "Oriental" nightclub, the Forbidden City. Grace, an American-born Chinese girl has fled the Midwest and an abusive father. Helen is from a Chinese family who have deep roots in San Francisco's Chinatown. And, as both her friends know, Ruby is Japanese passing as Chinese. At times their differences are pronounced, but the girls grow to depend on one another in order to fulfill their individual dreams. Then, everything changes in a heartbeat with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Suddenly the government is sending innocent Japanese to internment camps under suspicion, and Ruby is one of them. But which of her friends betrayed her?'

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, which is kind of odd given the amount of people I've seen that seem to dislike it. Here's the deal- I was raised on classic American movies AKA Old Hollywood type films. Grace, Helen, and Ruby all remind me of the women in those films- with spunky slang and embodying the sort of perseverance it takes when life doesn't go your way. To me, the book felt incredibly realistic, which always makes for a better book, especially when it's historical fiction.

One thing that stood out about this book that I like is you get to see the characters again much later in life and get to see how their relationship has held up. In some books, I feel a bit put out when it ends and everything is too cleanly resolved- this book gives you an ending worthy of the relationship between the dynamic trio. Grace, Helen, and Ruby never lived the "perfect" life, so the ending was well suited to their story.

China Dolls is the sort of historical fiction you might want to pick up when you feel a bit out of sorts. I'd know, as I've been out of sorts for most of 2017 and this was a welcome distraction. While China Dolls isn't my favorite book by Lisa See, it's a standout due to the complexities of Grace, Helen, and Ruby's relationships. Also, quite a bit of the plot surprised me, which usually doesn't happen with this sort of historical fiction. I recommend this to those who are willing to endure a bit of heartbreak before a satisfying ending.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a great historical fiction featuring three complex women.

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for brief sexual content and racism.

Page Count: 400 pages

"Kindred" by Octavia E. Butler

Many of you may have noticed 2016 was the year of Octavia E. Butler books for me. I think I read more of her books last year than Robin Hobb's, which is saying something because I'm obsessed with them both now. For that reason, I was eager to read another of her books in 2017, and since Kindred is one of her better known titles (and it qualifies for Vintage Sci-fi Month) I chose to pick it up first.

Kindred is not an easy read. I read it in a day, but not because I was thrilled with the story- I was gripped by it in a relatively unpleasant fashion. Imagine being an African American woman who somehow time travels back to the era of slavery in the American South. It doesn't sound like a pleasant adventure, does it? I was possessed by the need to find out if Dana made it out okay, and what exactly was going on with her in the first place.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she’s been given: to protect this young slaveholder until he can father her own great-grandmother.'

Kindred has all the content you'd expect from the time that it's set in- so if you can't handle blood and inhumane abuses, you may not want to read this one. At times, I was reading with my hand over my face because I wanted Dana to pull through, but also somehow manifest superpowers. Dana has the strength most women would envy, but the events that befall her in this book aren't enviable. This book provides a haunting glimpse of the past that is difficult to swallow.

Dana's husband, Kevin is white, and he plays a part in this book as well. Once they figure out some of what is happening, they attempt to learn more of the history of the time in order to help protect Dana. All the while, it seems almost futile to- as a black woman, Dana has virtually no rights in the South at that time. Beyond that, Rufus, the person Dana rescues, seems almost as bound to her as she as to him.

Kindred is the sort of book that if it were a nightmare, you'd wake up from it with cold sweat dripping from your every pore. It isn't a happy book, but it is an important one. I recommend this to those who like to read about the past from a less sterile perspective.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a difficult read that was even more difficult to put down.

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for violence, sexual assault, and slavery.

Page Count: 287 pages

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

I wasn't sure I was going to finish this one after reading the first ten percent, but something about the book kept drawing me further into it- despite the fact that I know the basic plot. The title of the book has become a sort of catch phrase for multiple personalities, sudden personality changes, and inevitable mood swings. In a way, it's unfair that this classic has been absorbed into modern lingo, instead of being read like a book (as it should be). It's impossible to say what my impression of this book would've been if I'd been uninformed about the plot, but I think I would've enjoyed it more.

