Historical Fiction: Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Jenny Tinghui Zhang's Four Treasures of the Sky had already made it into my to-read pile before I realized the author was to speak at this year's San Antonio Book Festival. Being able to hear her talk about her process and research, as well as have her sign my copy of the book was a fun experience. The book promised to be a unique adventure, set in the 19th century, as it follows a young Chinese girl attempting to claim her own story.

The Situation: Daiyu has never liked her name all that much. She was named after a tragic heroine who dies after that man she loves marries someone else. It is 1882 when Daiyu experiences her own first tragedy, as her parents go missing from their home in China. At her grandmother's insistence, she takes her chances in the streets, dressed as a boy, hoping to find work somewhere that will keep her safe and her belly full. As Feng, the young male street urchin, Daiyu finds herself working at a calligraphy school. Although she cannot be one of the formal students, she treasures each lesson she is able to overhear Master Wang teach, drawing the characters in the ground outside, or even in the air. 

The Problem: Despite the tragedy Daiyu has already experienced in her short life, more follows when she is kidnapped by someone she believed to be a kind stranger and shipped off to America. After a long and almost maddening journey, Daiyu arrives in San Francisco only to be forced into life in a brothel. Once again renamed, this time as Peony, Daiyu fears the day when her 'training' is over and she must take her first customer. The tragic heroine that she was named after seems to continue to follow her, making her question what direction her life is meant to take, and whether it will always be tragic and out of her hands. But Daiyu must learn from each person she is forced to become as she makes each move, and is eventually able to tell her own story.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in the late 19th century, and takes place in both China and the United States. When Daiyu is first kidnapped, in happens out in the open as she goes willingly, believing the mysterious stranger to have saved her from a dangerous encounter. And this is not even the first terrible thing that young Daiyu has had to endure. Zhang's idea for the novel came from her father who returned from a work trip having seen a historical marker that intrigued him. After much research, the result is the story we are talking about now, and much of Daiyu's experiences in the U.S. comes after the very real Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

My Verdict: The book jacket promises an adventure across continents, cities, and several identities, and the book certainly delivers. It seems the more Daiyu attempts to escape the tragic life of her namesake, the more terrible things seem to follow her. Each identity and relocation brings with it both hope and fear, as Daiyu wants more than anything to be safe, but feels she cannot trust anyone with who she really is, not fully. The places Daiyu finds herself in are less than ideal, but Zhang makes them feel real - and yet also magical - allowing the upsetting reality of what is happening to not become too overwhelming or too hopeless. Zhang is gentle with the reader, but the situations are not for the faint at heart. Historical fiction fans will be pleased, but may also experience some heartbreak. 

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* With a little outside help, Daiyu is able to outsmart the manager of the brothel she is employed at and once again change her circumstances. 

Favorite Character: There are few good people that Daiyu encounters during the story, but her grandmother did what she could. Also, Master Wang at the calligraphy school is both gracious and kind, while still upholding his own standards.  

Recommended Reading: I recommend Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim.

Science Fiction: Walk the Vanished Earth by Erin Swan

It is always a joy when I find a science fiction book that genuinely interests me, because it simply does not happen often enough. And it seems Erin Swan's Walk the Vanished Earth has followed a similar trend of other 2022 science fiction books I have read of dealing with a planet in peril, stories across time, and humanity traveling to a new far away location.

The Situation: In 1873 Kansas, a young bison hunter named Samson has no idea what his future holds, and how he will help shape the course humanity will take over the next 200 years. For now, he simply wants to marry and settle down, and forget the trauma he experienced at the hands of his cruel father. In 1975, a somewhat feral young woman will find herself in an institution, and give birth to a boy who will not know her until he is a young man. What he learns and inherits from his mother will be passed down to his daughter and granddaughter, as they all attempt to figure out what the human race will do now that earth is in trouble.

The Problem: When hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans in 2005, Paul is safe in his home in Kansas City. But he cannot forget what he sees on the news, despite the urging from his wife that his focus should be on his own home and their growing family. When other cities on the coastlines are swallowed by rising sea levels in late 2017, Paul realizes he cannot simply continue with his life as it is, and the earth may not let him. In 2073, Moon only knows life on Mars with her two alien uncles, though she knows they have plans to somehow grow the population and continue the race. However, she also knows they have not taught her everything, and she cannot help but wonder what happened to her own mother. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set across 200 years, beginning in 1873 and ending in 2073. The story is not told in a linear fashion, with the author instead choosing to jump around, not only in time, but between narrators as well. The result is a fully complete story, but the information is filled in piece by piece, like a puzzle, as the reader is given more clues and information. While partly speculative fiction, there is also some alternative history as Swan paints a world where the hurricanes and storms of 2017 were much more damaging, and entire cities (and all of California) are lost to the oceans. It becomes clear fairly early that a mission to Mars was attempted, but how successful it was is part of the overall mystery.

