Contemporary Fiction: Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

Literary fiction is a genre I am always willing to experience more of, and yet the amount of books that can be labeled as such are somewhat few and far between on this blog. These more character driven stories move at a different pace, and are often viewed as books where 'not a lot happens,' though that is not necessarily true. Morgan Talty's Fire Exit has the 'literary fiction' tag attached to it in Goodreads, and it makes sense. With the focus on a man who must come to terms with the past, it explores our relationship with the truth, and whose right it is to share it.

The Situation: Charles Lamosway has spent many hours on the porch of his home, watching another family's life unfold from across the river. That family lives on the reservation, where he himself grew up with his mother, Louise, and stepfather, Frederick. Charles has watched that family since the day the couple brought home their daughter, Elizabeth, from the hospital. It was a day that changed his life in more ways than one, mostly because the man who ends up raising Elizabeth is not her real father, and Charles has spent the years wondering if she should know the truth.

The Problem: Now Elizabeth is an adult, and is clearly struggling. But she is not the only one. Charles not only wrestles with the truth about the daughter he did not get to raise, but also the guilt he still feels over his stepfather's tragic death. His primary relationships include his often-drunk friend Bobby, and his still living mother Louise, who everyday sinks deeper into dementia, and may still harbor resentment over what happened to her husband. When it becomes clear that Elizabeth is in trouble, Charles makes a decision that will effect more lives than his own. The truth is important, but may not be his to share. And could it be too late?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of fiction, set in and around the community where Charles lives near Overtown, Maine. The character of Charles grew up on the Penobscot Reservation with his mother and stepfather, but had to move off the land once he turned 18. With no family of his own, and a strained relationship with his mother, Charles has spent much of his adult life observing and wondering about the family across the river, where his daughter lives with the man she believes is her real father. While Charles mostly wrestles with his own guilt over the past, and remorse for what his life could have been, he also struggles with the truth and how to handle it. Plus, there is the extra layer of caring for a parent with dementia. 

My Verdict: With Charles as the first-person narrator, there are many moments that are not overly descriptive, and several actions are completed seemingly without much forethought. He simply knows something to be true - or at least believes something to be true - and acts accordingly, having to deal with the consequences later. With most of the page-turning action happening in the final quarter of the book, Talty holds the reader's attention throughout the story by carefully revealing Charles' past, and why the characters are how they are now, including Elizabeth. I enjoyed the exploration of our relationship with the truth, and how both sharing it, and withholding it, can be a dangerous thing.

Favorite Moment: After reading that individuals with dementia often enjoy having something to take care of, Charles gives his mother a stuffed elephant, which remains by her side for the rest of the book. 

Favorite Character: Bobby is a mess. But he can be a helpful mess, and he does care a great deal for Charles' mother, Louise.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera. It is a different kind of story that also looks at complicated family relationships, and how communities attempt to hold onto the area where they live. 

Historical Fiction: Swift River by Essie Chambers

Going through the new releases for the month can be both exciting and frustrating. Some books move automatically onto the 'to-read' list, usually because they are written by someone whose book or books I have previously enjoyed, but there is always the question of just how much space to reserve for debut authors. I am glad to have made space for Swift River by Essie Chambers, which looks at the experience of a young woman who lives in a town where no one looks like her.

The Situation: It is the summer of 1987, and Diamond Newberry is working with her mother in order to have her father finally declared legally dead. It has been seven years since he disappeared, but because the body was never found, he had only been labeled as 'missing,' which meant no life insurance money. Over the years, various people claim to have seen Diamond's dad at a store, in a parking lot, or with another family two towns over. Looking back at the memories of her father's life in Swift River as the only Black man in the entire town - and his disappearance means Diamond has since become the only Black person in town - Diamond is not sure what to hope for. Her and her mother could use the money, but declaring her father dead is maybe something she is not ready for.

The Problem: The paper work and legal hoops Diamond and her mom must work through is fairly daunting. But the two remain determined, even as they often have to beg for rides to places, or even hitchhike. The two of them already standout, mostly because of Diamond's darker skin color and weight, contrasted next to her mother's pale skin and thin frame, which has always earned them various comments from strangers. To complicate matters, this is the summer Diamond has decided to learn to drive, even though she knows her mother is against it, and she has begun receiving letters from a relative from her dad's side of the family. Through the letters, Diamond learns not only more or her dad's history, but the town as well, and the generations of Newberry women that came before her.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction book set in the fictional town of Swift River, with most of the action taking place in 1987, but with flashbacks to 1980, the year that Diamond's father went missing. The town of Swift River is a 'sundown town,' and at one point, all of the Black people were forced out, even though the town depended on the Black population as a labor force. Through the letters Diamond receives from her recently discovered relative, she learns more about this time in her town's history, as well as her great-aunt's contributions to the community. It is a book that goes back and forth in time, reaching even further back as Diamond reads her great-aunt's letters, and explores themes of family, friendship, guarded secrets, and the complications of grief.

