Historical Fiction: Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

Two-time winner of the National Book Award, Jesmyn Ward, has come out with her first fiction novel since 2017's Sing, Unburied, Sing. This time, Ward moves to the past and reimagines American slavery, referencing Dante Alighieri's Inferno as the protagonist makes her journey from one plantation to another.

The Situation: Born into slavery, young Annis is taught how to survive by her mother, as she works in the house of the man who is her father. Occasionally, she is able to hear parts of the lessons that are taught to the master's twin girls - Annis' half-sisters - which include Alighieri's Inferno. After her master sells her and it is time for Annis to make her own journey, she becomes a different kind of guide downward, navigating the difficult journey from the Carolinas, all the way down to New Orleans. It is a difficult trek full of more than just rough terrain and turbulent rivers.

The Problem: As Annis gazes back into her history, to her mother and grandmother, what she often finds is not necessarily relief, answers, or even comfort. And while the long journey to New Orleans is hard, surviving at her new home of the sugar plantation proves to be even tougher. Being owned by a miserly and stingy woman is difficult enough, and when harvest season comes, things only get worse. And despite often being disappointed and frustrated with the world she seeks beyond this one, the one full of myth, history, and spirits, Annis continues to both seek and defy it in the search for real, true freedom.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel with Annis as the first-person narrator. With many references and callbacks to Alighieri's Inferno, Annis becomes the reader's guide not only on the journey to Louisiana, but also through her time at both plantations. It is the stories of her mother and warrior grandmother that will help move Annis forward, even as she learns of the hardships and betrayals they had to endure, only to become slaves themselves. It is a search for freedom and joy that moves through grief and despair, with the long journey through the southern U.S. feeling like a real descent to a darker place.

My Verdict: No matter how it is approached, the subject of slavery is going to be a tough one to tackle, most likely for both the author and the reader. There is no shying away from the horrors Annis has to endure as a slave on a rice plantation, forced to daily face the reality that her father is her master, and her half-sisters know a life of luxury and education that she may never get to enjoy. Add in the grueling journey south, and the harsh reality of the sugar plantation, and what Ward offers is the kind of portrayal many may want to avoid, but becomes worth exploring due to the language and characters. Ward's work has been critically acclaimed for a reason, and it is easy to see why her writing has endured. 

Favorite Moment: After arriving in New Orleans, Annis learns of a group of slaves that managed to live free in the swamps. It is a story full of hope and tragedy, giving more depth to Annis' new home, rather than making it a new location with same (or worse) problems.

Favorite Character: Mary does not speak, but she works hard at the sugar plantation, and she contains more depth and layers for those that know to look.

Recommended Reading: I recommend The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. 

Contemporary Fiction: Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Many readers know the name of today's author from her young adult fiction novels, but Family Lore is Elizabeth Acevedo's first offering for adults. I enjoyed all three of Acevedo's previous books and looked forward to the story of a family of women who each have a unique gift, and their preparations for a loved ones living wake.

The Situation: When Ona hears that her mother wants to have a living wake, she fears the worst is about to happen. Flor may be 70 years-old, but it is not her age that is making Ona and the rest of the family believe that the woman may be dying. The thing is, Flor has always been able to know when someone is going to die. This information comes to her in dreams and she has yet to be wrong. It is her gift, just like her youngest sister, Camila, can mix and match herbs into a cure for anything, and Pastora knows the truth about people (which many find unnerving). Matilde does not seem to have a gift, but she is and has always been an incredible dancer, whenever she gets a chance to do it. With only three days until the wake, everyone is doing their best to have the event come together, as they also attempt to find out what Flor knows.

