Nonfiction Review: The Sun Does Shine

I heard Nikki of the Red Dot Reads channel on YouTube rave about the memoir The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, and Justice by Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardin. When I was planning for Nonfiction November, I discovered I had already downloaded the audio. Given Nikki's recommendation, I made sure to get to this audio book last month. And she was right! Wow, what a stunning, inspiring true story.

Anthony Ray Hinton, known as Ray, had gotten into a little trouble as a teen, but he was determined to get his life together and be a good man. By his twenties, in 1985, he was working steadily for a temp agency and living with his beloved mother, helping her take care of the house and yard. He was out mowing the grass one day when a police car drove up. In front of his mother, the police handcuffed him, arrested him, and drove him to the police station. He kept asking why they were arresting him, and finally, in the car, the detective told him they were arresting him for armed robbery and murder. Ray told them he was innocent and that he would never hurt anyone. He assumed this case of mistaken identity would be straightened out. But Ray was detained in prison, given a public defender, and convicted of two counts of capital murder. It didn't matter that security records showed he was at work at the time of the crime or that the bullets from his mother's gun, found in her house and not fired for decades, didn't match those from the murders. The judge sentenced Ray to death. Ray spent almost thirty years living on death row in a solitary cell, as one court after another upheld his verdict, and 54 of his fellow inmates were put to death. With the help of an incredible lawyer named Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, the U.S. Supreme Court finally overturned Ray's conviction, and he walked out of the prison in 2015.

That's a brief outline of the bare facts of Ray's unbelievable case, but there is so much more to this moving memoir. Hearing the story first-person--and particularly on audio (though read by a professional narrator)--was absolutely compelling and so powerful. If you read about Ray's case in a crime novel or saw it on a TV series, you'd say, "That's not realistic; that could never happen," but the stunning series of problems, issues, blatant racism, and outright lies that led to Ray's conviction really did happen. I've read other nonfiction books about wrongful convictions, but this one is special. It's not just about Ray and his case but about what it's like to live on death row. Ray befriends the other inmates (even though they are each isolated in solitary cells) and reaches out to them with compassion. He found purpose in connecting with others while on death row for a crime he didn't commit. It's heartbreaking and poignant but also very inspiring. This powerful memoir should be required reading for every U.S. citizen. I'm so glad I read it.

(I see there is also a version for Young Readers, so this book should be in every classroom, too!)

368 pages, St. Martin's Griffin

Macmillan Audio

To hear directly from Ray, listen to this powerful interview with Kate Bowler, from her Everything Happens podcast (one of my favorites for inspiration). He not only talks about his remarkable story but also his commitment to forgiveness.

Kate also recently interviewed Bryan Stevenson, the lawyer who finally got Ray released and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative.

This book fits in the following 2022 Reading Challenges:

 

Nonfiction Reader Challenge (category - linked to a podcast)

Diversity Reading Challenge

Literary Escapes Challenge - Alabama

Fall Into Reading Challenge - nonfiction

 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, from the foreward by Bryan Stevenson, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

  

    

 

Or you can order The Sun Does Shine from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: Sycamore Row

It's been many years since I last read a John Grisham novel. In fact, searching my blog, I didn't find a single review of a Grisham novel ... and I started the blog in 2006! So, I was glad to finally read one again because I know I enjoyed them years ago. I finally tackled Sycamore Row by John Grisham, which has been on my shelf for years, for Big Book Summer 2022, and I'm so glad I did. Just as I remember of Grisham's novels, it was a thought-provoking, gripping page-turner.

