The Damage Done, by Michael Landweber

Here is a novel with a very interesting premise: what if it were suddenly impossible,

the world over, to commit physical violence against another person? For instance,

bullets from guns just hang in the air, bombs might damage property, but do no one

, and people are unable to strike others. 

What would people do?  We know enough about human behavior, especially through social media, to expect that some folks would start performing some dangerous experiments. Those who are filled with hate would surely try to find other ways to affect pain and hardship on others. 

In The Damage Done, author Michael Landweber presents this interesting premise, along with well drawn characters I found to be either likable or intriguing. This is well-written,  with good pacing, and I enjoyed it. 

My one reservation about this slim novel is that it just skims the surface of its topic. This may be as intended, however, since this does create food for thought. Would there be a period of chaos, in some places, where laws and their enforcement would have to be reinvented? Would we need as many laws, or different laws?  At first, it seems that there would be more peace in the world, but would there really be less oppression? 

I enjoyed the writing and the premise of this short speculative novel, and would welcome an expansion or continuation of this topic, in the future.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this intriguing experience!

(goodreads 3.5 rating)

Violeta, by Isabel Allende

 

This is one  woman’s story, written to her grandson. Violeta Del Valle has lived one hundred years, from the year of the Spanish Flu pandemic, to the current age of the Coronavirus. This is not just her history, but also a hundred years of her country’s history, as it impacted her and her family. Her home is a country in South America, but not otherwise specified. 

As a little girl, Violeta is raised in an affluent family, but soon, the convergence of The Great Depression and her father’s business practices equal disaster for her family. This is the first upheaval in her eventful life. She will learn to live and survive in multiple ways and face many challenges. Some of these challenges will be strictly personal, while the most dangerous will involve the political landscape in her country. 

This narrative made me very thankful to have grown up in a country where attention to politics seems to be optional. That is, we in The United States have never woken up to find that all of our individual rights have been suddenly and  indefinitely surrendered, or that the army is arresting anyone with certain beliefs. Violeta lived through such a time, and as a result, she lost people she loved. People’s lives were changed forever.

Violeta’s life was a roller coaster. She lived through extreme stress and trauma, but she also had some exhilarating highs. She found passion as a young woman, then love as an older woman.  In the end, she found purpose and a way to be here for those who needed her, always.

Violeta is beautifully written, and I enjoyed it immensely. The way Violeta continually reinvents herself, using her experience and all that she has learned in life to branch out and help others, is an inspiration. And she is certainly proud of her grandson, who has had his own  long road of discoveries.

I’ve left out the other characters in Violeta’s life, who are many and most intriguing, but I’ll leave that for you to find out. You won’t regret it.  

Many thanks to Random House and Netgalley!

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I was elated to receive one of Isabel Allende's books! She is an author I'd like to explore further. I loved House of Spirits.

Madam, by Debbie Applegate

 

This is not only a fascinating biography of Polly Adler, but also an insightful history of the Jazz Age. Polly Adler was once one of many young immigrants to come from Eastern Europe, but the path her life took was anything but expected.

Born in Yanow, Russia, in 1900, Pearl Adler's early life was very circumspect due to her gender and the anti-Semitic restrictions of the Russian Empire. Nevertheless, throughout her childhood, Pearl exhibited intelligence and was determined to get an education, even though that was unheard of for a girl.

At just thirteen years of age, she landed at Ellis Island, all alone, to meet relations who were strangers. When this arrangement turned out to be less than desirable, she was forced
to live on her own at a very young age. Her intelligence and determination would be put to many a test in the coming years.

How Pearl became Polly Adler, the most well-known madam and a legend in New York City, is a long story, and very much worth reading.

Boxers, gangsters, politicians, entertainers, cops, judges, writers, and reporters. High brow, low brow, and everything in between. She met them. Some came for drinks and games, some for sex, some to hide out. She had her finger on the pulse of the current culture for years.

I was shocked at the depth of corruption in NYC during Polly’s lifetime. It was truly wild, as was her existence. The tenacity and stamina it took to hold on to her livelihood is unimaginable.

Author Debby Applegate has used the language of this time period, and it effectively creates an atmosphere that transports the reader to another era. I am impressed with the extensive research this volume required and was captivated by its style.

I haven’t given away any details in this review, in the hope that some of the surprising facts--and there are many--will amaze and enthrall someone else in the same way.

Thank you so much to Doubleday and Netgalley for this mesmerizing experience.