The Problem: Ona is naturally suspicious, and terrified, of the reason why Flor would want a living wake. And why she would need to have it so soon. She does her best to find out if her mother has seen her own death, with both direct and indirect questions. But Flor continues to not give anything anyway, and only sometimes gives cryptic answers. Even Pastora, the sister who can divine the truth, is seemingly at a loss. As the day of the wake approaches, the past is slowly revealed, and Flor, Matilde, Pastora, Camila, Ona, and Ona's younger cousin Yadi, all reveal their secrets, and the anxieties that are plaguing them. The stories come together to present the rich history of the six women, who eagerly await the day of the wake and whatever is to come.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of fiction that is set in and around modern-day New York City, while also jumping back through time to when the four sisters were younger and living in the Dominican Republic. While Ona is the primary narrator, the reader also hears from her aunts Matilde, Pastora, and Camila; her mother Flor, and her cousin Yadi, all from the first person perspective. Ona has decided to interview her family members as part of a personal project, and the product is full of revelations, while also hiding some of the information that Ona most wants to know. At the beginning of the book, following a quote from poet Lucille Clifton, the reader is given a list of the family members that are mentioned, as well as their primary traits. Each chapter moves the story towards the inevitable wake, while also presenting more from the characters' paths.

My Verdict: Of course, I was aware of the pitfalls that can come from expecting a novelist to be successful in a certain area or genre, simply because they have proven successful in another area. I was excited to see what a novel for adults would look like coming from Acevedo, but I was also apprehensive, and that caution was not completely unmerited. What remains is Acevedo's command of language and her ability to put together settings and characters and situations in a way that brings the reader into a world that feels both close and real. And while the characters are interesting, and their stories and histories even more so, the lack of plot movement makes for an almost frustrating experience. The slice of life approach allows for great background, but with little payoff. 

Favorite Moment: There is a moment when Pastora sees the truth about someone who has entered the shop where she works, but she decides not to speak it in that moment, and it is everything. Such a small and subtle moment was made incredibly powerful with just the smallest of observations. 

Favorite Character: I can understand why many would be wary of Pastora, including her own youngest sister, Camila. But honestly, people being unnerved by Pastora and her ability to know the truth really says more about them than it does about her.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Clap When You Land, Acevedo's third YA novel, as well as Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera. 

Science Fiction: The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love

As part of my ongoing effort to read more science fiction, I picked up The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love. When a new mother is obsessed with what could have been, she also cannot help but think that maybe it is. Maybe the alternate reality she cannot seem to stop thinking about is out there, and not entirely out of reach.

The Situation: Hannah is having a bit of a day. Right now she has realized that she has forgotten her car keys in her therapist's office, so she must make the distasteful decision between lugging her eight month-old son back up the parking garage stairs, or taking a chance to leave him briefly so this detour will go faster. Hannah's husband, Adam, has accused her of being over-protective, bordering on obsessive, but since Jack was born, she cannot shake a strange memory from his birth. But can it be called a memory when it did not actually happen? Hannah remembers Jack not surviving the birth, and yet here he is. She relishes his smell, the curls of his hair, even his stubborn inability to sleep through the night. So when Jack vanishes when Hannah is on her way to retrieve her keys, she is understandably shaken, even after he just as mysteriously reappears.

The Problem: Hannah's therapist is quick to explain away what she witnessed as a symptom of part of a larger problem. Hannah is a new and anxious mother after all, and the lack of sleep certainly is not helping matters. Then there is the issue of Adam announcing he is leaving her. And also, there are the brief and confusing visions she has of other versions of her own life. But it is when Jack disappears from his crib, seemingly into thin air, that Hannah begins to seriously consider her 'memory' from the hospital eight months ago, as well as the mystery surrounding her own mother's unraveling. To get her son back, Hannah may have to reach out to the different versions of herself, while maintaining a tenuous hold on her own reality.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set in an around modern day San Francisco. Hannah and Adam are new parents of an eight month-old son named Jack, and while they would not trade parenthood for anything else in the world, raising him has taken a toll on them and their marriage. From the time of his birth, Hannah has become aware of an alternate version of events, and unfortunately, in this one, Jack did not survive. The idea of alternate realities is a central theme here, with many of them splitting off seemingly on the day Jack was born. Maternal love is also explored, as well as the uncertainty of the postpartum period. 

My Verdict: What works for this book is the exploration of the idea of alternative realities and timelines; how a major event like giving birth can cause such a thing to happen on a large scale; and its honest look at motherhood, grief, anxiety, and even insecurity. What does not work is the pacing, as there are moments that are incredibly slow, mostly the parts with the explanations of what Hannah is experiencing, and how such a thing could be possible. I would not categorize this book as a thriller as the pacing is not quick enough for that. Also, while the idea of losing a child is naturally devastating, something about either Hannah's situation, or the way she is dealing with it, or maybe just her character in general, made it not that interesting to me. 

