Something New

I have read all of Lucy Knisley's graphic  memoirs but missed this one. Something New: Tales of a Makeshift Bride is about Knisley's engagement and marriage to her long time boyfriend John.  It is a humorous look into the world of all things bridal, illustrated with colorful comic strips by Knisley herself.  

As an artist Knisley wanted a DIY wedding that reflected her and John's personality. Her mother is a retired caterer who insisted that she not only get married at home but that her mother would build a barn to hold the festivities in. Knisley and her mother had built many things together before and both of them thought the barn would be easy to accomplish.  It wasn't. Nor were all of the decisions that needed to be made on items such as linens, dresses, decor, and music.  Mom basically got her way though.  

Something New is a fabulous graphic memoir and I enjoyed the author's journey to adulthood. Especially recommended for the newly engaged woman. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Queen's Vow

I thought that I had read every book written by C. W. Gortner but I missed this one.  It did not disappoint.  I was engaged from the first page until the last and enjoyed every bit of the story.  

The publisher's summary:  

"Isabella is barely a teenager when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone her half brother, King Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain.  Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her - Fernando, prince of Aragon.  As they unite their two realms under "one crown, one country, one faith," Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished Spain beset by enemies.  With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the Inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus.  But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella's resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny."

I did not know much about Isabella before reading this novel.  In the beginning she seemed to be a sympathetic character but her decisions later in life were guided by something other than what was good for Spain. Perhaps it was the pursuit of power, perhaps she did not know herself.  The author shows that her ultimate decision to allow the Inquisition to go forward was based on her desire to be faithful to her Catholic religion.  In my opinion, she did it to maintain personal power.  This is not exactly a glowing attribute.  Her earlier decisions were based on what was good for Spain. She and Fernando had just succeeded in uniting all of the Spanish realms into one country. With such a fantastic accomplishment one might think that they could settle in for awhile. Allowing the Inquisition was not good for Spain. It ruined an already ruined economy by expelling the money makers who had loaned her the money to fight the wars that united Spain. I can't imagine why she decided to expel them when she owed her success to them. It shows Isabella to be an unscrupulous woman.

The writing was smooth making the book a joy to read. I naturally expect this from C. W. Gortner as every book of his is written in a first person narrative. I think that's what makes the pace of a novel quick.  If there is any criticism of the book it would be that the mention of Christopher Columbus at the end of the story has nothing to do with the part of Isabella's life that Gortner has chosen to tell us. Columbus is a footnote.  Why is he in the book?

5 out of 5 stars.

Drawing the Vote

Tommy Jenkins has written an informative graphic novel with the history of voting and voting rights in the United States.  Voting rights issues have been debated by Congress since the Continental Congress era, even before the passage of our Constitution. Originally, only white male land owners were allowed to vote.  Now we are fighting to keep the rights that were previously granted by earlier generations.  Much of the book is about the Trump era, the suffragette era and the civil rights era in the 1960s.  It shows that not much has changed in the politics over voting through the years from the 1780s to the present. This is a sad judgment on my country. 

The artwork was done by Kati Lacker. She primarily used blue tones in her drawings but there are also red drawings. Is there a red, white and blue theme here? Drawing the Vote is her first graphic novel. 

The book is well suited for younger readers. It gives the history of a topic that is current in our politics in a way that is easy to understand.  Adults would likewise benefit. It offers a reminder of what has gone past and why we are still stuck in very muddy ground. 5 out of 5 stars.

Landmarks of Malaysia Sketchbook

I was so pleased when this book arrived in the mail today as it has 360 pages, 5 times the length of the other watercolor sketchbooks that I have.  Most of the drawings are full page drawings printed on actual watercolor paper that enhances them.  It is unusual for watercolor sketchbooks to have this many full page drawings. In fact, there are many two page spreads too. Artist Chin Kon Yit has a style that is detailed, similar to Fabrice Moireau who I believe is the best watercolor travelogue artist at this time. 

The drawings are divided by area.  The areas are the capitals and Selangor, the northwest peninsula, the south, the east coast, and Sarawak, Sahab and Labaun.  I was surprised that Malaysia has so many areas with exquisite architecture. I thought that Kuala Lumpur was the only modern city but I was wrong. There is so much to see in this country that I could spend a few weeks there. Before I read this book, I thought that there was only a small area in Kuala Lumpur that was modern. Travel companies only give their customer a half day in Malaysia, which is where I got my view of this gorgeous country.  

A paragraph is written to describe each drawing.  I love the font used for these paragraphs.  It is a handwritten font and makes it look like the artist handwrote the descriptions himself.   Lim Take Bane wrote the descriptions as well as the introduction.  I have Kon Yit's Penang and Kuala Lumpur sketchbooks.  They are just as gorgeous as this book is. He has become one of my favorite artists.