This book follows Mr. Utterson on his quest to inform Dr. Jekyll, an upstanding pillar of the community, that the man who benefits from his goodwill, Mr. Hyde, is a no-good scoundrel. It never seems to occur to Mr. Utterson that it is absolutely no business of his what happens to Dr. Jekyll's estate, but I think we've all seen the tabloid melodrama that occurs every time a celebrity passes on. It's curious to ponder why we care about such things- and it likely has something to do with greed and envy. Still, Mr. Utterson AKA busybody of the year must go about his busy-ness, otherwise, the plot of this book would go nowhere fast.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In this harrowing tale of good and evil, the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll develops a potion that unleashes his secret, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde.'

I don't think I've read any of Robert Louis Stevenson's writing before, and I was impressed with the turns of phrase he crafted throughout this novel. Sometimes good writing can draw you deeper into a book, and I think that was the case with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for me- I knew the plot, but somehow I still remained interested. It's worth noting that I skimmed some passages due to an abundance of over-emotional, drawn-out plot combustion (AKA, the plot was coming to fruition, and there were several, "but wait, there's more"-type paragraphs). True, other Gothic novels I've loved have done the same thing, but this one didn't get off scot free for it.

My favorite section of conversation, Mr. Enfield telling Mr. Utterson to watch himself:

"You start a question, and it's like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others; and presently some bland old bird (the last you would have thought of) is knocked on the head in his own back garden and the family have to change their name. No sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask."

      ~The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, 8% Kindle edition

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde had some great moments, but in the end it felt like an overlong short story. True, I may feel that way due to knowing the plot beforehand, but a book blogger must always give an honest impression, and mine is this- this is a good book, but I won't mourn long if I forget everything about it a few months from now (unless, of course, it comes up as a question on Jeopardy!- then I'll be sad). If you want a quick, classic horror book to read prior to this year's Halloween festivities, this one might fit the bill- just don't anticipate Mr. Hyde to reach out and scare you overmuch.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a enticingly written horror classic.

Age Advisory: Ages 14+ for violence, dark themes, and sudden personality changes.

Page Count: 144 pages

O.o.O.C.: "The Red Record" by Ida B. Wells

Out of Orbit Critiques are reviews of books outside my usual genres. The Red Record is a nonfiction account of the many, many instances in which lynching was used instead of the justice system during the late 1800s.

This book is an important piece of history. It is also horrifying to those of us who had your "average" American school education- often, regarding African Americans, only slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Martin Luther King Jr. are covered. The rest is glossed over or omitted completely- the Oregon Trail and the like get more pages. The Red Record is one of those books that could easily be excerpted to prove that everything was not hunky dory after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'A shocking and powerful account of lynching written by activist, journalist, and former slave Ida B. Wells
'In the postbellum American South, lynching was a frightfully common occurrence, perpetrated so frequently that most Southern politicians and leaders turned a blind eye to the practice. This vicious form of vigilante “justice” was in truth a thinly veiled racist justification for murderous violence. In 1892 alone, more than two hundred African Americans were lynched, with alleged offenses ranging from “attempted stock poisoning” to “insulting whites.”
'The Red Record tabulates these scenes of brutality in clear, objective statistics, allowing the horrifying facts to speak for themselves. Alongside the tally, author Ida B. Wells describes actual occurrences of lynching, and enumerates the standard rationalizations for these extrajudicial killings, her original intent for the pamphlet to shame and shock the apathetic public—and spark change.'

You can't help but be appalled when you learn some of the reasons (and non-reasons) African Americans were lynched. Among the top reasons I felt were most horrific: insulting whites, race prejudice, no offense (at all, other than being of African descent), proposing marriage to a white woman, giving information, introducing smallpox (because you can apparently keep yourself from being sick), conjuring, and writing a letter a white woman. Some of the accounts of the pre-lynching torture of African Americans absolutely turned my stomach. Worst of all, it was a sort of town-wide event- there are accounts of children being brought to witness the lynchings. Many of these lynchings were carried out prior to inquiries as to who actually committed the crime, and whether the crime had actually been committed in the first place. After several incidents of lynching prior to judgement in which the person had been found entirely innocent, town officials would say something like, "Someone had to pay for the crime."

Miss Wells also offers ideas for resolutions to prevent the lynchings from happening in the first place. She wanted this short book to reach as many eyes as possible for that reason, though I fear it didn't quite have as far-reaching an impact as she'd hoped.