My Verdict: When I picked this book up, I was not entirely sure what to expect, except a story that would span across a couple of centuries and possibly planets. What I got was an intriguing look at a potential future for humanity and this planet. And while I knew all of the stories were somehow connected, knowing this ahead of time did not dull the surprises that came, or make any of the narratives less interesting. There was this low-lying, almost eerie, as well as consistent, sense of dread and foreboding that came with every new plan to restart civilization. It was always clear, and yet somehow not overtly obvious, that every new self-declared leader was hiding something, had done something, or was going to mess something up (as humans do). Sure, it is hard to trust politicians, but what if the new leader is part of your family? 

Favorite Moment: When Moon, after conducting her own research, makes her own decision for what she wants her life to be.

Favorite Character: Moon is incredibly capable, despite having very little to work with. 

Recommended Reading: The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez is one of my recent favorites, and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel is also worth reading.

Contemporary Fiction: Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

Today's DSN is one I felt like I had to pick up and read after seeing it featured in multiple places. The synopsis for Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow promised a multi-generational story spanning several decades, exploring the relationships between a mother and her children, and the sacrifices women make for family.

The Situation: It is 1995, and ten year-old Joan finds herself on a journey to Memphis, Tennessee. She knows she has been to her dead grandmother's house before, but she does not remember much since she was only three years old at the time. Now she, her mother Miriam, and her little sister Mya make the journey without her father, and are greeted by her Aunt August and her cousin Derek. While the mother and her two daughters are fleeing one bad situation, they very well may have entered into another one. And as the stories are told throughout the years, it becomes clear that the North family is no stranger to violence, trauma, and sacrifice.

The Problem: After remembering a past trauma, Joan manages to find relief and solace in her art. And while constantly carrying around a sketch book and drawing nearly everything she sees does not cause her that much trouble, her mother Miriam would rather that she focus on a hobby or occupation that she can actually make money from. But her Aunt August comes to her aid, as well as the mysterious neighbor down the street who claims to know about magic and curses. As the novel progresses, three generations of North woman have their stories and their struggles revealed, showing their ability to persevere in the most impossible of circumstances.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel, often categorized as historical fiction, that is set primarily between the years 1995 to 2003, in Memphis, Tennessee. However, the story is not told in a strictly chronological fashion, as it skips around in time, and from one narrator to another. Between Joan, Miriam, August, and Hazel, nearly 70 years of family history are covered, and with each generation comes new obstacles to overcome, and more hard decisions that need to be made. With the use of important historical events to mark the years (such as the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Stringfellow takes the reader back and forth through time with these resolute women.

My Verdict: Sometimes picking up a book just to see what all of the fuss is about pays off...and of course there are the times it does not. For me, this one fell somewhere in the middle. I am certainly glad I decided to go ahead and read it and give it a space on this blog, but I was not as blown away as I was expecting to be after seeing how much attention it was getting. I will say that the author puts a lot of history and story into less than 250 pages. And while having multiple narrators is always risky, the technique works out well here, and having the story jump around through time is not as confusing as it could have been.

Favorite Moment: When sisters Miriam and August, almost without words, prepare for unwanted visitors with one of them opening the door, while the other holds the shotgun in place. 

Favorite Character: Miss Dawn is that one neighbor lady that your parents tell you not to bother, but turns out to both be not as scary, and somehow even more scary, than you thought.  

Recommended Reading: I recommend another 2022 release, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. 

Nonfiction: The Other Dr. Gilmer by Benjamin Gilmer

Part true crime, and part memoir & autobiography, The Other Dr. Gilmer: Two Men, a Murder, and an Unlikely Fight for Justice by Benjamin Gilmer will check a lot of boxes for anyone who gravitates towards nonfiction. It not only involves a murder and an odd coincidence, but there is also a healthy amount of science, research, and a critical look at the U.S. criminal justice system.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book written by a Dr. Benjamin Gilmer, about his relationship with a Dr. Vince Gilmer. The first thing that should be made clear is that these two men are not related. Also, they did not meet until 2012. The second thing to bring up is that they meet because Benjamin Gilmer ends up becoming a doctor at the same clinic that Vince Gilmer used to work at. And although Vince Gilmer has been serving a prison life sentence after being convicted of murdering his father, his former patients still remember him fondly, many not convinced that his life sentence is justified. After discovering the strange details of the crime and the trial, Benjamin Gilmer decides to meet Vince Gilmer, and what follows is a years long journey for justice for anyone experiencing mental illness while behind bars. Not only does Benjamin Gilmer tell Vince Gilmer's story, but also manages to tell his own, while pointing out a myriad of issues and blind spots when it comes to how this country deals with mental illness within the prison system. The current state of our healthcare system does not go unmentioned, and neither does the lengthy process required when working with lawyers and politicians when asking for clemency.

