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Queen Esther, by John Irving

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 When opening a John Irving book, I expect to meet lovable, eccentric characters living unconventional lives. The main plots in Irving's books are usually interwoven with colorful side plots as well, stories that vary in realisticness. Add to that a good message about social tolerance and some historical background, and it all comes together in his splendid novels.  John Irving's latest novel, Queen Esther, ticks all of those boxes, but this time, I found the plot a little too scattered, and did not get attached to any one character the way I usually do. One part of the story is about an orphan named Esther, but the most intriguing part of her life happens off stage. This novel spends more time following the life of Jimmy, the young man Esther gives birth to and then gives to her sister to raise. He does live in interesting times, and yet I didn't find his story to be compelling.  The author imparts quite a bit of history in this novel, which is mostly very topical, but ...
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The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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  Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches . So says Minerva's great-grandmother, Alba. Minerva will learn that witches are still around her. This is actually three stories, occurring in three different eras and features incredibly strong female protagonists.  We are introduced to Minerva first, in the year 1998, at a small New England university near Boston. She's traveled from her native Mexico to study at Stoneridge and to write a thesis focused on Beatrice Tremblay, who has authored of a novel based on the real-life disappearance of a young woman she knew who went missing from Stoneridge in 1934. The earliest story contained in this novel focuses on Alba, in 1908, in Mexico. I found Alba's account to be the most intriguing part of this book, though also the most triggering, in the creepiness and gore departments. It is she who has given Minerva the curiosity and fascination with witches and the horror genre, in general.  There are obvious parallel...
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Fox, by Joyce Carol Oates

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  When a handsome, youngish man named Francis Harlan Fox applied and auditioned for a job in a well-regarded prep school in a small town outside Atlantic City, the headmistress was bowled over. Despite her plans to hire someone other than another white male and her reasons for having misgivings about him, he charmed impressed, and astonished her with his charisma and knowledge. And they had so much in common, too. Headmistress P. Cady felt as though the two of them had a real connection, and could even be friends.  Unfortunately, Francis Fox is not the man anyone thinks he is. This is a dark story, a literary novel that is also a mystery, told in an irresistible nonlinear way. The reader's close attention is rewarded with pieces of information told in flashback and from narrators who differ in reliability.  Francis Fox has taught in different schools before, never staying long in the same place. This was a red flag, but Fox was ready with his answers. Why has he moved aro...
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My Name is Emilia Del Valle, by Isabel Allende

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 Isabel Allende has written another captivating historical novel with a strong woman at its center. This time, the backdrop is the Chilean Civil war of 1891. It is also about one young woman's struggle to become an important story teller in her own right, under her own name. Emilia is an unusually smart and brave young woman, who must behave more assertively than most women of her time, to become a journalist in the San Francisco of the 1880s.  When war breaks out in Chile, she actually succeeds in becoming a war correspondent. It does help that she speaks Spanish.  There are multiple stories housed in this novel.  There is also the story of Molly Walsh, her mother, which will inform a large part of Emilia's life. After a loving childhood and an excellent education aided by her kind adopted father, Emilia is still not prepared to see war in a distant country, let alone be in the midst of battle.  The Chilean Civil War comes terrifyingly alive in these pages. It'...
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Twist, by Colum McCann

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  "Everything gets fixed, but we all stay broken."  This novel is thought-provoking, memorable, and beautifully written.  Twist is written in the style of a memoir, from the point of view of a writer who is going through some rough times in his personal life. In this narrative, Anthony Fennell is working as a free lance journalist, joining a crew at sea, repairing underwater cables that ensure Internet usage for large portions of the world. There is a strong metaphor running through this story about how this long trip helps Fennell to repair himself, as he watches the crew repair deeply buried cables. Before and during this voyage, Fennell develops an interesting relationship with the man in charge of the exhibition, John Conway. This man is at the heart of this story, an enigma who keeps Fennell focused outside of himself and searching for answers to the mystery of Conway's identity and motives.  One aspect I found fascinating about this story was free diving, and t...
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Finding Grace,by Loretta Rothschild

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 Finding Grace, by Loretta Rothschild, is a gripping debut novel that features some surprises. The story starts quickly, with an unexpected and tragic event.  Without spoiling the novel for future readers, I found the plot of this story original and complicated, not a typical love story at all. The character development is mostly adequate, though I still had some questions about Grace in the end. Also, there was one female character who I found to be comically ridiculous and strangely out of step with the others. The twisty plot and ending do have some extremely unlikely aspects, but it was a very interesting, enjoyable read that was creatively narrated.  I did enjoy this and would recommend it. It crossed my mind that it might make an intriguing movie.  Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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The Hounding, by Xenobe Purvis

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This book's description as a cross between The Virgin Suicides and The Crucible was a strong selling point for me. This fantastical  novel takes place in eighteenth century England.  The Hounding has a riveting plot that keeps the reader guessing. Told from different points of view, it illustrates how the local villagers view the five Mansfield sisters and what they believe to be true about these girls. This story also shines a light on how young women were viewed at that time and the way information and rumors spread within a small area.  Some of these villagers are well drawn, as characters, while the Mansfield girls never are. They remain mysterious, which forces the reader to get involved in the speculation about what is actually true, and what might be going on.  I found this novel to be well written, paced perfectly, and intriguing. Its haunting atmosphere is especially memorable, and I'd gladly read this author's work again. I'd recommend it to anyone, and wou...
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