Book of the Month: April

With the coronavirus shutdown I have had the time to get alot of reading done. I have read 15 books this month. It was difficult to select just one book that I liked the most so I have decided to select a favorite book in each of the three genres that I read, mystery, historical fiction and graphic novel.

The Three Women is my best mystery for the month of April. It is a psychological thriller with a shocking ending. It could be a Hitchcock film, if Hitchcock were still alive and directing movies.

Book of Colours is my favorite historical fiction book.  As an artist, I reveled in the information given on how to create illuminated manuscripts.  The book follows the lives of several limners, illuminators, as they work together to create a book of hours for a wealthy woman.

The Oracle Code is my best graphic novel.  It is about the rehabilitation, both physical and psychological, of a newly disabled teenager.

Betrayed

Betrayed is both a historical mystery and a historical romance. It takes the reader to England in the 1770s. Kate Lancaster, devastated by the murder of her parents, vows to find the killer with the help of Christopher Bradshaw.  Her heart races whenever the handsome nobleman is near her but his overbearing wife is constantly playing the matchmaker with their son, Lucas. Kate and Christopher try to resist the temptation of their mutual attraction while striving to solve the mystery of who wanted the Lancasters dead.

C. De Melo always writes a good historical novel. Betrayed, however, is one of her best. In this rare historical mystery she shows how well she can craft a mystery plot. The twists and turns and unexpected ending made the book an exhilarating read for me. I can't recall when I last read an exhilarating historical novel, if ever.  Betrayed is that special.

As usual for me, my favorite character is the villain. Claudia Bradshaw cheats on her husband frequently with different partners and is the dominant person in her marriage. We are lead to believe that in the eighteenth century only the men got away with this type of behavior. However, I think there were plenty of Claudias. People just didn't openly acknowledge strong women. Her husband, meek and mild Christopher, only married her because she was pregnant and he believed that the child was his. Claudia never told him anything about the identity of the father of her child. She played him well.  Our protagonist Kate Lancaster was also able to force him into doing whatever she asked.

While the romance is tasteful and strong in Betrayed, it is the mystery that makes this book great. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

In Her Eyes

In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson is a gripping psychological thriller that takes place in California. Ava's life is the kind other people envy: loving husband, great kids, beautiful house, until a violent home invasion turns the dream into a nightmare and leaves her daughter fighting to survive. This wasn't a random attack and Ava is reeling from the knowledge that someone is targeting her family. To save those she loves from even greater danger Ava must find out what really happened that night.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat as the drama unfolds. It grabbed me from the first page until the ending, which surprised me. At one point, I suspected every character.  The twists and turns were spectacular, sometimes eery. All of the characters were great, but I felt that Ava sometimes made stupid decisions. If there is any criticism of the book, it is that Ava's conclusions when new evidence was unveiled were over the top.

5 out of 5 stars.

Book of Colours

I don't know why I have not read this book before because I love illuminated manuscripts.  Book of Colours is about several 14th century limners, or illuminators, who have been commissioned to create a book of hours for a wealthy woman.  The story shows the entire process that is followed when creating an illuminated book, including how colors are mixed and used.

The publisher's summary of the plot:

"In London, 1321, at a time of political upheaval, three people are drawn together in a small shop in Paternoster Row around the creation of a magnificent book, an illuminated manuscript of prayers. The book has been commissioned by Lady Mathidla Fitzjohn, as a status symbol to showcase her family's improving station. John Dancaster begins work on the manuscript along with his wife Gemma, a talented illuminator in her own right, although she must hide her skill as the guild forbids women. Into their lives walks the mysterious Will Asshe, a gifted artist, but a man hiding a shadowy past. As the baronial revolt increases tensions within London and Lady Mathilda has to grapple with her changing fortunes once her husband rides off to war, completing the book becomes a fraught task.  Even though the commission has seemed to answer the aspirations of each of these people, their own desires and ambitions threaten its completion."

As an artist I could not help but love Book of Colours. The epigraphs at the start of each chapter give the artist information on how decisions should be made for each page of a manuscript as well as how colors are mixed and should be used. These paragraphs tell the artist how they can also create an illuminated book.  They are revealed to be excerpts from a book that Gemma is writing called "Art of Illumincation." The rest of the chapter continues with the plot. I read this book slowly. I was searching for more information on creating an illumination within the text and found a few more tips. The plot itself was splendid. The characters were authentic, accurately representing the era they lived in and I enjoyed reading about their lives as the story unfolded.

Highly recommended! 5 out of 5 stars. 

The Phantom Twin

The Phantom Twin is a young adult graphic novel concerning siamese twins during the 1920s. Isabel and Jane Peabody are conjoined twins working in a traveling carnival show until an ambitious surgeon tries to separate them.  Jane dies during the surgery and Isabel loses an arm and a leg that they both shared. Her dead sister now haunts her as her phantom limb.  The traveling freak shows were a big attraction in the 1920s. Anything or anyone who was considered to be different drew unwanted attention and that is why these "freak" shows became popular. The two sisters were called by their co-carnies "Jan-iss" because they were two people within one body. The book was published last month on March 3, 2020.

The book is a fast read that shows the reader how cruel a world can be for those who are different. It is a sad story although the sisters and workers at the carnival are portrayed with humor.  They are shown as being normal people with normal personalities who have fun together. Their reaction to being physically different is heartwarming as life just goes on despite being cast aside by society. The reader can feel Isabel's emotions as she transitions her life from being two to being alone. The artwork is plain and simple with bright colors that always appeal to me.

I loved The Phantom Twin.  I highly recommend it for young readers. 5 out of 5 stars.

Preacher - Book One

Everyone told me not to read this graphic novel because it would offend me as a Christian. Not so. While foul language runs supreme and there is blasphemy here and there, the book has an amazing plot that I couldn't help but love.  Book One contains issues 1 through 12 of this 75 issue serialized comic. The issues were published between 1995 and 2000.  It was written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Steve Dillon.

Preacher opens with our former preacher Jesse Custer eating out with two friends Tulip O'Hare and Cassidy. He is asked why he gave up preaching at his Annville, Texas church. Jesse then begins his life story. The rest of the book is an autobiography that explains how Jesse's possession by a supernatural force called Genesis caused his church to be flattened, killing his entire congregation. Genesis was formed by an unholy coupling between an angel and a demon. This coupling caused Jesse's church to be destroyed. With a strong sense of right and wrong, Jesse travels the U S. while trying to find God. His friends Tulip and Cassidy travel with him.

The artwork kept me reading this novel. The crisp line drawings and vibrant colors were
attractive and the supernatural creatures that Steve Dillon created were cool.  Even the facial expressions supported the story, something that I didn't expect in a fantastical story like Preacher. Above all, it was the coloring that attracted me to the story. I don't normally read fantasy fiction but this graphic novel had enough questions about how people find God and lose God over circumstances in their lives that made me want to keep reading.  There are 6 more books giving the Preacher story.  I will be buying them but will not be reviewing them.  The artwork is the same and Jesse's life story continues so there will not be much to add in a review.

4 out of 5 stars.

Blackberry and Wild Rose

BlackBerry and Wild Rose is Sonia Velton's debut novel. She has crafted an extraordinary historical novel that takes place in eighteenth century London.  It is a tale of a household of Huguenot silk weavers who are pursuing the creation of the perfect silk design.

The publisher's summary:

"When Esther Thorel, wife of a master silk weaver, rescues Sara Kemp from a brothel, she thinks she is doing God's will, but her good deed is not returned. Sara quickly realizes that the Thorel household is built on hypocrisy and lies and soon tires of the drudgery of life as Esther's new lady's maid. As the two women's relationship becomes increasingly fractious, Sara resolves to find out what it is that so preoccupies her mistress... 

Esther has long yearned to be a silk designer.  When her early watercolors are dismissed by her husband, Elias, as the daubs of a foolish girl, she continues her attempts in secret.  It may have been that none of them would ever have become actual silks, were it not for the presence of the extraordinarily talented Bisby Lambert in the Thorel household.  Brought in by Elias to weave his masterpiece on the Thorel's loom in the attic of their house in Spitalfields, the strange cadence of the loom as Bisby works is like a siren call to Esther.  The minute she first sets foot in the garret and sees Bisby Lambert at his loom marks the beginning of Blackberry and Wild Rose, the most exquisite silk design Spitalfields has ever seen, and the end of the Thorel household's veneer of perfection."

I loved this book. As a weaver I enjoyed reading about weaving and design creation.  However, with two strong female characters I would have to say that there are two protagonists.  Both Esther and Sara are featured equally and the telling of this story alternates between them.  However, Esther is supposed to be the protagonist so I don't understand why the two women had equal roles.  I must admit, though, that Sara interested me more. Also, the author did a great job of showing us the history of this era.  The men dominated the women and the silk industry guild machinations were described in detail.  The tensions between the master weavers and the journeymen were part of the plot. The author took events that actually occurred and wove them into her plot (pun intended). The story depicts a riot by the journeymen against the master weavers when their wages were reduced.