My Verdict: I meant what I said when I mentioned how this book checks a lot of boxes: true crime, memoir, as well as history and biography, with some medical drama on the side. Benjamin Gilmer was determined to advocate for his friend and get his story out there, and I would say he succeeded in giving readers a narrative that is honest, to the point, and somehow encouraging, despite the subject matter and an incredibly uphill battle with many obstacles. Possibly what I found the most fascinating is the many turns this book takes as far as the feel and emotions. At first it is fairly haunting, with these images of a bear-like Vince Gilmer killing his father. And then there is the tension of Benjamin Gilmer reaching out to a convicted murderer and the giant question mark around everything that can possibly come out of an interaction like that. A lot happens in less than 300 pages, and it is certainly worth a read.

Favorite Moment: Near the beginning of the book, Benjamin Gilmer is getting used to his new job and patients, and there is some humor and fascination in seeing him interact with those who knew and loved Vince Gilmer. 

Favorite Quotes: "But that was precisely Schweitzer's point: that true reverence extended compassion to the hopeless, the destitute, the scorned. It included the sick and the healthy, the poor and the rich, the free and the imprisoned. It included addicts and thieves, murderers and the men they killed. The chickens and the stray dogs, the mice and the man who held them: Reverence for life was unconditional."

"Most prisons in this country are engineered to be invisible. Hidden in rural communities, they are places where humans are stowed away and forgotten. Widespread privatization has only hastened the trend toward invisibility. Who, after all, wants to be known for making their money off the backs of those behind bars?"

Recommended Reading: Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan is another fascinating look at how our brains can betray us. 

Historical Fiction: The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

Author Kate Quinn has come out with another historical fiction epic focused on women and their role in World War II. Quinn even discovered the heroine of The Diamond Eye while conducting the research for a previous novel, The Huntress.

The Situation: Single mother Lyudmila Pavlichenko has a lot going on. She orders her life around her son, her library job, her school research, and her desire to finally secure a divorce from her husband, Alexei. When Hitler decides to invade Russia, Mila puts everything on hold to serve her country as a sniper, something women in many other countries could not have done at the time. Having been trained at the Osoaviakhim marksmanship school, Mila is qualified, despite what the male soldiers around her may think, and she lives by one simple rule for every area of her life: "Don't miss."

The Problem: War is terrible, for everyone involved. And being a female sniper in a land that is being invaded by Hitler adds a level of complication that many would not understand. It also does not help that she is stationed right where her Alexei can keep an eye on her. After many successful missions, and also several brushes with death, Mila is sent as part of a delegation to the U.S, with the Russians hoping to convince Franklin Delano Roosevelt to provide aid. The Americans are all too curious about 'Lady Death,' the female sniper who is said to have killed 309 people. But Mila has no idea that another enemy is waiting for her in this new country, one that is just as dangerous as the ones she has met on the battlefield.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set partly in Russia during World War II, and also in the United States as Mila tours the country as part of a delegation. Mila, also often referred to as Lady Death, remains as the central focus of the story, as most of it is told from her point of view. There are occasional moments when the reader is given a third-person account from someone who is less-convinced of Mila's ability, and more interested in using her for his own scheme. And then there are brief first-person entries from Eleanor Roosevelt, the first lady of the White House. As is usually the case with historical fiction, many events and people are real, and many have been fictionalized. But Mila Pavlichenko did exist, though many do not know about this celebrated female sniper.

My Verdict: I will assert that this is Quinn's most impressive work yet. The author does not shy away from complex and lesser-known female figures from World War II, and taking on the story of a Soviet sniper is no small thing. For many, hearing that there once existed a woman who was credited with over 300 sniper kills during WWII will cause wonder, if they can first get past the disbelief. What Quinn manages to do is tell the story in such a way that it is easy to move beyond the disbelief, and simply learn about a woman who was doing what she felt she needed to do. Every chapter is an adventure, with complicated issues, and both hidden and obvious enemies. 

Favorite Moment: There is a moment when Mila is able to prove herself and her skills in front of an audience of doubters, even outshooting her husband.

Favorite Character: Eleanor Roosevelt has a significant role in the story, and ends up playing a huge part in making Mila more comfortable during her time in the U.S. Apparently, she is also a terrible (or awesome, depending on how you want to look at it) driver. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Quinn's previous book, The Rose Code, as well as Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly.