Category: 2012

The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman

Post author By Jackie
Post date May 28, 2012
19 Comments on The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman

Five words from the blurb: history, Holocaust, relationship, civil-rights, New York

The Street Sweeper is my favourite book of the year so far. It contains everything I love to see in a book: fantastic characters, new information, thought-provoking questions, lots of emotion, and a satisfying plot.

The book begins with Lamont Williams leaving prison after serving a sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. He finds work as a hospital cleaner in New York and befriends an old man on the cancer ward. Lamont discovers this man is a Holocaust survivor and through numerous conversations he learns about what he went through all those years ago.

Inter-weaved with this story is that of Adam Zignelli, a history professor, who is looking for a new field of research. He decides to find out whether or not black Americans soldiers were present during the liberation of Dachau. This leads to some interesting comparisons between the black Americans seeking racial equality and the Jews persecuted in Europe.

The Street Sweeper covers many different subjects, but the overriding theme is that of history and how easily it can be forgotten.

‘History can provide comfort in difficult or even turbulent and traumatic times. It shows us what our species has been through before and that we survived it. It can help to know we’ve made it through more than one dark age. And history is vitally important because perhaps as much as, if not more than biology, the past owns us and however much we think we can, we cannot escape it. If you only knew how close you are to people who seem so far from you…it would astonish you.’

It also makes important points about how we remember the biggest events, but smaller ones are no less important, especially to those personally involved.

This book isn’t perfect. I occasionally felt that these messages lacked subtlety and key points were repeated too often, but I’m willing to forgive these as the rest of the book was so impressive.

I should warn readers that some of the Holocaust scenes were very disturbing, but I think it is important to fully understand what happened. Despite having read a number of books on the Holocaust, The Street Sweeper, looks at things from a slightly different angle (that of the Sonderkommando) and I found that most of the information was new to me.

At 550 pages long this book isn’t a quick read, but I never became bored – I was captivated from beginning to end. I was concerned about how all the different threads of the story would tie up at the end, but I shouldn’t have worried – the ending was perfect.

This book flies straight onto my list of all-time favourites. The world would be a better place if everyone read this book and understood its important message.

Highly recommended.

The thoughts of other bloggers:

I have learnt so much from this novel, and I already know I’ll never forget it. Book Monkey

This is a book which requires, almost demands, rereading, both for an understanding of its dense subject matter and to fully understand the intricate plotting of a novel which is almost Victorian in scope. Tony’s Reading List

Elliot Perlman’s latest novel had me so absorbed, I just didn’t want to stop reading. ANZ Litlovers Litblog

2012 Other

Three Mini Reviews

Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron

This book first came to my attention when it won the 2010 Bellweather Prize for addressing issues of social injustice. The book is set in Rwanda and follows the lives of one family as tension in the country builds in the run up to the genocide of 1994.

The book was very easy to read. The story flowed quickly, but I failed to engage with it. I can’t quite put my finger on what was wrong, but several factors combined to produce an unconvincing read.

The book was packed with African details, but they didn’t gel to form an African atmosphere.
The characters acted in a Western manner and I became increasingly annoyed by the light treatment of the violence.
I felt as though everything had been toned down for a younger audience instead of revealing the true horrors of the genocide.

I abandoned the book after 100 pages, but skim read to the end. This book is a good way to introduce Rwandan history to a younger audience, but it was too gentle for me.

DNF

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

This book has been receiving rave reviews and has recently been shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott prize, but I’m afraid it didn’t live up to the hype for me. It is a simple story about one man who decides to walk across England to visit an old friend who is dying from cancer.

It was engaging and I zipped through it in a couple of sittings, but I found it overly sentimental. I’m not a fan of charming books and this oozed charm. I know that lots of people will love the readability and the many emotional topics raised along the way, but I found it all a bit contrived.

Recommended to anyone looking for a light, charming read.

Translated from the German by Katharina Bielenberg and Jamie Bulloch

Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer

I love the German sense of humor and picked this one up in the hope of some light relief from the darker books I’ve been reading recently. It did provide me with a few laughs, but overall this was just an averagely entertaining read.

The entire book is written as a series of emails between two people who have never met, but form a relationship online. It was fast paced and engaged me throughout, but lacked that magical spark I was looking for.

If you enjoy modern romance novels then this will provide you with a few enjoyable hours, but I recommend you try Bad Karma first.

Have you read any of these books?

Did you enjoy them more than I did?