5 out of 5 stars.

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf

New York Times writer Grant Snyder  has given us a humorous glimpse at those of us who are addicted to books. The bright colors used in his illustrations further enhance the light feel of the book. I could not stop laughing throughout this graphic novel and had to read it twice consecutively because I didn't want to forget any of his comedic jabs at readaholics. On my third time reading, I took notes to assist me in writing this review. 

Poetry and the writing experience are prominent themes. At times I felt that I was reading a Dr. Seus book as his rhyming words sounded silly.

May your future be dystopian

May your myths be true

May your fairy tales be grisly

May your poems be haiku

May your self-help be helpful

May your heroes be tragic

May your quests be epic

May your realism be magic.

Comic strips on books taking over your home, what to do with  unfinished books, organization of your books, and issues about writing are all included along with information on several genres.  This is a silly book that will make you smile.  I have now read the book 4 times since I purchased it one week ago and highly recommend it.  5 out of 5 stars.

4 Riverside Close

Wow!  This is one freaky story.  4 Riverside Close has a creative plot. Bored wife Caroline Swinton creates a social media dating website called "Join Me" that her neighbors in the cul-de-sac where she lives become involved in.  No one knows that Caroline is behind the website including her husband.  As creator, she is able to see what each member has posted about themselves and who they are meeting. All of these neighbors are married so there is a lot of adultery going on. 

The blurb:

"When residents of a North London cul-de-sac enrol in a seemingly innocent social network, they soon find themselves embroiled in a murky web of sinister manipulation and murder.  From the outside, Caroline and Jason Swinton have an idyllic life.  But when the cracks start to appear the residents of Riverside Close are drawn into a dangerous game. When Jason's body is discovered in a house on the close, everyone becomes a suspect.  Could his lovely wife be responsible for murder?  Or do the neighbors have a motive for wanting him dead?

The only problem that I had with the book is that the murder did not occur until page 220 of this 300 page book.  Usually this would make me bored with the book but the dating among the four couples kept me fully engaged. In fact, I did not expect a murder to happen at all. I thought that the dating/adultery was what the plot was all about and it could have carried the book. Frankly, I am disappointed that one of the characters died. It takes away from the main theme of the book - adultery.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Pilgrim Conspiracy

The Pilgrim Conspiracy is a tantalizing story about the lives of the Mayflower Pilgrims while they were still living in exile in Leiden, Netherlands. What made me excited about this novel is the author's use within the story of historians' methods for reconstructing and interpreting the past.   In addition, the question of what makes historical fiction is part of the plot.  A historical fiction writer's job is to deceive the reader into believing that the false world created in the novel is a real world while also showing a chronological history, culture and people.  The novel is also part epistolary as the plot is slowly revealed by characters reading a newly discovered set of letters written by one of the Leiden Pilgrims.  This newly discovered set of letters are real and they were newly discovered as well.

The publisher's summary of the book: 

"The normally quiet Dutch town of Leiden is horrified when the chairman of the local Masonic lodge is brutally killed.  Almost simultaneously, an old manuscript is discovered in which an anonymous author tells the hidden story of the Pilgrims - the Founding Fathers of the United States.  From 1609 to 1620 they lived in exile in Leiden, after which some of them left for America.

University teacher Peter de Haan is drawn into the mystery.  Why did so many of the Pilgrims stay behind in Leiden?  What involvement do the Freemason's have?  And what relationship did Peter's girlfriend have with the murdered chairman?

At breakneck speed, this story sweeps you away to the narrow alleys of Leiden to the vast waters of Cape Cod to the scorching hot Sinai desert in Egypt.  And every step of the way, you'll discover that history is never the way the books want us to believe."

An engrossing plot is just one of the factors that set this book apart from others.  The characters are interesting and given that there is a an unusually flamboyant villain, I couldn't wait to read the chapters where he appeared.  The story is told alternately between the past, written in letter format, and the present, written as fiction.  

While the book is not a treasure hunt, fans of Dan Brown will love this book.  In fact, Robert Langdon would have been helpful to the characters who are trying to figure out what a particular symbol means.  Also, fans of religious fiction will likewise love the book.  The religious controversies of the era are discussed in detail.  In addition, the current political atmosphere in the U. S. to question our past by offering alternative facts can be seen to be something that has been on-going in our history.  I was rather uncomfortable with some of these alternatives while believing others.  I must admit, however, that changing history to suit the author's beliefs annoyed me.  

5 out of 5 stars.