Favorite Moment: There are moments when the reader is given brief glimpses into the kind of books Hannah used to write. These kind of moments always intrigue me in stories. I love when characters play a fictional game and the readers are given a short (but ultimately incomplete) picture of it. Or when, like in this case, a character is an author and describes the books they write. Or a character that is an avid reader talks about their favorite fictional series. 

Favorite Character: Given how complex the idea of alternate realities can get, I enjoyed the straight-forward nature of Hannah's therapist, Dr. Goodman. She may seem initially cold and standoffish, even a bit judgmental, but she turns out to be both helpful and supportive.

Recommended Reading: Perhaps a book the explores the idea of alternate realities a bit more successfully is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.  

Door Stop: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Perhaps I should make a yearly adventure into the work of Margaret Atwood, who has such an extensive catalogue of novels that it is almost intimidating, and which I have read surprisingly little. The Blind Assassin caught my attention due to its length, and because it was the recipient of the Man Booker Prize in the year 2000. In it, a woman in her 80s decides it is time for her to tell the story - the real story - of her life, and what happened between her and famous novelist sister.

The Situation: It is 1999, and 83 year-old Iris Griffen would more or less like to be left alone, but Myra, the daughter of an old friend, has taken it upon herself to make sure Iris stays fed, her house stays clean, and the laundry is always done, among other things. What Myra does not know is that Iris has decided to write down the events of her life. The story may begin with the day Laura, Iris' sister, drove a car off a bridge, just ten days after World War II ended, but this is also where the story will takes its wildest eventual turn. Before this, there is their childhood, a charmed existence eventually marred by a turning economy, tragedy, and decisions made for the greater good.

The Problem: Whether Laura's death was a suicide as opposed to an accident is the question, and after posing it, Iris starts at the beginning, when the two of them are young, both parents are alive, and the future holds nothing but promise. But as the two sisters grow up, death will claim loved ones, and the family button factory will cease to be profitable as conflict overseas continues. When Iris is married off as more of a business transaction than anything else, it is supposed to signal a positive turning point for everyone, but ends up not helping anyone. As Iris tells her story, she also shares chapters from her sister's book, The Blind Assassin. Both stories eventually come together to reveal everything, changing the history of Iris and Laura that everyone thought they knew. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel that moves back and forth through time, though mostly stays in the mid-20th century, before, during, and after WWII. Otherwise, Iris talks about her life in the year 1999, and lets the story of when she was younger eventually catch up to the present, revealing exactly how she got to be where she is, and every secret along the way. When she is not talking about the past or the present, the reader is treated to chapter's of Laura's book, which, much like Laura's sudden death, upset everything for everyone involved, including Iris, her husband Richard, his sister Winnifred, and Iris' daughter Aimee. The book is a love story, a mystery, and even historical fiction, with some science fiction thrown in.

My Verdict: In the beginning, I had a hard time finding a rhythm with this book. I think the moving through time, with the chapters of Laura's book in between, was all a little hard to follow at first. However, once I got the hang of it, I found the three different stories refreshing, when usually in books like this at least one of them would not have been as interesting to me. Though technically, there are four different stories at work here, as Laura's book has two (the story of the two lovers, as well as the story the man is telling the woman), and then Iris is talking about her past, as well as the present. In other words, there is quite a bit going on here, but it is not cumbersome, and the reveals of the final twists do not feel cheap or unnecessary.

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* Call me cruel (I certainly would) but I did love the fact that marrying Iris off to a business friend did not result in the benefits her father was expecting. In fact, the whole thing could not have ended worse for him.

Favorite Character: Most of the characters in this book are tiresome, including Iris and her sister Laura. I did enjoy the brief encounters the reader got with Walter, Myra's husband, who has joined his wife in making sure Iris is taken care of, despite her protests.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Alias Grace, again by Atwood, which is also a limited series on Netflix. 

Horror Fiction: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Today's entry will be the fourth book by author Silvia Moreno-Garcia to receive attention on this blog. Silver Nitrate was described as a horror mystery novel set in early 1990s Mexico that involved an unfinished classic horror film, as well as a secret hidden magic. 