2012

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Post author By Jackie
Post date May 19, 2012
1 Comment on The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Five words from the blurb: castaways, patience, survival, dilemmas, humanity

In 1914 an ocean liner sinks and it quickly becomes obvious that there aren’t enough lifeboats for everyone. The passengers must battle for survival, pushing all thoughts of others aside in order to have a chance of living. Those lucky enough to gain a place on the lifeboat must then wait patiently to be rescued, enduring numerous problems as the days turn into weeks.

The first few chapters of this book were fantastic. The adrenaline fueled escape from the sinking ship made compelling reading and I loved the vivid descriptions of the open ocean. Unfortunately everything went downhill after that and as the plot became quieter I began to lose interest. It could have been a emotionally tense situation in which everyone worried about the future, but instead no-one really seemed to care if they lived or died. Most of the people on the lifeboat had lost friends and family and yet none of them seemed overly grief-stricken. It was all weirdly void of emotion and apart from the occasional prayer there was an overriding feeling of indifference to every event that took place.

Soon after I had returned to my seat, Mr Hardie opened one of the tins and introduced us to hardtack, which were rock-hard wafers approximately two inches square that could not be swallowed unless first softened with saliva or water. I held the biscuit between my lips until pieces of it began to dissolve and looked off into the not-quite-dark sky at the myriad stars that pricked the heavens, at the endlessness of the atmosphere that was the only thing vaster than the sea, and sent a prayer to whatever force of nature had arranged events thus far and asked it to preserve my Henry.

With the exception of the self-appointed lifeboat captain the rest of the characters all seemed to blur into one another. I can see that from a survival point of view it was probably helpful for the narrator, Grace, to distance herself from the competition, but it would have helped if a few of them had been brought to life. I’d heard lots about the moral dilemmas present in this book, but I’m afraid I was a little disappointed by these. Everything was a little too black/white and I didn’t have to challenge any of my preconceptions – each decision seemed obvious to me, despite the harsh outcome.

The writing was simple and flowed well, creating a light read that I whizzed through in a couple of sittings. It was compelling enough for me to keep reading and I wanted to know what happened to them, but when I reached the end I was disappointed. It was all a bit of an anti-climax.

Overall this was a fast, engaging read, but I was left craving a real survival story. This book has endorsements from both Hilary Mantel and Emma Donoghue, but it is dividing opinion. I think this makes it the perfect book club read – whether you love it or not you’ll find a lot to talk about.

Recommended to anyone who a enjoys lighter read, without dark emotions.

The thoughts of other bloggers:

It’s one of the best books I’ve read so far this year! Rea’s Reading and Reviews

One of my biggest reading disappointments of the year. Clear Eyes, Full Shelves

This is a fascinating study in human behavior under the most challenging circumstances… Rhapsody in Books

2012

Heft by Liz Moore

Five words from the blurb: quirky, pair, unexpected, help, family

Heft is the heartwarming story of Arthur, a morbidly obese man who has been confined to his own home for the last ten years. Trapped in this lonely world he is surprised to receive a phone call from a former student who knows nothing of the way he now lives. The joy of remembering their relationship compels Arthur to think about what is important in his life and this starts a chain of events that are both moving and entertaining.

I immediately fell in love with Arthur’s character. Our society often labels overweight people as being a bit stupid and so it was refreshing to learn that Arthur was a former academic, with an intelligent outlook on life and a wonderful personality. I loved the way the simple writing enabled me get inside his head and really understand his motivations.

For years I have made very little effort to reduce the amount that I eat for I have no cause to. Despite this I am neither immobile nor bedridden but I do feel winded when I walk more than six or seven steps, & I do feel very shy and sort of encased in something as if I were a cello or an expensive gun.

The book was easy to read and I was hooked from the beginning, keen to know how Arthur’s life would develop. Other characters were introduced along the way and every single one of them felt realistic and well drawn.

The premise was quite simple and there were a few points when I worried the book would become overly sentimental, but I don’t think it ever crossed that line. The author cleverly avoided all stereotypes and frequently managed to surprise the reader. The ending was especially satisfying.

This book isn’t deep or literary, but it is a very entertaining story. I’ll be pushing Heft into the hands of many people, especially non-readers. This is the kind of book that ignites a passion for reading and makes the perfect light holiday read.

Recommended.

The thoughts of other bloggers:

…one of my favorite kinds of novels, complete with dysfunctional, but well developed characters that I was cheering on all the way. Bibliophile by the Sea

I adored Heft – it’s a quietly moving novel that digs deep… She Is Too Fond of Books

I loved the characters even when they frustrated me. 5 Minutes for Books

2012 Recommended books

The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Simon Mawer

Post author By Jackie
Post date May 3, 2012
2 Comments on The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Simon Mawer

Note: This book is released as Trapeze in the US

Five words from the blurb: recruited, undercover, France, training, war

In WWII specially trained women were dropped into France, performing secret operations in difficult, often dangerous conditions. The Girl Who Fell From The Sky is based on their work, focusing on Marian Sutro, a young bilingual woman who is selected to undergo specialist training. The book details her preparations in England and the dangerous reality of living undercover in France.

