Historical Fiction: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

The news of another book by author James McBride made myself, and fans of his previous work, incredibly happy. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has come after 2020's Deacon King Kong, which was one of those books I could have read for forever. The premise of his latest book promised another look at a close-knit community, with a vast array of colorful and unforgettable characters.

The Situation: In 1972, a curious discovery is made while work is being done for a new development in the small town of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Now, an investigation must be done to find out not only the identity of the human skeleton that was recovered, but how it got there. Over three decades earlier, a Jewish couple named Moshe and Chona Ludlow were well-known in the community of Chicken Hill. While Moshe ran a successful local theater, one of the few in the area that was open to African Americans, Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, which she inherited from her retired father. Moshe would prefer to lead a quiet existence, free of trouble, but his wife insists on calling out the injustices around them and helping those in need, including a local deaf boy needing a place to hide.

The Problem: When Nate, Moshe's loyal friend and coworker, brings up a 12 year-old boy in need of sanctuary, Chona offers no objections to helping, though her husband has plenty. With both of the boy's parents gone, and an accident leaving him both deaf and unable to speak, the state is insisting that he needs to be institutionalized. Everyone around him seems to understand that the local institution is the last place anyone would want to be, and it takes an entire community, Jews and African Americans working together, to help keep him safe. But not everyone in Chicken Hill believes that what Chona is doing is right, and the same forces that wish to capture the boy are the same ones that have long worked against the African Americans and European immigrants that call the area home.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that opens in 1972, but quickly goes back even further in time to the 1920s and 30s. The setting for a story that will follow many residents of Pottstown, Pennsylvania is the small close-knit community of Chicken Hill. At the front of the story, at least in the earlier chapters, are Moshe and Chona Ludlow, a well-known Jewish couple. As the story progresses, more of the seemingly side characters begin to take center stage, specifically Nate, who works with Moshe down at the theater. Then there is Beatrice, Dodo, Addie, Fatty, Big Soap, Doc Roberts, Paper...the list goes on, as do the colorful names. Every resident of Chicken Hill must deal with the deteriorating effects of bigotry and hypocrisy, sometimes from their white neighbors, and sometimes from those they thought they could trust.

My Verdict: I will say that this story went in a direction that I was not expecting, and it takes the reader places that are not only surprising, but often terrifying, sometimes delightful, but mostly anxiety-inducing. Every plan requires the participation of several unreliable people, and everything can easily go wrong and result in a yet another win for the villains of Chicken Hill. But such is life in a too-small town where everyone knows each others business, and this includes the white supremacists and crooked officials. One thing I learned from reading McBride's previous book is that he is a writer that can be trusted. The story may be intense, but the characters are endearing and diverse...and frustrating, but they are doing their best. 

Favorite Moment: There is a moment when the Italian mother of one of the many side characters, Mrs. Carissimi, proceeds to scold her incredibly tall son, almost entirely in Italian, in front of his friends. She fears for his safety, and wants to be sure he is staying out of trouble. It is a scene full of back and forth between more than just the mother and her son, made more humorous by the size difference between the two, as well as the language barrier as the group has a hard time understanding her. 

Favorite Character: There are many to choose from here. I adore Mrs. Carissimi and her decision to have it out with her son while out in public. And Paper, which is short for Newspaper (real name Patty Millison), may be a town gossip, but she is also helpful and essential. 

Recommended Reading: Naturally, I recommend McBride's previous novel, Deacon King Kong, but I also want to recommend Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera. 

Historical Fiction: Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

It has been a little while since this blog has looked at a book that deals with the front lines of World War II. Luis Alberto Urrea's Good Night, Irene follows a young woman who decides to give up her comfortable lifestyle in 1940s New York, along with her abusive fiancé, and enlist with the Red Cross to serve in Europe.

The Situation: It is 1943, and Irene Woodward has decided to leave it all behind, including the engagement ring. Done with waiting for her fiancé to find a reason to lose his temper again, Irene has decided to sign up to serve with the Red Cross in Europe. No one knows she is going, not even her mother, and Irene is more than a little pleased with herself at being able to pull off this disappearing act. In training, she meets Dorothy Dunford, a tall woman with a big mouth from the Midwest, who could not be more different from Irene. But the two become friends, and end up being assigned to the same vehicle as the begin their military service as Donut Dollies. Together, they will serve coffee and donuts to the men on the front lines, offering a small comfort to soldiers who are far from home.

The Problem: Serving coffee and donuts during a war may sound like a pretty sweet assignment, but it brings Irene and Dorothy to heart of the battle. Their vehicle, a Clubmobile named the Rapid City, may have been outfitted to make coffee and fry donuts, but it often ends up seeing more action than either woman had bargained for. The women will see the war up close, witness battle first hand, and even come face to face with a German soldier while he contemplates killing them both. When the war is not raging around them, both women will experience strange moments of calm and peace, some of which allow Irene to meet and fall for an American fighter pilot. If Irene does manage to survive the war and make it back to New York, she knows she will never see coffee and donuts the same way again. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in the early 1940s, primarily in and around France as WWII takes its toll on the country. The author used his mother's experience serving with the Red Cross as inspiration, highlighting the often over-looked contributions of women during the war. While each Clubmobile was supposed to have three women inside, Irene and Dorothy often found themselves on their own inside the Rapid City, but they make it work. Despite the circumstances, the two women figure out how to do the jobs they were trained to do; put up with the bad jokes and constant advances from the soldiers; dodge literal fire as it falls from the sky; and continue on when faced with the unimaginable horrors of war. 

My Verdict: From the beginning, the two main protagonists are set up nicely. The reader is given a thorough, but not at all drawn out backstory for both Irene and Dorothy before they ever set foot in Europe as part of the Red Cross. From there, it is a well-paced story with a balance between adventure and contemplation, with both elements sometimes taking place at the same time as bombs drop, and the women must quickly figure out their next steps. It would be easy to wonder what kind of action a 'Donut Dolly' could possibly see from the inside of a truck, while serving coffee and donuts, but Urrea answers that question through Irene and Dorothy, while painting a picture of an enduring friendship that is tested through circumstances most of us will never know.

Favorite Moment: I loved seeing the list of the Clubmobiles, all given incredibly patriotic names. There is the Rapid City, the Cheyenne, the Annapolis, the Albany, the Boise, the Atlanta, the Empire State, and the Wolverine. I have named every car I have ever owned, so this practice appeals to me. 

Favorite Character: Before she signed up to serve with the Red Cross, Dorothy had already seen enough in life to be angry with what was happening in the war. She says what she thinks, is not afraid of much, and was beyond excited to learn to drive the Rapid City and move it through the war zone that is France.   

Recommended Reading: This book has been compared to Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, and I can certainly see why. I would also recommend The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. 

Science Fiction: On Earth as It Is on Television by Emily Jane

Today's DSN was picked because of its humorous title and premise. On Earth as It Is on Television by Emily Jane promised a fun and also strange tale of human's first contact with aliens, and what that means for three seemingly unconnected people in the U.S. who have no idea how the event will change their lives.

The Situation: When an alien spaceship is seen hovering over Washington, D.C, there is naturally a range of reactions from the humans of earth. As even more spaceships appear over other cities around the world - London, Tokyo, Manila, Cairo - Blaine does his best to wrangle his semi-feral children, and keep tabs on the strange actions of his wife, while also maintaining a tenuous hold on the belief that the simplest explanation must be the correct one. On the other side of the U.S, Heather wonders what the appearance of the spaceships means for her, and if it will at least help with her feelings of being an outsider in her own family. And for Oliver, the appearance means being woken up from the catatonic state he has been in for the last two decades. 

The Problem: Some are excited about the aliens' appearance, others are scared, and more than a few are hostile. Bunker sales skyrocket - as do gun sales - and while Blaine's coworker talks of government conspiracies, his television-addicted children callously consider who they know that should be skinned alive in an attempt to see if there are aliens among them. And while his wife has always acted...different, it is clear she is now either suffering some sort of break down, or cheating on him. Oliver may now be 'awake,' but the doctors struggle to explain it, as he acknowledges that it is now time for him to move on, but move on to what exactly? All he has are pieces of what he remembers from twenty years ago, and a cat that he believes is insisting they travel west.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel set in the modern-day U.S. The three characters that are the main focus - Blain, Heather, and Oliver - all end up traveling away from their homes, making different journeys across the U.S. for different reasons, but all related to the sudden appearance of alien spaceships. The appearance of, and reactions to, the spaceships will remind many readers of War of the Worlds (both the book and the historical radio broadcast of 1938), as well as other stories of alien invasions from pop culture such as the television show V from the 1980s, the movie Independence Day from the 1990s, and the movie that first entered my mind, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The appearances lead to paranoia, suspicion, excitement, curiosity, fear, all of the reactions that would be expected from human beings when something strange is introduced to the world they thought they knew.

My Verdict: The initial mystery behind the appearance of the spaceships is intriguing, as is whatever is going on with Blaine's wife, and Oliver's condition. And Blaine's two children provide enough comedy relief (some of it incredibly dark and concerning) to keep readers turning the page, which proves necessary once the biggest mysteries are solved halfway through the book. For me, the more answers that are given for what is happening, the less interesting the plot became. Already more than a bit silly, the story devolves into something that is still entertaining, but with the humorous aspects overshadowing the more emotional and engaging story of Oliver's past and current journey. And I am not sure the ultimate conclusion will be worth the journey for a lot of readers.

Favorite Moment: For whatever reason, I was delighted and fascinated by Blaine's wife's obsession with and love for bacon. I mean I get it, bacon is pretty great...but still. 

Favorite Character: I was mostly interested in Oliver and what would happen to him now that he has woken up after 20 years of being mostly unresponsive. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Walk the Vanished Earth by Erin Swan. 

Contemporary Fiction: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Someday, most likely very far off in the future, I will tackle R. F. Kuang's Babel, a certified door stop at over 500 pages long. For now, I decided to dive right into Yellowface, which promised to be a critique of the publishing world as it also deals with the loneliness of the writing process, and the isolating effect of social media.

The Situation: The last thing June Hayward wants to do is have a night out with her incredibly successful author friend Athena Liu, especially since her own literary career began and ended quietly, as not many took notice of her book. Liu, however, is the literary darling of the moment, and June does her best to mask her jealousy as her friend pays the bar tab and invites her back to her apartment. What follows is a freak accident that leads to Athena's death, shocking June to her core, but not quite enough to keep her from stealing the late author's unpublished (and never seen before) manuscript. Once June recovers from the trauma of witnessing Athena's demise - at least enough to function - she proceeds to complete the book, attach her name to it, and submit it for publication. For the first time, June will now know what is to be in the literary spotlight.

The Problem: June knows what she is done is dishonest, and being an avid consumer of social media, she knows exactly what would happen should she ever be found out. So she must keep her story straight, keep the detractors at bay, ignore the haters on Twitter, and deflect every suspicion that this story is not her own. But it does not take long for the situation to spiral out on control, and despite knowing the truth, June soon begins to view herself as the victim. It is not fair that she had to result to this since publishing does not seem to be interested in another white woman's fiction novel. And how dare people believe she should not be writing about the stories of Chinese laborers during World War I. Even as the hole gets deeper, June refuses to let go of the fame she has found by simply admitting the truth, sometimes even to herself.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of fiction set in modern day. June may be the narrator and main protagonist, but she is also the villain as she steals the work of a recently deceased author and friend. What follows is an endless amount of justifications for what she has done (including the belief that she deserves this); real anger at those who dare challenge her; a sharp criticism of the publishing industry and just how books are chosen to be published and championed; and an examination of the role social media can play in making the lonely and isolated feel even more so, despite the thousands of likes and retweets/reposts a message may receive. Racism is of course explored, as well as the idea of cultural appropriation, and the fear of irrelevance. 

My Verdict: This is a story. It is the kind of book that takes guts to write, and only works if the author goes for broke and does not hold back. June Hayward knows what she has done is wrong, but as long as she can benefit from it, she will keep going with the lie. It takes very little for her to justify what she had done, at one point even asserting that Athena would have wanted this, otherwise the book would have never seen the light of day. While June's actions are deplorable, Kuang takes it one important step further by examining the real fear, which is to live a 'normal' life not in the spotlight. June does not want a desk job, and a respectable but quiet existence. The last thing she wants is to open Twitter and see the newest, hottest author enjoying the literary spotlight instead of her, and that kind of says everything. With the additional exploration of the publishing business, this is a book that readers will not be able to put down through to the final pages.