Though this is mostly an account of lynchings in the U.S., it also features some of the disagreements between the leader of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and Miss Wells and other African American leaders fighting for equal treatment under the law. It reads a bit like the modern day political double talk- Miss Wells rightly accuses the temperance union of distancing itself from African American-sympathetic politics to more Southern-sympathizing politics to schmooze their way to more votes, and the women in the temperance union act like they're innocent of it. It's interesting to note how politics and relations haven't changed all that much over one hundred years.

The Red Record is a grim account of the multiple historic failures of justice in the United States. The author sought to educate the public on the prevalence of these travesties, though the practice continued into the 20th century. This book resonated more with me due to the current struggles of African Americans that spawned the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It is my honest hope that in another 100 years or so, people will read this book and not think of current affairs- and instead think of how odious people of color were treated- in the past.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a difficult but gripping account of injustice.

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for accounts of gruesome violence and inhumanity.

Page Count: 112 pages

Wild Seed (Patternmaster #1) by Octavia E. Butler

The previous series I read by Octavia E. Butler was basically about aliens coming to colonize earth. This book is different- instead, the humans of Earth are sometimes born with extraordinary abilities, making some of them live almost immortal lives. Anyanwu, the heroine of this book, is one of those extraordinarily gifted humans. But instead of setting it in modern times, this is set in the late 1600s and continuing from there, making it an alternate take on history.

What I love about Miss Butler's books is she always makes it easy to read, but at the same time deal with difficult concepts. I likely could've read this book in a day, but in the same note, I'm still thinking about and processing what happened in the book over a week later. I read a lot of fluffy books that I can read once, but despite their fluffiness, I likely wouldn't revisit because they don't have more to offer me. If I reread this book today, I would likely keep finding new concepts and ideas that I'd missed because it's so easy to snarf down in a few sittings. Her books are somehow simple and complicated in the same breath.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Doro is an entity who changes bodies like clothes, killing his hosts by reflex or design. He fears no one until he meets Anyanwu. Anyanwu is a shapeshifter who can absorb bullets and heal with a kiss and savage anyone who threatens her. She fears no one until she meets Doro. Together they weave a pattern of destiny (from Africa to the New World) unimaginable to mortals.'

Anyanwu has a lot in common with Lilith, a heroine of the Xenogenesis series, but I like Anyanwu more due to her strength of character, and the strength of her ability. Lilith had little to no control over her situation, while Anyanwu has plenty of abilities to hold her own with. Anyanwu also generally seemed to have more emotion than Lilith ever did- it's hard to relate to a character who has little to no emotion. Anyanwu has some serious culture shock to deal with when she comes to the "New World", while Doro seems to seamlessly adjust to any culture. Doro, meanwhile, remains the enigma in this book. There are chapters from his perspective, but I just can't find suitable motives to his actions in this book, as of yet. Perhaps when I continue with this series, his motivations will be more transparent.

The difficult part of this book is it deals with selective breeding- of human beings. Normally I'd consider that a spoiler, but you get the gist that that is where the book will go just from the first few chapters. I think the author chose to make this an alternate history to make it more believable that any of the characters would go along with it- setting it during the time where slavery was considered "normal" also draws parallels from that aspect.

Wild Seed is not quite what I expected, but at the same time, an excellent alternate history novel. It's not a challenge to read, but don't expect to have it leave your thoughts once you've finished it. If you don't mind some serious gray area content in your science fiction, Wild Seed may be a good choice for your next read.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an alternate history I won't soon forget.

Content: Ages 18+ for violence, rape, and various other gray areas of morality.

Page Count: 320 pages

"The Vagrants" by Yiyun Li

Two years ago, I read Farhana's review of The Vagrants at Digesting the Words- even then, I'd owned this book for a long time. I noted I wanted to read it soon, but somehow it got forgotten among the many (many) tomes that comprise my pile. Earlier this year, I decided to reorganize the unread books in my stash in an attractive manner that I thought might catch my attention better than having them sit in the windowless room that is my library. The Vagrants was one of the books I put at eye level on the shelf, and eventually it wore me down enough to pick it up.

