Contemporary Fiction: The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

Eight years ago in 2013, I was excited just from reading the title for A Tale for the Time Being, the first book I read by Ruth Ozeki. Today I will talk about her latest novel, The Book of Form and Emptiness, which follows a mother and her teenage son as they manage their grief.

The Situation: Benny Oh lives in San Francisco with his mother Annabelle. For the most part, he has the usual struggles and issues that come from being a teenage boy who is forced to attend high school: He has a hard time getting along with some of the kids at school; his mother embarrasses him; he wishes she would stop storing her stuff in his room; and he would rather spend his days at the library, because even skipping school to go to the mall would mean dealing with more people. To make matters more difficult, Benny's father died in a tragic accident a few years ago, and both he and his mother are dealing with their grief in different ways. Of course Annabelle is willing to do whatever it takes to help her son, though that usually means she also neglects her own needs.

The Problem: Benny Oh hears voices. And they are not the kind we usually read about that live in someone's head. What Benny hears are objects that are speaking to him, most of the time in a language he does not understand, but he captures the emotional tone. Most are nice and gentle, but others are mean and angry, even spiteful. And when he nearly follows through on a command given by a pair scissors, it lands him in a psychiatric ward for children. But this is where he meets Alice, who is possibly his first real friend. Meanwhile, Annabelle is focused on her son and holding onto her job, if nothing else. Sure, she finds time to shop at the thrift store and the craft shop, but that only adds to the amount of stuff piling around the house, stuff that can speak to Benny. If Annabelle could find her own social community to connect with, and if Benny could learn to listen to the voices that really matter, this mother and son will have a chance of getting through all of this together.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in San Francisco around 2016, as there is mention (in vague terms) of the presidential election and the unrest that followed. Most of Benny's adventures happen in one of three places, his home, his school, and the San Francisco Public Library. The library is where Benny often escapes, as he remembers going there with his mother as a child and loving it. The story opens with the book introducing itself, and then introducing Benny, before moving onto the first scene, the death of Benny's father, Kenji. As the story is told, Benny will often interject to say how he felt about a certain event, or even to admonish the book for giving too much detail, or too little, or for not getting more involved. Benny's voices will lead to a series of often harmful, though possibly well-intentioned, misdiagnoses, and his mother's hoarding will go unchecked. While it can probably be said that Benny is the main focus, Annabelle's struggle is just as important. 

My Verdict: This book is frustrating. That does not mean that it was not good or that it was not enjoyable, but my goodness...we all know that moment when you start yelling at the characters of a horror movie, telling them to not run upstairs or go down into the basement. For me, that was this book, especially when it comes to Annabelle in nearly everything she does. But if anything, that means Ozeki was successful is presenting the struggle of someone who wants to do better, but needs more help than what they have to get there. Neither Annabelle nor Benny is over Kenji's death, and grief can be a terrible thing. What I enjoyed most are the moments at the library, and getting to explore all of the different floors and rooms and sections. It is a well-written book, but there are moments that will certainly try your patience.

Favorite Moment: Mrs. Wong is Annabelle's landlord. She makes a return after a lengthy time away after breaking her hip, and it is possibly the most relieved I felt during the entire 500+ pages of the book.

Favorite Character: All of the characters are frustrating in their own way, even the side characters of Alice, and the homeless man that Benny meets on the bus. I will pick Cory, the nice librarian who comes to Benny's rescue in more ways than one.

Recommended Reading: I do recommend Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being. It is a different kind of adventure, but told in the same unhurried, intentional, and methodical style.

Historical Fiction: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

To win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is certainly a big deal. To win it twice is something else entirely. That is exactly what Colson Whitehead has managed to do, first with The Underground Railroad, and then with The Nickel Boys. It was an easy decision to pick up his latest novel, Harlem Shuffle. His newest book has promised to be part crime novel, and part social novel, with more than a little humor.

The Situation: Ray Carney prides himself on not being crooked, though he is just a little bit bent. In 1959, Ray owns and operates his very own furniture store in Harlem. With a wife and daughter at home, with another child on the way, Ray's focus is providing for his family while growing his business. His background may be humble, something his mother and father-in-law love to bring up, but he is not interested in doing business the way his father did. His cousin, Freddie, may be another matter. When Freddie comes by to drop off the odd piece of jewelry or appliance, Ray does not ask questions. He simply gets the money for it, and moves on. Freddie has always been clear, since the two were kids, that he never wants to get Ray in trouble.