Favorite Moment: There are many moments when June proves she is not the superior person she wants to believe she is. Some things are shameful and inexcusable, until they serve her own purposes.

Favorite Character: There is something slightly not okay with pretty much every character in this book, Athena included. If there is anyone I genuinely feel for it is Athena's mother, who inherits her daughters writing notebooks, but does not have the heart to ever read them.

Recommended Reading: If readers are ready to tackle another book that does not hold back, I recommend The Sellout by Paul Beatty. 

Nonfiction: Battle of Ink and Ice by Darrell Hartman

It was certainly the title of today's book that drew me in. Darrell Hartman's Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media is exactly as the name suggests. Taking a closer look at specifically the New York Times and the New York Herald, Hartman tells the incredible tale of not only the newspapers, but their owners, and the North Pole explorers they each decided to support.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a book of nonfiction that mostly explores the early 20th century rivalry between North Pole explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook. With the New York Times backing and supporting Peary, and the New York Herald behind Cook, the race to the Pole was a matter of pride, principle, and reputation. Hartman not only thoroughly explores the lives and history of the explorers, but also the dueling newspapers, their owners, and how all events molded and shaped the news cycle (and perhaps even social media) today. Readers will recognize the early precursors to familiar devices such as celebrity influence, and even clickbait. Starting with the early history of the newspapers, as well as their eventual owners, Hartman moves to explorers, the race to the North Pole, and the ongoing attempts to validate who truly made it there first.

My Verdict: I am endlessly fascinated by just how much the already bitter rivalry between Adolph Ochs of the New York Times and James Gordon Bennett Jr. of the New York Herald was made even worse through the race for the North Pole, of all things. Hartman explains the situation, in incredible detail, with all of the intricate factors that made it so distinctly of its time. Had this happened today, the speed of the internet would have changed most things, not to mention our access to much more efficient means for traveling long distances. But at the time, newspapers were where people got the news, and the stories of the New York Times and New York Herald alone could each inhabit their own books. Add the incredible story and ensuing scandals surrounding the North Pole explorers, and this book becomes a study in influence, and the power of information (and misinformation). 

Favorite Moment: Central to the book is the determination of whether Peary and Cook actually reached the North Pole. Who reached it first is naturally also of importance, but yet also becomes somewhat forgotten (at least to me) as part of the debate, given everything that is going on.

Recommended Reading: I recommend The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean.

Young Adult Fiction: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Readers were no doubt excited about a follow-up novel from author Angeline Boulley after the success of 2021's Firekeeper's Daughter. I was certainly excited to read Warrior Girl Unearthed, another mystery/thriller set on Sugar Island in Michigan, and focused on the Ojibwe community.

The Situation: Perry Firekeeper-Birch quite enjoys a life of no worries. The opposite option is to have near-constant anxiety like her twin sister Pauline, who may be on the path to Dartmouth, but at what cost? Perry prefers to go fishing every free moment she can, and help her dad with the family garden. But when she gets in a fender-bender and ends up with a debt to repay to her Auntie Daunis, she finds herself joining her sister for a summer internship program. Her assignment at the museum of the Sugar Island Cultural Learning Center may include working with the local 'goofball,' but the last thing Perry expected was to become interested, and incredibly passionate, about the museum's task of repatriating the remains of her ancestors.

The Problem: Perry is known as the trouble-making twin, and she knows this, so it is no surprise she is quickly frustrated with the extremely slow process of bringing home what she knows rightfully belongs to her community on Sugar Island. If it is not finding precious items being sold for profit on eBay, or being stored in the offices and labs of professors at a local university, it is the slow-moving Tribal Council and overall process of bringing the items home, not to mention that the number of missing Indigenous women continues to rise, that is feeding Perry's growing rage. Soon, Perry's frustrations lead her to make her own plans for righting wrongs, possibly getting not only herself into some serious trouble.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult mystery/thriller novel set a few years after Firekeeper's Daughter, and even has appearances by Daunis Firekeeper as she is Perry's 'Auntie,' though they are really cousins. Perry is known as the more laid-back twin, as her sister Pauline is often anxious, but also smart and hardworking. This book continues the focus on the increasing number of missing Indigenous women, and the little attention that is being paid to the issue. The story also highlights the practice of many institutions (universities, museums, etc.) and individuals collecting the remains of Indigenous people, as well as their items, and holding onto them, despite the Native American Graves Protections and Repatriation Act that was signed into law in 1990. Currently, more than half of the human remains that have been identified remain in collections.