Lawyer Jake Brigance of the small town of Clanton, Mississippi, is at the center of this novel. Jake was the main character of John Grisham's very first novel, A Time to Kill, which I read back in the early 90's! In that story, Jake defends a Black man who takes vengeance after two white men attack his young daughter. Jake's actions shatter the norms in this still deeply-segregated Southern town. In this novel, several years later, in 1988, race is again front-and-center in a high-profile case for Jake. This time, a wealthy white man named Seth Hubbard, who is dying of cancer, commits suicide. He carefully planned everything out ahead of time, including a last-minute handwritten will that he mailed to Jake the day before he died. In this will and a cover letter to Jake, Seth (who's never met Jake) clearly states that this will supersedes the one created by a big law firm in Tupelo a year ago. This new will completely cuts out Seth's two ex-wives and his estranged adult children and grandchildren. Instead, Seth leaves 90% of his sizable estate to his Black maid, Lettie. When the news gets out, this causes an uproar in town, of course. Jake takes his role to defend the new will very seriously, and the town sees its biggest courtroom drama since Jake's last big case. With so much money at stake, big-city lawyers from Memphis and Tupelo try to disrupt things, as Jake and a few local helpers struggle to win the case. The big question on everyone's minds is ... why would Seth do such a thing?

I had forgotten what a good writer Grisham is and how wonderful he is at creating tension in a story. This one begins with Seth's suicide, and I was completely hooked right from those first pages. The case here is a complicated one, as the prosecutors try to prove that Seth didn't know what he was doing and was unduly influenced by Lettie. For her part, Lettie is stunned at the news of the will and is not happy with all the attention on her, as the whole town judges her , and "family" she's never met come out of the woodwork to claim a piece of her new-found fortune. What I think was meant to be the big reveal at the end--why Seth did what he did--I thought was pretty obvious from early foreshadowing. However, the book was still very compelling and gripping, especially once the trial begins. Grisham writes amazing courtroom drama scenes, and this novel is no exception. And there were still many plot twists along the way that took me by surprise. It was a fast-paced, enjoyable, and suspenseful read. I'm so glad I finally got to it, and I won't let so much time go by again before reading another Grisham. I see he has a newer novel out, A Time for Mercy, that also features Jake Brigance, so I'm adding that one to my list!

447 pages, Doubleday

Random House Audio

This book fits in the following 2022 Reading Challenges:

 

Mount TBR Challenge (I should get double credit for this one!)

Diversity Challenge

Big Book Summer

RIP Challenge

 

 

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, read. by Michael Beck, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

    

 

Or you can order Sycamore Row from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Nonfiction Review: Bottle of Lies

Forget Stephen King. In Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom, author and investigative journalist Katherine Eban writes about real-life horror scarier than any of King's novels! As sometimes happens, my book group chose this book that I wasn't interested in reading, and as almost always happens, I ended up being glad I'd read it! This engrossing, terrifying nonfiction book opens the door to the generic drug industry's dirty secrets.

Eban begins by taking an up-close look at one of the worst actors in the generic drug industry, Ranbaxy, an Indian company that is, thankfully, no longer in business. She details how the family-run company started and zeroes in on the personal and professional lives of some of the key players. This company was crooked in horrifying, shocking ways, from the top down. Top management willfully and knowingly manufactured medicines with no quality control, completely making up the data to get their drugs approved by the FDA and providing fraudulent data during their rare FDA inspections. One reason she spends so much time focusing on Ranbaxy is because what they did is not unusual in the generic drug industry. Many other companies, especially in India and China, commit similar frauds--making up their data to get approved, hiding test data that shows contaminants or lesser effectiveness, getting their active ingredients from shady companies not in their official records, and more--and they continue to do so. One of the main characters in the book is Dinesh Thakur, an Indian scientist who became an American citizen and worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb in New Jersey, where he witnessed what highly-regulated, conscientious pharmaceutical research and manufacturing looks like. A friend of his, also from India, convinced him to transfer to Ranbaxy, where he and his new wife could be near their families in India and be part of the up-and-coming Indian pharmaceutical industry. Thakur was a good man with a strong moral character, and he could not be a part of what he eventually realized was going on at Ranbaxy. So, he became a whistleblower, which in India often gets you killed, and finally found someone at the FDA who would listen to him. Stunningly, despite all the hard evidence Thakur provided, it took the FDA ten years to finally make Ranbaxy pay--and even then, it was far less consequences than they deserved. From there, the author moves onto other examples and other companies, as well as American doctors and patients discovering their generic drugs didn't work as well as the brand name drugs, though again, no one would listen to them at first. She delves into the inner workings of the FDA and why politics often guides their decisions on approving drugs. Unfortunately, the book does not end on a hopeful note--many of the issues described are still going on.

