Our Endless Numbered Days - Clair Fuller

My review of Clair Fuller's Endless Numbered Days first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy.

First line: "This morning I found a black-and-white photograph of my father at the back of the bureau drawer."

Claire Fuller's beautifully tragic debut novel is a survivalist's story. Peggy, the book's narrator, is eight years old when her father, James, kidnaps her from their London home and takes her to a crumbling cabin deep in the woods. The Cold War rages and James tells her the rest of the world has been destroyed.

Father and daughter work tirelessly to make the ramshackle hut a home: repairing, hunting, fishing, gardening. Fuller's depiction of the pair's life is far from bucolic, however. James is unpredictable and can leave his young daughter shaken and terrified by his explosive outbursts. Always obsessed with survivalism, James meticulously calculates the store of supplies they will need for the winter, but his estimates fall short and they struggle, barely making it through the treacherously cold and potentially deadly months.

Believing for years that no one else is alive, Peggy is startled when she senses the presence of another person during her daily forest wanderings. Finally encountering this third survivor rocks the foundation of the life she and James have so arduously labored to maintain... to survive.

Our Endless Numbered Days is sure to leave readers gloriously disquieted. The perspective of a young, naïve narrator creates both an uncertainty in her reliability and empathy for her helplessness. The unsettling plot twists infuse the story with rich psychological suspense. Through them, Fuller strikes horror, but she also raises hope. This surprisingly satisfying dichotomy will survive in readers' hearts and minds long after the fate of Peggy and James has been revealed.

Our Endless Numbered Days is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 978-1941040010) from Tin House Books.

     

A Man Called Ove - Fredrick Backman

My review of A Man Called Ove first appeared as a starred review in Shelf Awareness for Readers. It is appearing here today with their permission. It was also my Nerdy Special pick for July. This book is presently at the top of my favorites list for 2014. It is so wonderful, and I've already recommended it to about 100 people. Honestly, this is so worth the read.

First line: "Ove is fifty-nine."

Ove is a man who always views the world in black and white; it’s either right or wrong. So when the three-year-old next door draws a picture of him, her mother explains to Ove, “You’re the funniest thing she knows. That’s why she always draws you in colour.”

In his quirky, heart-warming debut, Fredrik Backman introduces the world to Ove, a Swedish curmudgeon who recently lost his wife, Sonja, to cancer and his job to downsizing. Ove lived for both and feels he no longer has relevance, so he’s resolved to commit suicide.

Fate has other plans. When they turn to Ove for help, an overweight IT geek, a spirited family new to his neighborhood, a gay young man, an old friend and simultaneous arch enemy, even a stray cat interrupt Ove’s meticulous strategy to rejoin his wife in the afterlife.

Backman juxtaposes the seriousness of tragedy with the hilarity of life’s unpredictability in a respectful and endearing recitation of Ove’s experiences. The chapters alternate between the past and the present--as Ove tries repeatedly to leave this world, readers learn the beautiful love story of he and Sonja.

A Man Called Ove is exquisitely written. The lyrical language is the confetti thrown liberally throughout this celebration-of-life story, adding sparkle and color to an already spectacular party. Backman’s characters are so authentic, readers will likely find the equivalents living in their own neighborhoods.

Readers will laugh and cry and see all the color in this astounding debut: part love story, part crusade, all wonderful.

A Man Called Ove is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781476738017) from Atria Books. In addition there is an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781626239842), narrated by George Newbern, available from Dreamscape Audio. An Audible version of the audiobook, narrated by Joan Walker, is also available. (Note: both versions are available on Audible, but the Walker narration was recorded by Audible.)

Because I was so moved by the writing in this book, I just wanted to share a couple of quotes with you, so you can have a feel for why I loved it so much:

"It was the first time since the accident that he heard Sonja laughing. As if it was pouring out of her, without the slightest possibility of stopping it, like she was being wrestled to the ground by her own giggling. She laughed and laughed and laughed until the vowels were rolling across the walls and floors, as if they meant to do away with the laws of time and space. It made Ove feel as if his chest was slowly rising out of the ruins of a collapsed house after an earthquake. It gave his heart space to beat again."

"...but all people at root are time optimists. We always think there's enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like 'if'."

"The Lanky One looks as if he's trying to drum up some courage; he glances at Parvaneh, and looks at Ove with an expression of someone expecting the whole world to start firing rubber bands at him."

I simply can't say enough about this book. It's beautiful, funny and so memorable. It's one I'll definitely make time to re-read. Now go, find a copy and luxuriate in its wonderfulness!        

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt

First line: "While I was still in Amsterdam, I dreamed about my mother for the first time in years."

Theo Decker is thirteen when he and his mother walk into the New York art museum. They are headed to Theo's school because he's been suspended, but the rain detours them into the museum. That's also the very day a domestic terrorist sets off a bomb in the museum.

Theo and his mother are separated when the bomb explodes, and when he regains consciousness Theo finds himself near a dying man. The man gives Theo his ring with directions to save a small painting of a goldfinch and return the ring to his business partner.

Theo escapes the museum, but his mother doesn't. Virtually orphaned, this event sets in motion the storm of Theo's life. From high society New York to loan sharks in Las Vegas, around the world with art thieves, Theo life, love, loss, fear.

As I mentioned at the end of 2013, The Goldfinch was one of my favorite audiobooks of the year. Narrated by David Pittu, the depth of emotion comes through so powerfully that many parts of the novel are physically and emotionally uncomfortable; the listener feels it that intensely. The loneliness and isolation Theo experiences are translated through Pittu's tone and pacing.

The portrayal of Theo's friend Boris, a Ukrainian immigrant, is award-worthy. Not only does Pittu deliver a convincing dialect, but he projects Boris' intelligence and humor. There's no question that Boris is a child, forced to mature and fend for himself because of his life circumstances. The bond that develops between Theo and Boris is unique because of their situations but also typical of teenage boys. Tartt's examination of this relationship is masterful and as stunning as the artwork that lends its name to the title.

Also worthy of mention is Theo's benefactor of sorts, Hobie. His age, place in society, dedication to his craft as well as his devotion and ethics all come through in Pittu's interpretation. From the old gentleman to the Hispanic doormen to the high society women, Pittu presents each with distinct voices that reflect all the facets Tartt has chiseled into their characters.

The novel's plot stretches out years--through Theo's childhood and young adulthood--yet Tartt maintains a level of suspense and mystery throughout. Despite it's length (over 32 hours), this isn't an audio that's easy to turn off and come back to. Pittu intensifies Tartt's well crafted anticipation by not giving away anything in the narration. Plot twists remain carefully cloaked, right up to the action.

The only criticism I would offer, and this is reflective of my penchant for crime novels, is that the last about half hour of the audio (about 10-12 pages) could have easily been left off. I'll leave it at that so as not to inadvertently reveal anything. But feel free to drop me a note and let me know what you think if you read or listen to the book. I highly recommend it. Yes, it's an investment of time, but an investment I have no regrets for making. What an incredible story! This one will stay with me for a long time to come.

Listen to a short excerpt of the audio:

The Goldfinch is available unabridged from Hachette Audio (ISBN: 9781600247118). It's also available in hardcover from Little Brown (ISBN: 978-0316055437).