Historical fiction is usually hard to crack into for me- the first fifty pages are an effort to acquaint myself with all the characters the author decided needed to be included. Although this book has many characters and points of view, it was easy to tell each of them apart- each had a distinct voice, reminding me somewhat of Alice Hoffman's penchant for including the main players of a village in a book. Although it's set in a city, it definitely is given the small town feel, where everyone seems to at least know of everyone else.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Brilliant and illuminating, this astonishing debut novel by the award-winning writer Yiyun Li is set in China in the late 1970s, when Beijing was rocked by the Democratic Wall Movement, an anti-Communist groundswell designed to move China beyond the dark shadow of the Cultural Revolution toward a more enlightened and open society. In this powerful and beautiful story, we follow a group of people in a small town during this dramatic and harrowing time, the era that was a forebear of the Tiananmen Square uprising.
'Morning dawns on the provincial city of Muddy River. A young woman, Gu Shan, a bold spirit and a follower of Chairman Mao, has renounced her faith in Communism. Now a political prisoner, she is to be executed for her dissent. Her distraught mother, determined to follow the custom of burning her only child’s clothing to ease her journey into the next world, is about to make another bold decision. Shan’s father, Teacher Gu, who has already, in his heart and mind, buried his rebellious daughter, begins to retreat into memories. Neither of them imagines that their daughter’s death will have profound and far-reaching effects, in Muddy River and beyond.
'In luminous prose, Yiyun Li weaves together the lives of these and other unforgettable characters, including a serious seven-year-old boy, Tong; a
crippled girl named Nini; the sinister idler Bashi; and Kai, a beautiful radio news announcer who is married to a man from a powerful family. Life in a world of oppression and pain is portrayed through stories of resilience, sacrifice, perversion, courage, and belief. We read of delicate moments and acts of violence by mothers, sons, husbands, neighbors, wives, lovers, and more, as Gu Shan’s execution spurs a brutal government reaction.
'Writing with profound emotion, and in the superb tradition of fiction by such writers as Orhan Pamuk and J. M. Coetzee, Yiyun Li gives us a stunning novel that is at once a picture of life in a special part of the world during a historic period, a universal portrait of human frailty and courage, and a mesmerizing work of art.'

Usually with books like this one, I edit the blurb from Goodreads because most of the few paragraphs I generally find overly gushy about the author's writing. This is one of those rare cases where I don't delete those large swaths- Yiyun Li deserves and earned that praise of her writing style with this book. I think the best word for her writing style is fluid- you aren't tempted to skip or skim anything, because most of the paragraphs in the book are necessary, and written in a way where you want to read and absorb every word.

I had preconceptions about the plot, being it's set in late 1970s Communist era China, but most of my ideas about what the plot might be like were wrong. It's less about the politics, and more about the people/characters, which I do feel is the right way to go about it. I do like idea books, but generally my five star ratings go to books where I felt I was the character, or identified with them. More than that, I got a feel for the changing atmosphere of the city of Muddy River as the book went on- as little as I've traveled physically, I do feel like this book took me to China.

The Vagrants is an elegantly written book that leaves you feeling satisfied with most aspects of it. However, some of the characters were so predatory and chilling, it was a bit difficult to enjoy reading about their exploits. Nonetheless, for the experienced adult reader, The Vagrants offers an alarming, yet somehow complementary look at the people of China during that timeframe.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a fluid historical that evokes a multitude of feelings.

Content: Ages 18+ for disturbing scenes not limited to violence (including to animals) or sexual assault.

Page Count: 349 pages

"Corelli's Mandolin" by Louis de Bernières

This is a book I've hauled around with me for a while now- I bought it when I lived in Montana, and then it languished on my shelf until I packed it for moving. I was a bit excited for this one because it takes place on an island, making it perfect for the TTWIB (Travel the World in Books) monthly theme (islands). As I've never, to my knowledge, read a novel set in Greece, I was excited to learn more about that region of the world.

There seem to be two camps of WWII fiction- those who loathe it, and those who adore it. I generally like it, but I think my only real issue with this book is it can't decide what it wants to be. The first half of it is the most eloquent imagery I've read in a long time, while the second half devolves into plot twisting (which I found unnecessary, given the first half was a slow and steady read). Once past the first chapters, it's hard to stop reading, but near the end I almost wanted to stop (to preserve the good parts of the story, in my eyes).