The author states in her Note at the end of the book that the idea for the novel came from the life of Anna Maria Garthwaite, a cutting edge designer of silks in Spitalfields during the eighteenth century. Garthwaite has been credited with bringing the artistry of painting to the loom. Many of her patterns can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Witch of Delft

The Witch of Delft is a historical fiction novel with some magical realism included.  It takes place in Holland in 1692. It has a creative plot and is another fantastic read from Christine De Melo.

The publisher's summary:

"Renowned healer, Lisbeth Vos, concots a cunning revenge against her childhood friend, Hannah Brouwer, for a wrong committed decades ago. The audacious scheme requires a marriage between Lisbeth's granddaughter and Hannah's widowed son.  Desperate for her grandmother's attention and approval, Mila agrees to wed a man she doesn't know. She begins entertaining doubts when Hannah proves to be a loving mother-in-law instead of the monster her grandmother described. Mila is thinking and acting independently for the first time, going as far as initiating an illicit affair.  Her refusal to commit a heinous act at Lisbeth's insistence results in shocking consequences. With danger looming on the horizon, Mila discovers powers that have lain dormant beneath her grandmother's oppressive shadow. Now, she must learn to use her gift and salvage her only chance at happiness."

I don't normally read books about witchcraft but was pleasantly surprised with The Witch of Delft. The book is primarily about the deceptions between the characters than the occult. My choice to read this novel was based on who the author is. I have loved reading all of Christine De Melo's other novels so I had to give this one a try. I was not disappointed.

I adored the main witch in the book, Lisbeth Vos. Her character is a nasty one and I always love the villain in a story. Lisbeth runs the lives of her daughter and granddaughter as she has a bossy personality.  While Mila becomes more assertive as she matures in life, she is not the most dominant character in the novel.  As the protagonist I would expect that she would dominate the story but Lisbeth dominates instead.  It is Lisbeth's machinations that all of the other characters need to maneuver through.  With secondary characters also being witches, the question to ask is who is the official "witch of Delft" in this novel. Read the book to find out.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Three Women

The Three Women is Valerie Keough's third novel.  It is advertised on the front cover as being a jaw-dropping psychological thriller and it most definitely is.  The ending was such a surprise. I was not expecting it. I think the author did an awesome job in creating this plot.

The publisher's summary:

"When Beth, Megan and Joanne meet at university, they become inseparable friends who'd do anything for one another - even agreeing to keeping what happens on one shocking night a secret. Now in their forties and outwardly successful, each of the three has dealt with what happened in their own way. But secrets and lies leave their mark. When Megan decides to tell her fiancé the truth about that night, it threatens to ruin the lives of everyone around her. And someone is prepared to do anything to stop that happening."

The Three Women scared me straight! The consequences of telling lies is huge here. Of course, I am not really a liar but if you are then you might want to read this novel. It starts out as just the stories of the 3 women but toward the midway point the reader begins to see how lies transform people.  Lies transform the hearers as well as the people speaking the words.  Within the plot, you will be shown how the choices that people make in their lives are impacted by lies.  ooh...scary!

I loved this book!  The characters were compelling but after reading the ending one of them became my favorite. The makeup of her psychology makes sense at the end. While this particular character seemed a little dull during the unfolding of the plot, at the conclusion of the book you see her shining in all her nasty glory.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Oracle Code

Marieke Nijkamp's newest graphic novel addresses the physical and psychological issues of newly disabled individuals. The Oracle Code is a fictionalized account of a young girl, Barbara Gordon, who becomes a paraplegic after a shooting accident. Her father places her in a rehab facility in order to learn how to live with a disability. Manuel Prietano drew the illustrations.

The publisher's summary:

"After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon must undergo physical and mental rehabilitation at Arkham Center for Independence.  She must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Strange sounds escape at night while patients start to go missing. Is the suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Or does Barbara actually hear voices coming from the center's labyrinthine hallways? It's up to Barbara to put the pieces together to solve the mysteries behind the walls.  In The Oracle Code, universal truths cannot be escaped, and Barbara Gordon must battle the phantoms of her past before they consume her future."

The plot of this book is not only informative regarding the problems of the disabled but it is also a mystery novel as our protagonist, teenager Barbara Gordon, has to solve a mystery in the center for independent living (CIL) where she resides. Using the mystery format makes it easier, and more fun, for non-disabled persons to learn about disability. The author chose her plot well.  The progression of Barbara Gordon's character is a highlight of the book. She solves crimes from her wheelchair using her computer hacking skills and it is through these skills that she sees that she never really changed after her accident. The secondary characters are not as strong and they do not progress as individuals.  This is Barbara's story.