This book was so disturbing and shocking to me. First, I rely on about 15 different generic medications to help manage my chronic illness. When I finished this book, my husband and I both raced to our laptops to try to figure out where our meds are manufactured (not an easy thing to find out) and whether any of the sketchier companies in the book were involved. Also, I used to do audits similar to those that the FDA inspectors do, though not in the pharmaceutical business. I worked in Quality Management Systems (QMS), and the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices (which many of these companies are making a joke of) are a type of QMS. The thought of a company I was auditing just completely making up their data and records is unthinkable. It is certainly a fascinating book, but in a "can't look away from the car crash" kind of way. I kept interrupting my husband's reading to tell him horrifying facts. As much as the information terrified me, I had no trouble at all reading the whole book (and fairly quickly). The book is very well-written. because the author focuses on the people involved and tells an immersive, engrossing story that sometimes reads like a legal thriller. Unfortunately, this is a thriller where most of the bad guys got away with their crimes. I will never look at a bottle of generic medication the same again. 

461 pages (though the text ends on page 410; the rest is reference material), Ecco

Reading Challenges:

B in the Alphabet Soup Challenge

Nonfiction Reader Challenge (2 in January - a record for me!) - fit into the category of popular science

Diversity Challenge

India in the Travel the World in Books Challenge

Maryland for the Literary Escapes Challenge

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, narrated by the author, and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

   

 

Or you can order Bottle of Lies from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: Miracle Creek

Ever since its release this spring, I've been hearing rave reviews of and "you must read this!" about the novel Miracle Creek by Angie Kim. Combining family and community drama, insights into living with chronic medical conditions, mystery, and an edge-of-your-seat courtroom thriller, this unique and beautifully written novel surpassed my high expectations and was excellent on audio.

Korean immigrants Young and Pak Yoo live in a small Virginia town and run an unusual family business: a hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) chamber called Miracle Submarine. Though they share a small shack with their teen daughter, Mary, they want a better life for her and are working hard so that she can go to college. Patients with a wide variety of ailments come to Miracle Submarine for HBOT. Many of the patients are children, including several with autism and a teen girl with cerebral palsy, accompanied by their parents, though Matthew, a grown man getting HBOT for infertility, is also a patient. A small group do "double dives," coming to the Yoo's barn for twice-daily treatments, every morning and evening, and have therefore gotten to know each other well, as they sit together in the confined space every day. The novel opens in a local courtroom, one year after a horrible explosion of the Miracle Submarine killed and injured several people. Elizabeth, one of the mothers of a son with autism who died in the explosion, is on trial for starting the fire that caused the tragedy. The Yoo family and all the other double-dive patients are present in the courtroom, waiting to see what happens and what evidence will be presented. Did Elizabeth really do this horrible thing? Was it possibly another patient, a protestor of the treatments, or even one of the Yoo family who started the fire? Could it have been an accident or was this arson? The questions pile up as the trial begins.

This novel jumps right into the action immediately, with the trial beginning on page 1. The author was a trail lawyer herself, and it shows, as each day's witnesses and evidence slowly come together into a cohesive story. As with any good mystery, the reader is pulled right along, with almost every character taking their turn as the possible perpetrator of this horrific crime. As I listened to the audio book, which brought the drama to life, I guessed at and discarded one culprit after another. Narration of each chapter moves from one character to the next so that the reader gains insight into each of them and bit by bit, learns more details from that deadly day and the time leading up to it. They each carry secrets, and there are plenty of surprises in store, for the observers and lawyers at the trial, as well as for the readers. This unique novel has far more depth than a typical mystery/suspense story, though. It also digs deep into the challenges of immigrants trying to assimilate and the lives of disabled children and the parents (especially the mothers) who care for them, providing a glimpse into a secret world that most people don't even know exists. Since our family (myself and, at various times, both of my sons) has lived with chronic illnesses for almost two decades now, I immediately recognized and could relate to the experiences of these exhausted, overworked moms. I could tell that Kim herself must have had experience with chronic conditions in her own children, and sure enough, she discusses this in the interview with her editor at the end of the audio book. Miracle Creek is a stunning and suspenseful mystery, wrapped around a world most people never see, that will keep you guessing until its last pages.