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is set in the early days of the second world war, before Benito Mussolini invaded Greece. Dr Iannis practices medicine on the island of Cephalonia, accompanied by his daughter, Pelagia, to whom he imparts much of his healing art. Even when the Italians do invade, life isn’t so bad—at first anyway. The officer in command of the Italian garrison is the cultured Captain Antonio Corelli, who responds to a Nazi greeting of “Heil Hitler” with his own “Heil Puccini”, and whose most precious possession is his mandolin. It isn't long before Corelli and Pelagia are involved in a heated affair--despite her engagement to a young fisherman, Mandras, who has gone off to join Greek partisans. Love is complicated enough in wartime, even when the lovers are on the same side. And for Corelli and Pelagia, it becomes increasingly difficult to negotiate the minefield of allegiances, both personal and political, as all around them atrocities mount, former friends become enemies and the ugliness of war infects everyone it touches.
'British author Louis de Bernières is well known for his forays into magical realism in such novels as The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. Here he keeps it to a minimum, though certainly the secondary characters with whom he populates his island—the drunken priest, the strongman, the fisherman who swims with dolphins—would be at home in any of his wildly imaginative Latin American fictions. Instead, de Bernières seems interested in dissecting the nature of history as he tells his ever-darkening tale from many different perspectives. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin works on many levels, as a love story, a war story and a deconstruction of just what determines the facts that make it into the history books.'

There is a lot going on in this book, but as long as you remember the main characters' names, it's not hard to puzzle out. The characters I liked the most were (by far) Pelagia and her father, along with their pet pine marten. The rest of the characters were interesting, but not given enough backstory to give them depth, though Carlos is a slight exception in that aspect. Although I'd hoped to learn more about Cephalonia and Greece as a whole, much of the information and backstory given had to do with WWII.

As I mentioned, the ending of this book was painful to me- not only has it been done before, it just simply didn't match the beautiful beginning of this book. For that reason, this book was hard to rate- it does have some worthy stories to tell, but they are given an ending more suitable for some dramatic contemporary fiction- not historical fiction with light romance. Another reviewer had mentioned a similar dislike of the second half of the book, so I suppose it isn't just me.

Corelli's Mandolin is a beautiful historical with another book's ending. As much as I've pondered a reason why the book would end so weirdly, I just can't figure out why the characters would end up as they did, if it were actually meant to be their story. The historical cohesion of the story suffered as well. I only recommend this one if you have a pointed interest in anything set in Cephalonia, because as a story this book doesn't make much sense to me.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a beautiful book with a mismatched ending.

Content: Ages 18+ for sexual content, war crimes (violence- lots of violence), and an unsatisfactory ending.

Page Count: 437 pages

"Peasant Tales of Russia" by V.I. Nemirovitch-Dantchenko

Since this is a collection of short stories, I'll review each of these and then summarize my experience of the collection. I found this ebook on Amazon and picked it up (despite its poor rating) because the book I had been reading for #TTWIB May Russian book read wasn't grabbing my attention. Since I gathered this would be a shorter read with folk tales (something I generally enjoy), it didn't take much thought to switch what I was reading.

"The Deserted Mine"
The plot of this one is simple- miners are trapped with no apparent escape in a deep shaft that is filling with water. They look to a somewhat senile-seeming old man (who they all know has worked the tunnels for the longest) for a way out.

This story almost seems like a Russian addition to the Bible, for spoilery reasons that I cannot disclose. That said, religious imagery of the Christian variety is front and center for this story, and it kind of spoiled the end of it for me (and I'm a Christian, darn it!). There is a fine line between inspirational and oh my word- look, it's an INSPIRATIONAL story. Subtlety is not one of the virtues of this short tale, but I did enjoy the first part of it more than the other stories in this collection.

"Mahmoud's Family"
I'm not too up on my history, so all I can say of the plot for this one is it's set during a war between the Russians and the Ottomans (or so I'm led to believe). Russian soldiers find an escaped prisoner of war (Mahmoud), who they plan on taking back to the main encampment for safekeeping, though he begs them not to. The soldiers are forced between a choice of duty and common decency, which proves to be a difficult decision.

This story has the flavor of a fable about it- leaning less towards religion-y lesson and more towards morality tale. I think other than The Luck of Ivan the Forgetful, it's my favorite of the bunch because of its concise storyline. Although there was still plenty of description, this story was a lot faster paced than the others.

"A Misunderstanding"
The plot of this story isn't apparent until the end- Helene became a nun for what seemed like an altruistic reason, but something went terribly awry.