The Situation: Montserrat is a gifted and dedicated sound editor, but lately it seems her boss is intent on pushing her out, favoring a younger male colleague to her, in a job that already does not pay all that well, even when she does have a fair amount of shifts. Her best friend from childhood, Tristán, could be a source of comfort if he was not so preoccupied with his own problems. Having moved out on his own after a breakup, he is also attempting to revive his acting career, while dodging questions from journalists who wish to ask about a tragedy from his past. They both see an opportunity when Tristán discovers that his new neighbor is cult horror film director Abel Urueta. The man insists he is cursed, and Montserrat and Tristán may be able to help him.

The Problem: Abel insists that the only way to lift the curse is to shoot the missing scene of an unfinished film. After learning the intricate and troubled history of not only the film, but the people surrounding the production, Montserrat and Tristán agree to help Abel, but this is when strange things begin happening. The pair may have been dubious when hearing stories of the Nazi occultist that Abel worked with, and the supposed magic that the dangerous silver nitrate film holds. But Montserrat insists that something is following her, and Tristán is more than a little unnerved when he begins to see the figure of his dead girlfriend. It seems that helping Abel remove the curse was only the beginning of their adventure, and both must be willing to put their skepticism aside if they hope to survive.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a horror novel set in late 1993-early 1994 in Mexico. Montserrat is a plain woman (by her own admission) who is fine with having few friends, and spending hours at her job as a sound editor. She has long been in love with her friend Tristán, but she knows he has never truly seen her, and is more than a little self-absorbed. Together, the two of them find themselves involved in a mystery of magic, curses, and a cult whose leader was a Nazi who pieced together his own system of magic in his search for unimaginable power, and as a way to push his own racist concepts. Wilhelm Friedrich Ewers may not have been a real person, but he is a composite of several Nazi occultists. And the same is true for Abel Urueta, who is a combination of Mexican film director Chano Urueta, and actor Abel Salazar. 

My Verdict: While the plot of this book is interesting, and it made me curious enough to continue reading through to the end, I cannot say that I found it all that scary. And at various points, I wondered if the narrative would have been better served if it focused solely on Montserrat, or solely on Tristán, as opposed to splitting the attention between the two of them. With that being said, both Montserrat and Tristán are fully realized characters with rich histories, as well as different approaches to the situation in which they find themselves. The introduction of a cult horror film director certainly added to the story, while also making it complicated to the point of it almost becoming uninteresting. A few intense scenes make for a compelling conclusion, but I am not sure if horror story lovers will find this one to be terrible engaging.

Favorite Moment: While Montserrat remains loyal to Tristán, this does not mean that she pulls punches with him. There are many moments when she refuses to put up with his nonsense, no matter how angry or desperate he gets. 

Favorite Character: Montserrat has her issues, but she is no fool. She knows when someone is attempting to get the best of her, and has no problem with being direct and getting to the point.

Recommended Reading: I thought The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero was a hidden gem of a book that did not get nearly enough attention. 

Nonfiction: When Crack Was King by Donovan X. Ramsey

The title of today's book is what first caught my attention. What motivated me to actually pick it up and buy it was the description, which promised to tell the histories and experiences of four different individuals during the crack epidemic, alongside the drug's varied and intense history in this country. Donovan X. Ramsey's When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era explores exactly what happened, gives detailed accounts of the people who suffered the most, while also looking at who is responsible, and how we can stop something like this from happening again.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that starts in the 1960s, during the Civil Rights Era, and when the Nixon administration made the decision to focus on how best to deal with two of its biggest enemies, which were those that were antiwar, and Black people. The book continues to move through the 70s and 80s, which saw the emergence of crack, a cheaply made and cheap to obtain drug that would tear apart many communities of color across the country. Alongside the facts, figures, and history, are the stories of four people: Elgin from Yonkers, Lennie from Los Angeles, Kurt from Baltimore, and Shawn from Newark. Not all of them were crack users, or crack dealers, but they all have intimate knowledge of how the epidemic affected their respective communities, with many of those effects hitting incredibly close to home.