The Problem: Much like when they were kids, Freddie manages to get Ray into trouble. This time, Freddie becomes part of a plot to steal from the guests staying at the Hotel Theresa, known as "The Waldorf of Harlem." Since the group needs once more guy, Freddie mentions Ray, once again making the furniture salesman a part of his criminal activity. When things go badly, as they usually do, Ray's original plan of saving up for a better apartment for his family and growing his business remains the same, but now there are other interests and parties that must be dealt with. For the next five years, Ray must negotiate his double life, and maybe even come to terms with the kind of man he is becoming.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in Harlem in the middle of the 20th century. Beginning in 1959, the story follows Ray Carney as he moves from selling gently used furniture and electronics, to more high-end items by the middle of the 1960s. For those looking for a good deal on a sofa, Ray is an upstanding family man running his own business. To those that know him and know his father, as well as his cousin Freddie, Ray is a 'fence,' which in crime is a man who knowingly accepts or buys stolen goods and resells them at a profit. From the way Ray sees it, he is a black man attempting to make his own way in 1960s Harlem, where social clubs run by black men will not accept a man if his skin is too dark; where a cop can shoot an unarmed black kid and keep his job, despite the ensuing riots; and the homes and property of non-white residents can be taken and razed to make way for new buildings and complexes. 

My Verdict: There are certainly humor elements in the story, but I suppose I was expecting something more along the lines of Paul Beatty's The Sellout. Ray's misadventures did make me smile, but more in the way you do at a kid who knowingly does something wrong, and then does not put up much of a fight when they get caught and subsequently punished. Whitehead presents Harlem, and New York City as a whole, with honesty as well as humor. There are two sides to all of the stories in the big city, just like there are two sides to Ray, though he wishes there was only the one. This is not a straightforward story about small-time crime with the history of Harlem thrown in. There is a lot going on here, and those who enjoy complex stories with colorful side characters will enjoy it.

Favorite Moment: For the most part, Ray is able to take the high road when it comes to his wife's parents. He even manages to not speak ill of them when they are not around, which is surprising given how they treat him.

Favorite Character: Pepper is an old friend of Ray's father, and it is this previous alliance the makes the older man look out for him, and save him on more than one occasion.

Recommended Reading: For more from Whitehead, I recommend The Underground Railroad. I also recommend the previously mentioned The Sellout by Paul Beatty, as well as Deacon King Kong by James McBride. 

Graphic Novel: Incredible Doom by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden

Graphic novels always make for a fun change of pace, and I cannot help but feel I have neglected them a bit this year. So I have picked up Incredible Doom by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden, which follows four teenagers as they discover the internet, while also finding each other.

The Situation: Allison has spent most of her life helping her stage magician father. He insists that until she is 18, her life is his, and she suffers his anger for the smallest mistakes and disappointments. When her father brings home a new computer, she meets Samir online, and begins to believe there may be another world out there for her. Richard is the new kid at school, and as soon as he walks into his first class, he is labeled a "creeper." When the bullying becomes relentless, he receives assistance from an unlikely friend. Tina may be small, but she is also terrifying, and when she says she will protect someone, she means it. Richard is introduced to the rest of her friends, and when she appears to be in trouble with the police, he hatches a plan to throw them off of her trail.

The Problem: Allison's dad has always told her to never show her legs to boys. So he would be furious if he ever found out she has not only been chatting to a boy online, but that she has already met up with him in real life. And when she decides to run away, her father reaches a new level of furious. When Samir reluctantly agrees to help her out, he also must leave his own house if he wants to keep his friend safe. The two of them must hatch a plan and figure some stuff out if they want Allison to finally be free from her father, but there is another problem. When Allison left her house, she was only in pajamas. And when Samir left his house, he was not wearing any pants at all. It becomes a night of evasion and frustrated plans, but it is one that will eventually bring the four teenagers together.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic novel set in 1994, at the dawn of the age of the internet. Allison may be the character that receives most of the focus, but there is also Samir, a boy she meets on the Bulletin Board System (BBS) online. Then there is Richard, the new guy at school who is immediately in trouble with a bully. An anonymous note left in his locker leads him the fierce, intense, and confusing Tina, who is committed to protecting him from harm. These four teenagers find each other, working only with dial-up connections, through the new world of the internet. Since this is before smart phones and tablets, finding information online means logging onto the family computer after your parents have gone to bed; or telling your mom you are doing homework when you are really in a chat room; or borrowing a neighbor's computer under the guise of helping them with a project. Incredible Doom mixes the issues of being a teen in 1990s America, and the early days of when the internet was becoming widely available to the public.