My main complaint with this story is that there's really not much buildup to the end- most of the story is just fluff about Helene's martyrdom and humility. The thing is, becoming a nun isn't something one should take lightly, as she seemed to. She resigned herself to it without a really good reason, though it's unclear what the timeframe was for her decision (I'm thinking it's set in the 1800s). Regardless, it was a choice that didn't make sense, but I'm sure it could've happened back in those days.

"The Luck of Ivan The Forgetful"
My favorite of the book, this story reads the most like a fairytale. Ivan the Forgetful escapes jail to stumble upon an orphaned girl in the forest. He tries his best to teach her right from wrong despite his seeming unsuitedness to parenthood. But will his luck run out?

There's lots of imagery and some minor anomalies in this story (I think it may be missing a page or a paragraph) but it captured my attention regardless. I think there's something more human about this story than the others, which may be why I like it so much. Ivan isn't a paragon, which many of the previous main characters appear to be. He's somewhat relatable, though the author tries to make him seem horrible by injecting out-of-character speech and deeds to impugn him. I guess in my eyes, the author didn't succeed in that.

I wish I could give Peasant Tales of Russia a higher rating, but there too are many issues that stick out for me to raise it. It may be an issue of translation or of time, but some of these tales which may have once been regarded as timeless seem to have lost some luster over the years. Nonetheless, I recommend it for those interested in Russian folk tales, as it is available in multiple formats online for free.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good collection of folk tales that could use some edits.

Content: Ages 14+ for violence and death.

Page Count: 112 pages in my Kindle edition

O.o.O.C.: "Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence" by Doris Pilkington ~ Nugi Garimara

Out of Orbit Critiques are the reviews on books that stray outside my usual genres. Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence is a nonfiction account of three girls of Aboriginal and Caucasian heritage traveling back to their families across Australia.

This book is told in a style that isn't quite a memoir and not quite nonfiction. The result is a slightly unevenly paced novel, which is actually quite a short read at 136 pages (or so Goodreads professes). I had seen some of the movie version of this, so my opinion may not reflect what some first time indulgers in this story might feel about reading it. Just something to keep in mind.

That disclosed, I have to admit the true story behind both the book and the film is absolutely incredible (and horrifying to those of us who want the best for children). Molly and her cousins Daisy and Gracie are taken from their home to a "school" (that resembles either an institution or a prison) to learn a trade (a trade they likely could've learned better from their parents). If you aren't just a little bit mad to learn this is a true story, well, you have more Vulcan-like emotional restraint than I do.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'This extraordinary story of courage and faith is based on the actual experiences of three girls who fled from the repressive life of Moore River Native Settlement, following along the rabbit-proof fence back to their homelands. Assimilationist policy dictated that these girls be taken from their kin and their homes in order to be made white. Settlement life was unbearable with its chains and padlocks, barred windows, hard cold beds, and horrible food. Solitary confinement was doled out as regular punishment. The girls were not even allowed to speak their language. Of all the journeys made since white people set foot on Australian soil, the journey made by these girls born of Aboriginal mothers and white fathers speaks something to everyone.'

A problem I had with the novel was in part due to my own negligence- the author uses many Aboriginal words and phrases, often not mentioning what they mean. However, there is a glossary in the back, that, had I known it was there, I would have used much more often. Google does not seem to know any of the Aboriginal words in this book.

Since I already knew the trajectory of this book, some of the revelations were anti-climactic to me, and because the writing was on the nonfiction side of things (keeping to the facts and not inserting many flowery phrases) I was a little underwhelmed with some of the book. Luckily, there were things I hadn't recalled happening to surprise me, as well as descriptions of scenery I can scarcely imagine. This is one of my Travel the World in Books picks that really showed me places I have never been before- all through the imagery of the written word.

A glimpse of the writing style:

Patrol officers travelled far and wide removing part-Aboriginal children from their families and transported them hundreds of kilometres down south. Every mother of a part-Aboriginal child was aware that their offspring could be taken away from them at any time and they were powerless to stop the abductors.

       ~Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington ~ Nugi Garimara, about 29% Kindle edition

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence is an epic story of the power and perseverance of girls. Having been the same age as these girls were when they made the trek, I have to admit I feel in awe of their ability to keep going, despite their goal seeming insurmountable. Beyond girl power, this story also educates on the history of the Aboriginal people: I had no idea that many of the things mentioned briefly in the beginning of this book even occurred- and I watched some of the movie version(!). So if you want to learn about the Aboriginal culture and the history of early Colonial Australia, but also want a story of three young (and very determined) girls, there is no other book I'd recommend except this one.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a great (and short) eye-opener into a darker time in the history of Australia.