The artwork enhances the story.  The colors focus on certain characters in each panel. Only the characters of interest are in full color while the other characters fade into the background by coloring them all in the same color.  Manuel Prietano did the drawings. The coloring was done by Jordie Bellaire and the lettering was done by Clayton Cowles.  Their joint effort was successful in telling this story. In a Q&A with the Disability Visibility Project the author stated that she sent Prietano photos and videos of wheelchairs and other mobility aids so that he could draw them accurately.

Barbara Gordon, a/k/a Oracle, is an iconic disabled character in the DC Comics world. The Oracle Code is her origin story. Her transition from Barbara to Oracle happens here.

I think that The Oracle Code is the best book that I have read thus far in 2020. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The First Husband

The First Husband is McGarvey Black's second novel. It was a fast paced psychological thriller that I was unable to put down. It opens with Trina Holmgren and her best friend Jenn Fairfield arriving in India for a vacation. When they step off a bus in Kashmir they are met with the loud shouts of men trying to rent their boats. When they meet Sam Ayad, who is quiet among this crowd, he offers them his parents' houseboat as a place to rent while they are there. They agree. Sam stays with them all day guarding the boat and provides tours in the Kashmir area. Trina and Sam begin to fall in love with each other and Trina decides not to return to America at the end of her stay. She agrees to remain in Kashmir for another two weeks in order to spend time with Sam. Just before her departure she agrees to marry Sam and gives him her grandmother's silver locket as a promise that she will return to India for him. When Trina returns several months later Sam refuses to return the locket unless she marries him. In order to get it back, she and Sam are married and Trina returns to the U.S., promising him that she will begin the process of getting him entry to America. However, she has no intention of seeing him ever again. Trina returns to her life in New York City and ignores all of Sam's letters. After 18 months of writing to Trina with no response from her, Sam resolves to get revenge. He comes up with a plan that will devastate her and many others.

Wow! This book was fantastic. The suspense began in the first chapter and continued until the last page. The ending was unexpected but brilliant. The characters were compelling and believable, although I felt that Trina was superficial in all of her relationships. She was presented as a sweet woman but deep down I thought she had a cruel side. I don't think that I can find any fault with this book. It was written tight as a psychological thriller should be written and was a satisfying read. I am just blown away with how Sam gets his revenge. Not wanting to be a spoiler, I will leave it at that. The First Husband is a must read!!

5 out of 5 stars.

The Cup

The Cup takes place in Morocco in the 11th century. It is a 112 page novella that is the first historical novel in a four book series, all of them set in Morocco.  Each book focuses on a different woman.

The book begins by introducing the main character, Hela, helping her slave trader father with his sales. This first chapter was uncomfortable reading for two reasons. It was disheartening to see people bought and sold and viewed as chattel.  In addition, Hela's nonchalant attitude toward the slaves was gut-wrenching. Fortunately, this setting ended as the next chapter brought the reader a character learning her healing trade from her mother. The rest of the novel is about Hela plying her trade.

The publisher's summary:

"Hela has powers too strong for a child - both to feel the pain of those around her and to heal them. But when she is given a mysterious cup by a slave woman, its powers overtake her life, forcing her into a vow she cannot hope to keep. Trapped by her vow, Hela loses one chance after another to love and be loved.  Meanwhile, in her household a child is growing into a woman who will become famous throughout the Muslim world."

The Cup was an enjoyable read once the discomfort of the first chapter passed. I have some questions for the author about why the story was written with an initial focus on slavery.  There are the scenes with Hela interacting with her father's slaves.  One of them gives her the cup but no information is given in the story as to why this particular female slave gave Hela her cup. There are no other scenes with this slave.  While I was reading I thought that this slave would be mentioned later in the story.  She wasn't. Neither was Hela's slave-trading father's business. The theme of the story is obviously slavery as Hela later gives up having her own life to staying with and making another woman feel safe. However, there is no connection between the opening and the rest of the plot. With that said, the book was splendid reading.  It's just that as I was reading, I was expecting the people in the first chapter to be somehow connected to the rest of the story.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Land Beyond the Sea

Sharon Kay Penman's latest novel The Land Beyond the Sea was just published last month on March 3, 2020.  It is the story of King Baldwin IV of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and his defense of his kingdom from Saladin's army.  It takes place in the Middle East beginning in 1172 when Baldwin was 10-years-old and concludes in 1187, long after he has died.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem is the land beyond the sea. After the Franks captured Jerusalem from the Saracens in the First Crusade, it became a medley of different cultures that included everything except Muslims.  The young Baldwin is quite intelligent but he becomes afflicted with leprosy at an early age.  Political machinations abound as he has no heir and is expected to die at a young age. However, when Saladin starts a war to recapture the city, Baldwin has to respond in a way that shows him as a strong leader.