My Verdict: My main issue with graphic novels is that they go by so quickly. No matter how engaging the story is, or incredible the drawings are, I am done with them in less than a day, though if I actually bought my own copy, I do get to enjoy the work for a lifetime. I am assuming that the "vol 1" on the title page of this book means there is more to come, which would make sense because of where the story ended, but even so. I want to know more about Richard and why he has had to move to a new town. Or why Tina lives in a house with a seemingly random assortment of young people. And of course, there is the question of what is going to happen between Allison and her father. I wanted more, and it seems there will be more, eventually. But for now, there are so many questions, and I have to wonder how the internet will continue to play into it.

Favorite Moment: When Allison proves she is a master escape artist. 

Favorite Character: Allison is smart and determined. She does not give up when in seemingly impossible situations, and is brave enough to walk into a restaurant and order chicken nuggets, even when she is not quite dressed for it.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, another book that reaches back in time, and focuses on teenagers attempting to connect while their worlds fall apart. 

Young Adult Fiction: Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

When this blog first started, I admitted that there was absolutely no way I would be able to read and review every book I ever wanted to read, but I was going to have fun trying. Well this has certainly been the case, and months ago I made a choice between another book, and today's selection, Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean. The thing is, I initially chose the other book, and reviewed it. But I had to go back and do this one too. I had to find a way to squeeze it into the schedule...I was just too curious. 

The Situation: Izumi 'Izzy' Tanaka has never felt as if she quite fit into her hometown. Mount Shasta, California is mostly white, and aside from her small group of friends, the Asian Girl Gang, Izzy has always felt a little out of place. Having grown up as the only child of her single mother, Izzy does not know much, or anything really, about her father. It is only when her best friend makes a strange discovery in her mother's room does Izzy began to get any answers, and they are not at all what she was expecting. Turns out, Izzy's father is Crown Prince Toshihito, and first in line to become the next emperor of Japan, which makes Izzy a princess. After a short email, a small but hopeful attempt at contact, Izzy is being summoned to Japan to meet the father she never knew, and stay at his palace.

The Problem: Before the plane lands, Izzy has already made mistakes, and the trip through the airport also proves to be both disorienting and difficult. Before even making it to the castle, she has decided she does not like her personal bodyguard, Akio, and it is clear that several of the people around her are not going to be her biggest fans either. The weeks that follow prove to be a whirlwind of cultural and language lessons, publicity events, royal events...all with the potential for Izzy to realize that she may not belong in Japan either. But if she was never "American" enough, and now she is not "Japanese" enough, then what is she, and where does she fit? She does not want to disappoint her father, but she is not sure she has a place in his palace.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set in both modern day California, and modern-day Japan, mostly Tokyo. Izzy is a Japanese-American girl who has lived and grown up in a mostly white small town, and has had to endure that outright racism, and microaggressions, that come with residing in such a location. She describes herself as "aggressively average," something else she feels goes on the long list of reasons her royal father would be disappointed in her. Becoming royalty overnight causes Izzy to alternate between excitement, fear, and embarrassment, as there is so much to learn so quickly, and she keeps making crucial mistakes. It also does not help that some of her cousins are clearly less than pleased by her presence, and the Japanese tabloids are more than happy to report on her every move. And then there is the bodyguard. As this book is the first in what looks like will be a series, the reader can look forward to Izzy's journey continuing, and finding out if she ever adjusts to becoming Japanese royalty. 

My Verdict: I am glad I came back for this one, though it is not quite what I expected. Izzy's journey from California teenager looking forward to graduation and a summer of being with her friends, to Japanese royalty and the problems that can come from such a big and sudden change, is as advertised. What I was not ready for was Izzy's personality. Her awkwardness in Japan and among her royal relatives was to be expected, but there was something else about the way she acted, talked, and narrated her own story that was somewhat jarring. Granted, it made her a unique character, and it is always nice when there is a narrator that is so undeniably themselves in almost every situation, even as they desperately try to fit in, almost as if they cannot help but be themselves. The YA romance lovers should appreciate this book, and since it will be series, the story does not end here.

Favorite Moment: When Izzy is able to show grace to her twin cousins, who have been less than gracious to her. 

Favorite Character: Mariko, Izzy's lady-in-waiting in Japan, is good at her job, and committed to helping Izzy, despite whatever misgivings she may have had at first. She turns out to be a valuable ally, and someone Izzy can count on.