My Verdict: Sure, a history lesson on the crack epidemic has the potential to be a tough (and upsetting) read. And while the addition of the personal stories makes for a nice break, while also offering much appreciated and fascinating insight, these stories also have the potential of adding to the overall distress, and despair, over such a subject. With that being said, I do not regret having chosen this book as one of my nonfiction selections for the year. Though it is a tough subject, it is also important to acknowledge what happened, how it happened, and to whom it happened. Well-researched and well-organized, this book is a thorough history of one of the nation's roughest moments, one that could easily be forgotten, and then tragically repeated.

Favorite Moment: In 1994, John Ehrlichman, counsel and assistant to the president for domestic affairs under Nixon, admitted in an interview with Harper's Magazine that they used drugs as a way to vilify Black people and disrupt their communities. Feels weird to put this down as a 'favorite' moment, but it feels oddly validating to see it printed out (again) in black and white.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. 

Young Adult Fiction: Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

During my undergraduate years, I took American Sign Language as my foreign language. One of the requirements for both ASL I and ASL II was that the students spend a certain number of hours interacting with the Deaf community in the city. I learned a lot, about both the language and the culture, but just as with any other language, it was a 'use it or lose it' situation, something that is briefly discussed in Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. In this young adult novel, 17 year-old Lilah will get the opportunity to return to a summer camp for the deaf and blind that she used to attend as a kid. It will certainly be a summer to remember as she will do much more than simply brush up on her ASL.

The Situation: It is the end of junior year of high school, and Lilah is not exactly pleased with the direction her life has currently taken. Her grades have taken a serious dive, much to her mother's displeasure, so now there is talk of summer school, as well as more unpleasant discussions regarding Lilah's hearing loss and how she needs to advocate for herself in the classroom. Even at the end of an outing with her hearing friends, Lilah experiences listening fatigue, and getting her teachers to use the accommodations she needs is another issue she is simply sick of dealing with. There is somewhere where Lilah never felt out of place, a summer camp for the deaf and blind that she has not been to in years. So she decides to reach out and see if there is a spot for her as a junior counselor, and when she is accepted, she has no idea just how much she is going to learn.

The Problem: Lilah has a hard time fitting into the hearing world. But because she is not completely deaf, she has often experienced feelings of insecurity (as well as moments of discrimination) from the Deaf community for not being 'deaf enough.' At Camp Gray Wolf, Lilah will meet campers and counselors who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, visually impaired, as well as counselors who are hearing and not visually impaired. She will also meet Isaac, a cute deaf counselor who seems to like Lilah as much as she likes him, but she is not sure. She is uncomfortable about her lack of knowledge of ASL, as she feels she slows conversations down, and that more than a few of the counselors are annoyed with her because of it. Lilah is glad to be at Gray Wolf, but it will be a summer of discovery, and some lessons will have to come the hard way.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set mostly at Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for the deaf and blind. Written from Lilah's point of view, the reader follows her around as she navigates her summer as the new junior counselor. Because of her hearing loss, Lilah sometimes misses what is being spoken in conversation, and therefore, so does the reader. Lilah's hearing aids do help, but they do not catch everything. Her ability to read lips also helps, but again, it is not a solution to catching 100% of what people say to her. She would love to use ASL more, but does not know it as well as she would like. Miscommunication is a common occurrence as Lilah attempts to form her own identity within the Deaf community, which is incredibly complex. 

My Verdict: From the first page, Lilah's frustration over the current situation can be clearly felt. The struggle to make sure teachers do what they are supposed to do; the difficult conversations with her mom; the stressful appointments with her audiologist - all of these things, along with a myriad of others, are a regular part of her life. Deaf culture is complex, and no one book is going to be able to spell everything out, but this book can be a start. And a fun one at that. Ultimately, Lilah is a teenage girl working at a summer camp, glad to be away from home and school for a bit, hoping to maybe have a summer romance and learn a little bit about who she is. Having hearing loss does complicate matters, but the book makes it clear that there are options, and the choice is hers, and those close to her will respect what she decides and what she needs. 

Favorite Moment: Lilah's little brother Max, who is also hard of hearing, arrives at the camp midway through the summer, and she is able to use what she has learned so far to guide him to make his own decisions. 

Favorite Character: Bobby is a senior counselor at Camp Gray Wolf and is also blind. I got excited every time he showed up on the page because of his humor and generally bright demeanor. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Chaos Theory by Nic Stone, as well as Kids of Appetite by David Arnold.