368 pages, Sarah Crichton Books
Macmillan Audio

Listen to a sample of the audio book, with Young narrating in the first chapter, thinking back to the day of the explosion. You'll be hooked! You can also use this link to download the audio from Audible.

You can purchase Miracle Creek from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

Or you can order Miracle Creek from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Nonfiction Review: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

I finally found time to read the narrative nonfiction modern classic Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, after more than 20 years of sitting on my shelf! It was published in 1994, and my mom lent me her hardcover edition soon after that. Do you think she still wants me to return it? It was worth the wait, a highly entertaining true crime story that focuses on the unique culture and quirky citizens of Savannah, Georgia.

The author explains how he came to live part-time in Savannah for eight years. As a magazine reporter in the 1980's, he decided to take advantage of newly discounted airfares to travel to different places on weekends, and he discovered Savannah during a trip to Charleston. He was so beguiled by the unique place and its people that he rented an apartment there and began to split his time between New York and Savannah. Before long, he felt at home there and so, when a murder took place in his adopted city, he became a part of the story. Interestingly, the murder and the multiple court cases that followed don't take place until halfway through the book. Part 1 is all about the the city and the people of Savannah, setting the stage for the murder mystery/courtroom drama to come. This is more than enough to keep the reader's attention, as Savannah is a character unto itself and seems to be populated by colorful and quirky people. From the antiques dealer/house restorer who lives a wealthy lifestyle and throws lavish parties but is squatting in his current residence and always fighting off bill collectors to the outrageous drag queen named Lady Chablis who randomly chooses the author to chauffeur her around town to the mysterious man who everyone says has a jar of poison at home that could kill the entire city if he ever decides to put it into the water supply, the author meets each one and becomes a part of the crazy-quilt fabric of Savannah. Part 2 is more of a straightforward reporting of the murder and its aftermath, including the three different court cases to try the accused murderer.

This book is pure fun. I know that's a strange thing to say about a story that centers on murder, but this cast of characters is just so outrageous that that they would seem over-the-top in a novel. Similarly, the actual murder and especially the court cases are "this could only happen here" events, like something out of a cheesy movie. But it's true! Berendt has written a very amusing and engaging story, with plenty of wit. When I laughed out loud the hardest, my husband said, "Ah, you must have gotten to the chapter about Chablis!" Truth really is stranger than fiction, and Berendt captures that strangeness perfectly here.

388 pages, Random House
Vintage Paperbacks

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audio book here.

Purchase a copy of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil at an indie bookstore, either locally or online, here:


Or order Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: Small Great Things

My son gave me Small Great Things, Jodi Picoult's latest novel, for my birthday this summer, and I just finished reading it. Like all of Picoult's novels, it delves deep into an important but difficult topic - in this case, racism - with realistic characters and a gripping plot. It's a courtroom drama with an eye-opening message.

Ruth Jefferson, an African-American woman, got her nursing degree at Yale and has worked for 20 years as a Labor and Delivery nurse at Mercy-West Haven Hospital. Her husband died during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, so Ruth has mostly raised their son, Edison, on her own. Edison is an honor student who is starting to look at colleges. Ruth loves her job, and is very good at it, a compassionate and caring nurse with both mothers and newborns. Then, she encounters a kind of blatant racism she's never experienced before, when Turk and Brittany, a couple who are white supremacists, ask that Ruth be removed from their service. She's been explicitly told not to touch their baby, so when she is alone in the nursery when he goes into cardiac arrest, she must make a quick decision: does she obey her training to perform CPR and go against her supervisor's direct orders? Ultimately, this split-second decision results in a court trial and media circus. Kennedy, a white woman who works as a public defender, takes on Ruth's case, and the two women must slowly learn to trust each other.

