What is true? What is not? The protagonist, Simone, arrives in Istanbul with her friend, Agnes. The city, partly European and partly Asian, hints at the dichotomies in Simone’s life and the fusion and confusion she encounters.
Category: Book Reviews
Book Reviews
A review of Write Like a Man by Ronnie A. Grinberg
Still, despite occasional over-interpretation, this is a valuable, well-researched and highly readable account of an important chapter of American intellectual life. These individuals lived fascinating lives and had far-reaching impact on American culture.
A review of The Universe of Lost Messages by Janet Stilton
The plot follows a conspiracy by an organisation called the Fist seeking to harness their charm for nefarious ends. The mad storyline twists and turns so much that Stilson feels the need to explicate every detail.
A review of The Inventive Life of George H. McFadden by Richard Carreño
The story bounces along, as McFadden does, through Europe on his archeological quests, with the odd Italian, French or latin phrase thrown in here and there. He writes with a sense of humour as well.
A review of Spellbook of Ordinary Mistakes by Jane LeCroy
That is to say, we may get a glimpse of the Jane LeCroy who grew up in Nyack, New York, in the shadow of the Tappan Zee Bridge looming in the distance, but the real Jane LeCroy is as elusive as the butterfly we think we’ve captured when we pin it to a board.
A Review of House of Gucci by Sara Forden
A review of Long Island by Colm Tóibín
Tóibín excels at novels from a woman’s point of view. Here he gives a sympathetic portrait of two women shaken by events and hoping for a second chance. The main male characters, Tony and Jim, lack the determination and character of Eilis and Nancy. Unthinking, they grab onto the first thing that comes along.
A review of Tiger Cage by Max Brooks
Brooks is still the master of creating a convincing if fantastical world through the eyes of a minor participant. In broad strokes, he paints a compelling picture of a war-torn Los Angeles, particularly Hollywood, an area he has extensive knowledge of as the child of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft.
Where the Time Goes, a review of Knowing by Mark Cox
Perhaps all of the aforementioned influenced the distinct voice in Knowing, a voice that probes and wonders, laments and celebrates. Three central ideas are: The past is good, the present is better; fate coexists with human will; and time is unstoppable, art stops time.
Queer Bodies and Youthful Exuberance in Rainbow Rainbow by Lydia Conklin
Through sparse prose, a keen eye for detail, and sharp social critique, the stories in Rainbow Rainbow create a sense of fluidity both in scope and philosophy grounded only by the limitations of the body and the identities we associate with it.