Recommended Reading: Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie is a different kind of story, but also deals with Japanese royalty and the expectations that come from being a part of the royal family. 

Nonfiction: The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore

The actual title of Kate Moore's second book is a long one: The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear. I added it to my list, with Moore's first book, The Radium Girls, still fairly fresh in my mind. Her research, combined with skillful story-telling, brings the true stories of remarkable women to life, while highlighting their struggles for justice.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that follows the story of Elizabeth Packard, who was committed by her husband to the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois in 1860. As the Civil War would tear the country apart, Elizabeth would fight her own war inside the walls of the asylum, her primary foe being the hospital's superintendent, Dr. Andrew McFarland. Of course, there was also Elizabeth's husband, Theophilus Packard, who had his wife committed because she was no longer willing to obey him. In Elizabeth's time, husbands had complete authority over their wives, and husbands were often placing their wives in asylums, as the law allowed. In the prologue, Moore makes it clear that the book is not about mental health, but rather how it is often used as a weapon, and that was certainly the case for Elizabeth. But even with the odds stacked against her, she refused to give up on securing her own freedom, as well as for women like her, and for those she met while in the hospital. 

My Verdict: Much like with Moore's The Radium Girls, I was not disappointed. Instead, I was both fascinated, and of course horrified, by what I read on these pages. It is the kind of book that will make the reader angry, though perhaps not terribly surprised, by what Elizabeth and her friends inside of the asylum went through. Using old letters, books, interviews, articles, as well as photographs and drawings, Moore presents Elizabeth's remarkable story, highlighting a determined activist that is often forgotten and pushed aside in history. Covering nearly ten years of history, and clocking in at over 400 pages, Moore's account is nothing if not thorough, and may certainly spark an interest in uncovering other heroes in history whose story many have attempted to have the public forget.

Favorite Moment: When Elizabeth plays the long game against her husband, successfully tricking him so a crucial event will take place.

Recommended Reading: The Radium Girls is just as fascinating...maybe more so. I also recommend Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford.

Contemporary Fiction: Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian

Magical realism features heavily in today's book, Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian. Set mostly in the United States, in both Georgia and California, the story follows a young Indian-American boy and his relationship with his neighbor across the cul-de-sac. After being brought into a scheme like no other, the narrator's life will change in a way he never imagined.

The Situation: Neeraj 'Neil' Narayan is a high school student who lives just outside of Atlanta with his family. While his ambitious sister is busy with the Miss Teen India pageant circuit and headed to Duke University, the pressure is on for Neil to be equally if not more focused and motivated. Problem is, he simply isn't. However, much of his focus is on the Dayal family across the cul-de-sac. The mother, Anjali, is often the subject of the gossip Neil is used to hearing from his own mother. And the daughter, Anita, is on the same pageant circuit as Neil's sister, and recently changed schools to attend the expensive and prestigious private school further away from the neighborhood. Neil and Anita may have been childhood friends, but parental pressure and placement tests have come between them, as Anita is doing everything she can to secure her own future, which seems to mean leaving Neil behind.

The Problem: When Neil stumbles upon the secret to the Dayal women's success, he becomes part of a bigger plot he is not ready for. Anjali may promote herself as somewhat of an event planner, but what she really does when she enters people's homes is much more complicated, and goes beyond petty theft. Anjali and Anita have been using the gold jewelry of Anjali's customers to brew an alchemic mixture that takes on the ambition of the original owner. When Neil takes his first swallow, he is hooked, and he wants in. Finally, his ambition has become what his parents have always wanted it to be, and he wants to keep this going. Of course, things go too far, and a tragedy pulls Anita and Neil apart, leading to a future no one wanted. But Anita and Neil may able to fix things, they only need to steal the most gold they have ever attempted.

Genre, Themes, History: This book is fiction and set partly outside of Atlanta, Georgia in the early 2000s, and partly in California in the Berkeley area during the late 2010s. Our narrator is Neil Narayan, a somewhat unmotivated and bumbling young man who is having a hard time with the pressure of fulfilling the dream his parents have for him and his sister. When he becomes entangled with Anjali and Anita Dayal, it is only the beginning of his adventures, and his obsession with gold and its properties. College Neil is still somewhat unambitious, even though he is attempting to write his dissertation for his PhD, but he is also haunted by the past and the events that took Anita out of his life. The author drew from texts on alchemy, as well as the Gold Rush in 1800s California, to bring Neil's adventures to life. 