My Verdict: This is an interesting read, and a book that works hard to keep the reader engaged by moving back and forth through time, and including letters from two different characters outside of Swift River. Plus, there is Diamond's complicated relationship with her town, as well as her even more complicated relationship with her mother. The story is never boring, though often heart-breaking, while also being incredibly tense in places. The ending felt slightly rushed, as it felt like everything was being brought together too quickly, but I would not say there are loose ends or that anything was left unresolved. Perhaps the history of Swift River could have been its own separate book, instead of less than half of this one. 

Favorite Moment: I love that Diamond decided to learn to drive, carefully and over time putting aside money from her part-time job in order to pay for the classes.

Favorite Character: Diamond's new friend Shelly is probably not someone her father would have wanted his daughter to hang out with, but she is there for Diamond, even helping her out at her job without asking to be paid. 

Recommended Reading: I will always recommend Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. 

Young Adult Fiction: Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi

The long awaited third book of Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orїsha series is finally here. Children of Anguish and Anarchy catches up to Zélie and the events that followed the second book, including what has happened to Orїsha now that the monarchy has fallen.

The Situation: The war has ended. The fighting is supposed to be over. What should now be a celebration for the maji is anything but, as Zélie finds herself captive in an enemy ship. With a majacite crown secured to her head, she is unable to summon the magic that has aided her so many times before. With no idea what is to come, Zélie is eventually brought fact to face with a new enemy that is determined to harness her magic for himself, and eventually take over all of Orїsha. King Baldry wants to become a god, and it becomes clear that he and his people are a force to be reckoned with, and carry their own incredible abilities that will be difficult to overpower. 

The Problem: Far away from home, Zélie must work fast to thwart King Baldyr's plans, while also finding a way to protect Orїsha, a land that is still hurting from everything that has happened. But in the process, she has to decide if she can trust Inan, the boy that is supposed to be king of Orїsha, and her previous enemy. Her brother Tzain must decide if he can trust Inan's sister Amari, who is determined to redeem herself from her own acts of betrayal, and is willing to fight using her newly discovered strength and abilities. While the fight against King Bladyr and the Skulls will not be an easy one, it is clear that the people of Orїsha will need to be united if they stand a chance of surviving as a nation.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel, the events of which immediately follow the ending of the second book in the series, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. The readers encounter Zélie, Tzain, Amari, and Inan as they are held captive aboard the ship of a new enemy, the Skulls. Their king, Baldyr, has grand plans for the magic Zélie holds, and indeed for all of Orїsha. Much like in the first two books, magic plays a big role in everything. Readers are also introduced to two new nations of Orїsha: the Skulls, and the people of New Gaīa. All three nations will enter into a battle where everything is at stake, and sacrifices will be made. 

My Verdict: It has been five years since Children of Virtue and Vengeance was published, and the level of anticipation and excitement for this third book was certainly high, especially given the ending of its predecessor. This book certainly delivers on the action and adventure, but other aspects of the story feel rushed and a little hollow. It is interesting because the settings are well-described, and the characters are the same ones we have gotten to know over the past two books, but the new characters do not seem as developed, and their appearance is sudden and jarring. Also, I had a hard time believing the chemistry, or animosity, between any of them. When I turned the final page, I was happy to have joined Zélie on this adventure, but feel she deserved a better ending.

Favorite Moment: I enjoyed the first introduction to New Gaīa and its lush green landscape.

Favorite Character: Tzain has one main goal, and that is to keep Zélie safe. He has his own struggles to overcome, and has to figure out what kind of warrior he wishes to be, but he is determined to do what he has to do and is willing to meet every challenge.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Traci Chee's The Reader series, another young adult fantasy trilogy. 

 

Contemporary Fiction: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue

Anyone who has ever worked in an office environment will most likely recognize the title of today's book from at least one email they have received from, or even written to, a coworker. I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue promised to be a funny and relatable look at office work culture and all the complications within it.

The Situation: For Jolene Smith, her administrative job at Supershops is not at all something she aspired to, but it is the one thing in her life holding her world together. The rent may barely get paid, but her measly paycheck keeps her from having to move back in with her controlling mother, while also allowing her to stay stocked in the alcohol she knows she needs to stop drinking. For the most part, Jolene makes a concerted effort to interact with her coworkers as little as possible, knowing full well that she has now been labeled at the very least as 'antisocial,' and maybe at worst as 'hostile.' She finds some relief from the monotony in her whited-out hidden messages in her emails to people...that is until one of them is discovered.

The Problem: Now Jolene is required to complete a mandatory harassment training with the new human resources representative, Cliff. If this was not bad enough, something has been installed on her computer so that her emails can be monitored. But someone goofed: Whatever application was installed is allowing Jolene to see everyone's emails, as well as their inter-office chats. And none of it is good. When it becomes clear that a round of layoffs is on the horizon, Jolene must act fast to change how her coworkers see her if she hopes to keep her job. This means reaching out, working hard, and - horror of horrors - maybe actually caring. This plan cannot work forever, but hopefully just long enough for Jolene to secure her job.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a novel set in present-day Calgary, Canada, with much of the action taking place inside of the administrative offices of Supershops, where Jolene works as an admin. When her practice of hiding less-than-friendly messages at the bottom of her emails is discovered, an IT mix-up gives her access to everyone's emails, opening up a world of information on the coworkers she has never liked. There are secrets being kept; underhanded plots discovered; and of course, Jolene finds out how her coworkers really feel about her. While inter-office politics may be the focus, the book also deals with mental health, trauma, and unmanaged guilt.

My Verdict: As a professional paper pusher myself, there were parts of this book that I felt deeply. The obvious eavesdropping (people always think they are being sly...they are not); the passive aggressive emails; the back-stabbing; the front-stabbing; the obvious delight in a disliked coworker's downfall; and of course, the supervisor that no one likes and is not great at their job, but will never be fired. It is all here, and while the character of Jolene is not exactly a model employee, the author manages to garner enough sympathy from the reader to where I was rooting for her, even through her many, many mistakes. Her world is fully-formed, in all of its tedious and monotonous non-glory, complete with a pushy parent and a needy neighbor kid. Somehow both light-hearted and frustrating, I recommend this book to anyone working the 8 to 5 grind and trying their best to make it work.

Favorite Moment: There are some delightful nuggets in here, but I especially enjoyed a moment when Jolene pushes past her fear of speaking up in boardroom meetings, and her general dislike of making an effort, and manages to make a real, positive, impression.

Favorite Character: Poor Cliff. Being the new human resources guy means he is immediately the enemy, even without having done anything wrong. Everything he does and says is suspect, and having to evaluate employees in an already terrible office environment that he did nothing to cultivate has to be a special kind of hell.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Rainbow Rowell's Attachments, one of her earliest novels. 

Science Fiction: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

There was a good amount of discussion and hype around Kaliane Bradley's time travel novel The Ministry of Time. As someone who often has a hard time grasping the concept of time travel, I was hesitant to pick up this book and attempt to follow the narrative. Thankfully, the narrator acknowledges from the outset that the mechanics of time travel can be difficult to make sense of. Whether this is a copout on the author's part, or a clever way of putting the reader at ease (and maybe allowing some humor) is hard to know.

The Situation: In a not-so-distant future, a civil servant living in London is offered the opportunity to work with expats as a "bridge." While she may have gotten the position due to her own history as the daughter of a white father and a Cambodian mother who escaped her country, the pay is not bad, and it may get her closer to the job she wants. However, the "expat" she has been assigned to is not only new to London, but also new to this moment in history. Commander Graham Gore was part of a doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, and was supposed to have died in 1847. Now he is to spend an entire year living with a woman he does not know, in a London he does not recognize, with everything he does being restricted and recorded.

The Problem: Helping a 19th century commander acclimate to a different timeline is, at the very least, a strange task. A bridge must navigate their charges' unfamiliarity with how culture has changed, how language has evolved, and how to deal with the internet. Plus, there is the decision of when to inform Graham about 9/11, or what happened during World War II. Eventually, it becomes clear that the Ministry has plans for the expats that they are not telling the bridges about. And when people begin disappearing, and being labeled as defectors and traitors, the bridge begins to suspect that her job may not be as safe and secure as she had hoped, and that the future, all of it, may be at stake.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel that focuses on time travel, and what humanity would do with the ability to reach into the past in an attempt to alter a disastrous future. The first-person narrator remains nameless, possibly because what she is telling the reader is considered sensitive information. The man she is to assist, Commander Graham Gore, is a real person from history, although he was a First Lieutenant of the Erebus in 1945. Bringing a person from history nearly two hundred years ahead in the timeline has its expected consequences, with the ever present question of whether or not history can be changed, and should it.

My Verdict: This plot line has so much potential, and the author tackles the usual issues with time travel narratives. Leaving aside the question of whether such a thing is even possible, the book looks at what it would mean for someone from the mid-1800s to be suddenly thrust into the 21st century. Some of it is funny, a lot of is awkward (while still funny), and there are moments that get incredibly serious. The book ultimately takes more aspects of a spy-thriller, which would have been enjoyable if the pacing of the novel had not been slightly off, as well as some of the phrasing, and even some of the paragraph structure. There were parts of the narration where I had to go back after realizing I missed some crucial discovery, due to how everything was worded. For those readers who can get past this, they may find an enjoyable novel that looks at the progress we made, and where our world is headed next.

Favorite Moment: I did enjoy watching Graham discover new types of cuisine that he did not have the chance to encounter in his own time.

Favorite Character: Graham was fun to observe as he attempted to make sense of his new life, as were his new friends Arthur and Margaret, who were also brought forward from another time.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Recursion by Blake Crouch, a science fiction book that explores time travel and memory.