Content: Ages 14+ for racial injustices (including violence and death), hunting and gathering, and survival.

Page Count: 136 pages

"The Incarnations" by Susan Barker

I received a free (and gorgeous) hardcover copy of this book via Goodreads' Giveaways. My opinion remains as impartial and forthright as ever.

With magical realism, generally you expect some rather happy-go-lucky magical elements along with a more disturbing storyline. For example, with one of my favorite authors, Alice Hoffman's work, generally the storyline could be strictly fictional, but the magical elements are what boost it out of the ordinary, enhancing the plot. With this story, the plot wouldn't work (at all) without the magical elements in place, unless you're a huge believer in past lives and reincarnation, in which case, disregard that assertion. The plot would not make sense in a strictly fictional setting of historical or contemporary, even in one of those odd, choppy, past-present overlap books. The Incarnations is dependent on a relationship between two souls throughout times and places, regardless of the shells those souls might be inhabiting.

This isn't one of those books you read because you are particularly in love with the characters- or at least, in my case it wasn't. I found myself none too sympathetic with Wang, even having seen his past incarnations. Every character in this book is decadently flawed, which is part of why I enjoyed it so much: I didn't enjoy the characters, but the flaws made them perilously mortal, so in a way, I did. I admired their humanity, frailty, and spirit, but it was difficult (if not impossible) to admire their actions.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Who are you? you must be wondering. I am your soulmate, your old friend, and I have come back to this city of sixteen million in search of you.
'So begins the first letter that falls into Wang’s lap as he flips down the visor in his taxi. The letters that follow are filled with the stories of Wang’s previous lives—from escaping a marriage to a spirit bride, to being a slave on the run from Genghis Khan, to living as a fisherman during the Opium Wars, and being a teenager on the Red Guard during the cultural revolution—bound to his mysterious “soulmate,” spanning one thousand years of betrayal and intrigue.
'As the letters continue to appear seemingly out of thin air, Wang becomes convinced that someone is watching him—someone who claims to have known him for over one thousand years. And with each letter, Wang feels the watcher growing closer and closer…
'Seamlessly weaving Chinese folklore, history, and literary classics, The Incarnations is a taut and gripping novel that sheds light on the cyclical nature of history as it hints that the past is never truly settled.'

Beyond the imperfections of the characters, what makes this book compelling is the breadth of history and settings it covers. Most of it is set in China, with a few possible outlying meanderings. The characters, or the soulmates, are constantly at odds with each other throughout their reincarnations and always seem to have this unusual sibling rivalry (as best I can describe that relationship) going on. In most books, I would assume all these short snippets of past lives would make the entire book feel like a bunch of short stories, but with this one, the characters seem themselves (and are themselves) in every stage of their past lives. You wouldn't think Wang the taxi driver would be like he is in his first incarnation, but put a soul through a different set of circumstances and I think the answer would be yes.

I think what shocked me (despite having been warned of it beforehand) was the sheer harshness of the content of this book. Although I was easily drawn in from the first page, after the first 50-ish pages I had to stop and read something else because it was so blatant and unabashed. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just that my review won't prepare you to read the book, even if I listed all the content I could think of, like with my A Game of Thrones review. It's like falling asleep snug in your bed and being doused at midnight with a bucket of ice cold water. This book isn't for those who are sensitive to adult content- even halfway through, I kept being surprised with the turns in the story. A lot of people refer to such things in fantasy as grimdark- well, this is grimdark magical realism.

The Incarnations is magical realism that expands its bounds to romp in both historical and contemporary settings. Don't let it's cover fool you into thinking it's like a million other books, because this one is definitely a special shade of gray, gray morality, that is. If you enjoy unusual books without characters that seem particularly heroic (in either the anti- or plain hero fashion), set in a familiar country that seems unfamiliar once you finish reading the book, The Incarnations may be just the book you're seeking.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a magical realism with exquisitely flawed characters.

Content: Ages 18+ for all kinds of sexual content (rape, incest, castration, masturbation, and everything else you can dream up), violence, and the eating of strange meat.

Page Count: 371 pages in my hardcover edition