My Verdict: There are some things this book does well. When painting a picture of Neil, his family, his community, and his general feeling that he is not living up to the dreams that his parents have for him, Sathian presents everything with descriptions that are not overly complicated. It is just enough for the reader to see what is going on and how Neil feels. Also, it clear how haunted Neil is, mostly in his college years, but there is a subtle hint at that haunting while he is a high school student in Georgia. My problem with the book mostly comes from Neil as the narrator. Even during his more innocent high school years, he is not a likeable character, and it is not because he is unmotivated. His obsession with Anita is uncomfortable, and it does not help that she is not all that likeable either. In the first part of the book, I was often bored, and as the book approached its conclusion, I found myself caring less and less if everything worked out.

Favorite Moment: At the start of the novel, there is a scene from Anjali's past that helps explain how and when she discovered the process of making the gold mixture. It would have been nice to have more scenes like this from her early life.

Favorite Character: I did not care for any of the characters enough to pick a favorite. There are a few characters who add some humor and insight, but they are not present enough in the story.

Recommended Reading: The magical realism elements reminded me somewhat of Traci Chee's The Reader series, but only slightly. It is a different kind of story, geared towards younger readers, full of danger, adventure, magic, pirates, and a very special book.

Young Adult Fiction: In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

The word "excited" is not quite strong enough to describe how I felt when I found out Jeff Zentner was publishing another book. In the middle of the busy preparations for another school year, In the Wild Light has shown up, offering a story full of uncertainty, pain, grief, despair, hope, and what it means to take a chance.

The Situation: Cash Pruitt has spent his summer in the small town of Sawyer, Tennessee mowing lawns, hanging out with his best friend, Delaney, and taking care of his Papaw. His life has not been easy, but he loves the people in it, and there is enough hiking and canoeing in Sawyer that he has not sought out much more beyond the small town. But the same cannot be said for Delaney, whose has discovered a bacteria-killing mold inside of a nearby cave, earning her a full scholarship to one of the top boarding schools in the country. And she insists she will not be going alone. Another full scholarship has been secured for Cash, all the way in Connecticut, away from everything he has ever known.

The Problem: The opportunity to attend high school at Middleford Academy is no small thing, but Cash cannot imagine being away from his Papaw, whose breathing gets a little more ragged everyday. Of course, Cash cannot imagine being away from Delaney either, and she feels the same. Though it takes some convincing, the two friends are Middleford bound, and both are incredibly anxious about the people they will meet. Kids who attend the expensive boarding school are children of politicians and of men who own large businesses. Their Instagram's are full of pictures from vacation homes and international trips. Plus, Cash cannot shake the thought that his Papaw does not have many days left. The decision to attend Middleford could change Cash's life, but will it be worth it?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book set partly in Sawyer, Tennessee, and partly in New Canaan, Connecticut where the Middleford Academy is located. At the center of the story is Cash, and at the center of his world are his relationship with his grandfather, and also his best friend, Delaney. After losing his mother to an opioid addiction when he was young, Cash's grandparents raised him. After meeting Delaney due to them both being children of addicts, the two have become inseparable, literally. She refuses to go to Middleford without him, and he cannot imagine Sawyer without her. But even with his best friend just a dorm building away, Middleford is a challenging place to be, and not just academically. Though he discovers poetry, and rows on the crew team, being far from home is hard. Cash acknowledges that Sawyer does not have much for him, except his grandparents are there, and his Papaw does not have much time left. It is the classic struggle between taking a chance and trying something new, or staying behind in the familiar with those you love.   

My Verdict: Maybe it is the times we are in, and everything happening around us, but I do not think I have ever been as emotional while reading a book as I was reading this one. Most of it came from the relationship between Cash and Papaw. I am not even sure how to describe the relationship between the grandfather and grandson, but Zentner has put down on the page something special, and warm, and lovely, yet also genuine and sincere. And Cash's opportunity to leave Sawyer for Middleford feels like both a gift and a punishment. For Cash, it means he loses something either way, and that struggle is both uncomfortable and familiar. Something extra about Zentner's novels are his callbacks to previous ones, which are always delightful reminders that they all take place in the same universe, and gives the feeling of checking in on old friends. I have my own questions about the timeline, but unraveling that mystery adds to the fun. No need to read them in order, but I do recommend them all.

Favorite Moment: Basically any time Papaw speaks.

Favorite Character: Papaw is a wonder. All wisdom and strength (despite his delicate health), love and humor.

Recommended Reading: Zentner's first book, The Serpent King, is as good a placer to start as any. I also recommend Sadie by Courtney Summers.