As always, Picoult has a talent here for delving into the gray areas of an issue that seems (literally, here) black and white. We all know that overt racism of the kind practiced by Turk and Brit is a horrible thing, but what about the subtle kinds of racism - often coming from those who believe they are not racist - that Black people encounter every single day in thousands of different ways? As she did in Nineteen Minutes (about a school shooting), Picoult takes us behind the scenes on all sides of the issue, so there are chapters written from the perspectives of Ruth, Kennedy, and even Turk. Turk's chapters are absolutely chilling to read because he believes in and does such terrible things, but I suppose that's the point, isn't it? Ruth's perspective is complicated, with feelings mixed in from her own upbringing, where her mother worked as a domestic for a wealthy white family and Ruth was friends with their daughter and attended a private school where she was one of the only Black students. Kennedy's insights are equally stunning, as she slowly becomes aware of the subtle ways that she has benefited from white privilege without even seeing it. Small Great Things is a complex and suspenseful courtroom drama that keeps you guessing until the very end...and thinking for long after you finish the book.

464 pages, Ballantine Books

P.S. I was surprised this morning to turn on the TV and see a reformed white supremacist on the Megyn Kelly portion of the Today show, talking about how the movement went underground in order to become more powerful, with former skinheads trying to fit in and look more normal while still pushing their heinous agenda, and sharing the details of his former life. It was like seeing the fictional Turk suddenly turn up on a real-life talk show! That just proves what a thorough job Picoult does with her research. Click the link for a disturbing and educational interview.

Disclosure: I received this book as a gift. My review is my own opinion.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Order from your favorite indie bookstore:



Or order Small Great Things from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: Exposed

Recently, I reviewed Exposed by Lisa Scottoline for Shelf Awareness. This is the 5th book in her Rosato & DiNunzio series of legal thrillers. I think I had only read one other Scottoline novel before - Everywhere That Mary Went, her very first novel. I did post about her here in the blog before, though, when she wrote a hilarious column for the Phildelphia Inquirer, about her experiences on book tours.

I enjoyed reading Exposed, a suspenseful legal thriller. I found the first half of the novel a bit slow (perhaps because I was unfamiliar with the characters), but it picked up by the middle and was very fast-paced from then on, with lots of unexpected twists and turns and plenty of surprises. You could definitely jump right into this 5th book in the series without reading the first four - that's what I did, and I enjoyed it.

You can read my full review here on Shelf Awareness.

Have you read any Lisa Scottoline books? Are you a fan?

This novel fit in perfectly with my fall R.I.P. Reading Challenge!

Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal Dies at 51

I was stunned this morning to hear the horrible news that Amy Krouse Rosenthal died of cancer a few days ago. Born in the same year as me, a writer with kids who grew up in the suburbs of the 70's, I felt a connection to her. As she put it, "we shared a moment (in the form of an e-mail exchange)" back in 2010, after I reviewed her book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (which I loved). In fact, she just e-mailed me again in October to tell me about her new book, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I had no idea she was battling cancer then and was crushed to hear today that she lost that battle. She was a smart, funny, clever, playful, and kind person - and all of that came across in her writing.



You can read my review of Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (and then go read the book!). Sadly, I never received the review copy of Textbook Amy Krouse so I haven't read it yet, but I would like to.

I also posted this trio of fun and amusing videos that Amy made, in part to promote Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - they are short and well worth watching - clever and funny, just like Amy.