I was aware that women worked undercover in France, but I knew nothing of their rigorous training. The tiny details brought this period of history to life and I loved learning the secrets that these women had to master in order to stay alive.

He delivered a first-aid course in reverse – how to cut the brachial artery with a knife slash to the forearm, how to dislocate the knee with a single stab of the foot, how to snap a man’s spine by dropping him across your knee, how to inflict the maximum damage in the minimum time. You could render a man helpless with a handclap to both ears, knock him unconscious with a matchbox, kill him with an umbrella.

The book was simple to read, but engaging throughout. I think it will have broad appeal because it can be enjoyed on many levels. I’m sure that a re-read would reveal many hidden messages, but the pace and intrigue of the plot will ensure it appeals to a wider audience.

Marian’s character was perfectly drawn. She was a complex, flawed individual, but I cared deeply for her. Her relationships were realistic and her bonds with other people brought up complex dilemmas about love and trust.

The plot wasn’t complex or gimmicky – it was good old fashioned storytelling at its best. It could be described as a coming-of-age story, historical fiction, or a romance, but I don’t think it is possible to pigeon hole this book. It is simply the story of an ordinary woman placed in an extraordinary position. It shows how resilient human beings are and encourages the reader to question how they`d react in similar situations.

My only criticism was the inclusion of a few cringe-worthy sex scenes. I expect to see this book included in longlist for this year’s Bad Sex in Literature Award, but as these passages were very small I’m willing to forgive it.

The Glass Room was one of my favourite reads in 2009, but although The Girl Who Fell From The Sky is far simpler in terms of structure, I think it is the slightly better book. It is easy to underestimate the skill it takes to write something so simple, yet so powerful.

This book sheds light on a small, but important, area of history and its themes will have lasting appeal.

It is my favourite book of the year so far. Highly recommended.

2012 Other

Two Gripping Reads

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

Five words from the blurb: autistic, violence, tragic, religion, family

A Land More Kind Than Home is set in North Carolina and follows the family of Christopher, an autistic boy who is murdered during a church service. The book is based on real events and reveals the shocking way in which some people use religion to justify their horrific actions.

“Then you should know Matthew 9:33.” he said. “If you know your Bible, then you should know it says that ‘when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke.’ And I reckon you should probably know Matthew 17 too, about the man who brought his son to Jesus because he was sick with a disease brought on by a demon and the disciples didn’t have the faith enough to heal him.”
“I know both of them stories,” I said. “I’ve read them both many, many times.”
“They ain’t no stories,” he said. “You can believe me when I tell you that.” This book was captivating throughout.

The pace was perfect and it was packed with atmosphere, allowing the reader to become immersed in southern American life.

The characters were well drawn and I felt a deep empathy for the entire family. My only criticism is that the book focused on the grieving family. Their reaction to the murder of Christopher was sensitively portrayed and moving, but I longed to hear from the other members of the congregation. I wanted to know how they felt about the murder of a child and why they allowed it to happen in front of their eyes. Hearing things from the point-of-view of the murderer would also have added another dimension to the story.

The story was engaging, but its simplicity meant that I ended the book feeling a little disappointed. I’m afraid I like my books to be a little more complex.

Signs of Life by Anna Raverat

Five words from the blurb: affair, memory, incomplete, control, truth

Signs of Life is narrated by Rachel. Ten years ago she had an affair that went terribly wrong. The book reveals what happened all those years ago in a narrative so gripping it was impossible to put down.

The plot was fast paced, with hints as to what happened sprinkled through the text. The narrative jumped forwards and backwards in time, but the story was easy to follow and although it was sometimes deliberately misleading, I was never confused as to what was happening.

The writing was simple and direct, but there were a few deeper thoughts to keep literary fiction fans happy.

“I don’t know where the line is between passion and obsession but I think obsession is passion that gets stuck.
Perhaps boundaries are like horizons; not fixed, they move as you move, like the end of the rainbow. It’s like trying to see when water turns to steam – you can never find that precise moment.

Unfortunately everything went downhill at the end. The build-up was fantastic, but the final few pages left me asking “Is that it?” I was expecting something something much more complex/clever.

If you loved Before I Go to Sleep then I suspect you’ll enjoy this, but I’m afraid I was a little disappointed.