I felt that this story had a rough start. It was hard for me to stay interested until page 200 of this 670 page novel. There were many characters to keep track of as well as where they were from.  Many of the place names were foreign to me and it was hard to figure out who was from where. Another problem is that the story opens with 2 characters who aren't featured in the rest of the plot. One is dead and the other is his wife. This caused me to be confused as I expect that when a story begins with a character that the character will be important to the story. Around the 200th page the plot became centered on Baldwin the king.  The story then became more focused and it was easier to read and much more enjoyable.

4 out of 5 stars.

Fever Year

Fever Year is a history of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic told in a graphic novel format.  Don Brown published this book in 2019, the newest addition to his disaster novels. Brown has previously written about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Great American Dust Bowl, and about Syrian refugees.

Fever Year is a short, 51 page, book on the 1918 flu pandemic.  It is written as a straight history book.  There are no characters or plot.  The author tells the reader how the pandemic began,  how it worked its way around the globe and how people reacted to it.  It is eerily similar to our current COVID-19 pandemic. With governments arresting those who violated the quarantine it provides some details concerning what may be next for us today.  This quarantine was a real quarantine.  It was not a stay-at-home order where you could leave your home to buy food and prescriptions. People had to do without. Those who needed medication for pre-existing illnesses died. Masks were required to be worn and there were several health care hucksters pedaling drugs that did not ease the symptoms of the flu.  Sound familiar?

I liked this book.  It gives us a history of an event that we should know about and inside are clues to what can happen again.  Humans being humans, it does not matter how technologically advanced society is. We will act in desperate ways.  5 out of 5 stars.

Almost American Girl

Robin Ha is a new author for me.  Almost American Girl is her second graphic novel, behind Cook Korean: a Comic Book with Recipes.  It tells the story of her emigration to America when she was 14-years-old.

Chuna Ha and her mother have taken many international vacations while they were living in their native Korea.  One day Chuna's mother tells her that they are going to Alabama for a visit with one her mother's friends.  Chuna doesn't think Alabama sounds interesting but packs her bags for the trip. After a month in Huntsville, Alabama Chuna's mother informs her that they are staying there permanently as she is going to marry their host, Kim Minsik.  Chuna is horrified. She hates Alabama and misses her friends in Seoul.  She did not even get the opportunity to say goodbye to them or pack up all of her belongings. While her mother arranges for their belongings to be sent to them in Alabama, Chuna, now Robin, begins her awkward assimilation into American culture.

Almost American Girl is a wonderful coming to America story.  It is told with so much emotion that the reader can "feel her pain" as she learns English while simutaneously attending school and trying to get along with her step family who ignore her most of the time.  It is easy for native born Americans to understand the immigrant experience by reading this story.

I loved the colorful drawings.  Ha used alot of color when she was showing her life in America.  When she looked back on life in Korea the author used sepia tones. You would think that she would have used the sepia for her life in America since she had such a difficult experience adjusting to life here. However, she did adjust and I assume she now enjoys living in America.

This is a must read for graphic novel fans. In addition, I think young adults would benefit from reading this story of a new immigrant. 5 out of 5 stars!

Dragon Hoops

Gene Luen Yang is one of my favorite graphic novelists. His new book Dragon Hoops is a memoir about his 17 years as a teacher at the Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, CA.  The book focuses on his interactions with the school's basketball team during his last year as a teacher.

The author begins with his story as a youth.  Being unathletic he hated sports and focused on academics in school.  After he learns that his first graphic novel will be published, Yang tries to find something interesting to write for his next book.  He decides to have a talk with O'Dowd's coach Lou Richie. The men's varsity basketball team, the Dragons, is headed to the state championships.  Yang decides to follow the team all season, interviewing the athletes, the coach and former coach who had to resign due to a sexual abuse allegation.  This book is the result.

I am not a sports fan but because Yang wrote this book I was excited to buy it.  I knew he would make it interesting and he did.  The book is more than a memoir as Yang gives mini-bios of the athletes on the team as well as the history of the game.  He even has a section on women's basketball. He also delves into the race issue is basketball from all perspectives: middle school, high school and college.  I learned a lot about the game while being entertained with great writing and graphics.  With an impressive 434 color pages,  the artwork was drawn by Yang but colored by Rianne Meyers.

I loved Dragon Hoops and highly recommend it to young adult readers as well as adults.  5 out of 5 stars!