Amy's website tells you a lot about her life and her books - and again showcases that wonderful sense of humor. The website includes dozens of short videos that Amy made. One of them, Thought Bubble Kindness, was the Winner of Best Animation at the Peace On Earth Film Festival 2011. You can watch that one right here:



Amy has also given three TED talks (three! I had no idea). In this one, she explains how she launched her project Beckoning Lovely -  a warm and inspiring concept and project:





Hopefully, that last video will inspire YOU to live your life as Amy did - with warmth, kindness, and creativity. Look for the lovely in your own life and share it with others.

The best way to honor Amy's memory is to enjoy the wonderful books she's written (many books for children, in addition to these 2 for adults). She was a talented, kind, smart, funny woman who will be sorely missed.


    

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life
by Amy Krouse RosenthalTrade Paperback

  

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal
by Amy Krouse RosenthalHardcover

Fiction Review: Snow Falling on Cedars

My cousin recently chose Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson for our online family book group. Although this best-selling book published a decade ago was very popular and won a couple of awards, I had never read it (though I did see the movie adaptation years ago). This descriptive, immersive courtroom drama set on a small island north of Puget Sound in the 1950’s has elements of suspense, family drama, and historical fiction.

As the novel opens in 1954, a Japanese-American man named Kabuo Miyamoto is on trial on the small island of San Piedro off the coast of Washington. Kabuo is accused of murdering another local man, Carl Heine, who, like Kabuo, made his living as a fisherman. In that first chapter, the courtroom scene is described in detail, introducing some of the people in the town, as well as the island itself. Throughout the novel, courtroom scenes in 1954 are interspersed with flashbacks to fill in the backgrounds and histories of the characters.

Kabuo grew up on the island, working side by side with the rest of his family in the strawberry fields. His father’s dream was to purchase a small plot of land for his own strawberry farm. Kabuo’s wife, Hatsue, is sitting near him in the courtroom and also grew up in a family of strawberry farmers with four sisters. Also in the courtroom is Ishmael Chambers, the island’s reporter, editor, and publisher of its small newspaper, taking notes on the proceedings. Ishmael lost an arm in the war. Right from those opening scenes, it is clear that Ishmael is upset by what is happening and there is more going on than meets the eye.

From there, the novel follows the court case closely, with dialogue from each witness, so that the reader learns of the details of the case right along with the jurors. Along the way, the author delves more deeply into each character: Art Moran, the sheriff; Lew Fielding, the judge; both the prosecuting and defense attorneys, Carl Heine and his family; and more. Ishmael, Kabuo, and Hatsue – who all went to school together on the island – get the most attention, going back to their childhoods, their parents, and their experiences during the war.

I won’t say much more about the plot because the novel very slowly reveals its secrets as the court case unfolds and feeling that gentle suspense build is one of its charms. This is much more than a murder mystery, though. Given the timing of the story and the Japanese-Americans at its heart, history is also a very important component. We see how Kabuo’s and Hatsue’s families (and all the rest of the Japanese-Americans on the island) were a part of the community and then abruptly ripped away to be sent to internment camps on the mainland. We hear the details of Ishmael’s, Kabuo’s, and Carl’s war experiences and witness how those experiences affected and changed each of them.

The historical details are an integral part of the story, forming significant parts of each character’s backstory. The effects of war are powerful and tragic, though different for each character that experienced it. Most of all, though, the internment itself and its effects on all the citizens of San Piedro – both white and those of Japanese ancestry – are chilling. The panic and suspicion that quickly spreads after Pearl Harbor and the deep, lingering biases and resentments that are still there almost 10 years later feel frighteningly similar to some of what we are seeing today in our own world.

Finally, the setting adds another dimension to this unique story. The island and its inhabitants are described in great detail so that the island itself comes to life, almost like another character in the book. Weather is a significant part of that setting, as well, given the island’s location and size. The huge snowstorm that starts on the first day of the trial adds drama to the proceedings, while weather also plays a significant role in the farming and fishing industries on the island and the everyday lives of the islanders.

Snow Falling on Cedars is a long book and a densely written one, filled with descriptions of the island and its people that bring this world to life on the pages. It is beautifully written in a way that makes you care about the characters as if they were real people. The suspense builds slowly, with the exact explanation of what happened the night of Carl’s death held back until the very end. This is a haunting story that I suspect will stay with me for a long time. Although it was first published in 1995, it feels vividly real – and frighteningly relevant – today.

460 pages, Vintage Books

Fiction Review: Defending Jacob

My Big Book Summer Challenge gave me the push I needed to finally read Defending Jacob by William Landay. I’d heard all the rave reviews and bought it for my husband for his birthday last fall. I’m glad I made the time to read this riveting and disturbing legal thriller.

As the novel opens, Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber is assigned to investigate a shocking crime in the wealthy Boston suburb where he and his family live. A fourteen-year old boy has been brutally murdered, and the community wants the horrifying case solved quickly. The boy was a classmate of Andy’s son, Jacob, but they weren’t close, so Andy sees no conflict of interest in his role…until his own son is accused of the murder, and Andy is taken off the case.

It all seems surreal to Andy, as he suddenly finds himself in the role of helpless parent instead of powerful prosecutor. He and his wife believe in their son’s innocence, and Andy does all he can to help in his defense. From there, the novel follows the boy’s case and is in turns a courtroom thriller, murder mystery, and every parent’s worst nightmare.

The reader goes on a rollercoaster ride with Andy and his wife. New evidence comes to light, and you wonder whether Jacob might actually be the killer. Then, in another scene, you see him as a scared little boy and think it must be a set-up. Landay takes you back and forth again and again, as the story continues, until you don’t know what to think. The courtroom verdict is not the ending; Andy is brought up on charges of obstruction of justice (this is actually how the book opens), as the family’s saga continues. The final ending is a shock that I never saw coming.

Besides being a compelling and fast-paced suspense novel, Defending Jacob is also a thought-provoking book. As a parent, it is impossible to read this story and not think, “What would I do?” It’s an unthinkable situation for any parent, and Andy and his wife each react differently. All in all, it’s a very disturbing, thoughtful novel that kept me reading long past bedtime.

421 pages, Delacorte Press 

 

Fiction Review: Midwives

Thanks to the Fall Into Reading 2011 Challenge, I finally got around to reading a novel my neighbor lent me over a year ago, Midwives by Chris Bohjalian.  This one was different from the other Bohjalian novels I’ve read; it’s basically a courtroom drama about a midwife accused of involuntary manslaughter when one of her clients dies in childbirth.

Sibyl is a sort of stereotypical midwife, living in rural Vermont with her husband and daughter.  She and her husband were hippies in the 60’s and settled down a bit when they had their daughter, though Sibyl still retains some of her innate hippie-ness, wearing peasant skirts and driving a beat-up old station wagon, and, of course, firmly believing in a mother’s right to give birth in her own home.

The novel is told mostly from the perspective of her daughter, Connie, looking back at the year her mother was charged and tried when Connie was only fourteen years old.  It begins in the courtroom, just before the jury reads their decision and backtracks to gradually fill in the details of what led to the trial.  Sibyl was trying to help her client, Charlotte, give birth when a severe ice storm hit northern Vermont, leaving the roads impassable and making it impossible for Sibyl to transport Charlotte to a hospital when things began to go wrong.  When she believed she had lost Charlotte, she performed an emergency c-section right there on the bed to save the baby, but the prosecutors claim that Charlotte was not yet dead and that Sibyl killed her with the primitive surgery.

It’s a suspenseful courtroom drama, and Bohjalian provides enough background on Sibyl and her family that you come to care for them and hope they survive this disaster intact.  The story is especially poignant told from the perspective of Connie, at such a vulnerable age when her life is torn apart by this tragedy and looking back on it from adulthood.  I enjoyed the novel and read it fairly quickly. Although I didn’t find it quite as compelling as The Double Bind (still my favorite of Bohjalian’s books), it was suspenseful and thought-provoking.

372 pages, Vintage Contemporaries