My Verdict: Despite Perry being known as the troublemaking twin, her tough attitude and abrasiveness were not as irritating to me as I thought they would be, which works great since she is the narrator. If anything, the reader may find themselves joining her in her outrage and cheering her on during every outburst. And this book does not contain only one mystery, but quite a few, as many answers lead to more questions, which all lead to an adventure that rivals the one from the previous book. It is an entertaining and educational experience that only sometimes left me confused due to the quick pace and large cast of characters. 

Favorite Moment: After receiving devastating news regarding an important collection, Perry says exactly what she wants to say to one of the professors of Mackinac State College, whom she has had an issue with since the beginning.

Favorite Character: Shense, a single-mother who attends the same school as Perry, is not only determined to finish school and build a better life for herself and her daughter, but turns out to be smart, loyal, and dependable.

Recommended Reading: It is not necessary to read Firekeeper's Daughter before reading this one, but I recommend it. I also recommend Ducks by Kate Beaton, which chronicles the author's time in the oil sands of Canada, and what it was like being one of few females in a male dominated area and profession.

Young Adult Fiction: One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus

For lovers of Karen M. McManus's One of Us Is Lying series, it is time to rejoice as the third and final installment, One of Us Is Back, once again lets readers visit Bayview as another mystery engulfs the community.

The Situation: It is summer break, and the Bayview Four...well, actually, they are more like the Bayview Crew now since there are more than four of them, are back together, and hoping to enjoy a drama free summer. The original group - Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy, and Nate - are now joined by Maeve, Phoebe, Knox, Luis, and Kris, before everyone once again goes their separate ways. Some will go back to college, others will be working, while a few of them still need to finish high school. Addy is excited to be leaving for a Peru in a few weeks, but right now, she cannot help but watch the news coverage concerning the return of someone they all remember well.

The Problem: Jake Riordan is speaking at his former high school, which is something that many, not just the Bayview Crew, are having a hard time coming to terms with. He is back in town, and it is not long before a local billboard begins to display a disturbing and cryptic message: TIME FOR A NEW GAME, BAYVIEW. The common belief is that the billboard was hacked, and while some are dismissive, others are more than worried. And when one of the Bayview Crew goes missing, it becomes clear to everyone that this game is serious, and with real consequences. It seems there are still some secrets that Bayview needs to reveal, and someone is intent on making it happen.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set in the small community of Bayview somewhere in southern California. The original four characters from the first book are still front and present, and are joined with five more characters who were given more attention in the second book, One of Us Is Next. While this third installment follows the familiar structure of having the narration switch between different characters, this time it is Addy, Nate, and Phoebe who guide the readers through the events that happen between June 22 and July 30. After the appearance of the mysterious and disturbing billboard message, it is a team effort to uncover who is now looking for revenge in a town that is all too familiar with it, and what can be done to finally give Bayview some peace.

My Verdict: It would have been entirely possible for the first book to remain a standalone novel, but McManus was able to continue the story through two more novels, and each one contains its on mystery. The familiar faces are there, with the inclusion of a few new ones, and the three different narrators once again not only allows for different perspectives and bits of information, but also a wider range of events to occur across more area. Clues are meted out at a pace that is not too slow but also not so fast that details are lost. And as for concluding what has become a beloved series, not everything is tied up with a neat bow, which may frustrate some readers. But it is thought-out, not rushed, and gives a well-loved series a satisfying send off.

Favorite Moment: There are more than a few moments when Phoebe has to come face to face with her own naivete, selfishness, and lack of discernment. 

Favorite Character: Nate Macauley has received the short end of the stick for most of his short life. This book opens up with him working too jobs and managing to live in his own place (with a lot of roommates), and also maintain a healthy relationship with Bronwyn. He has been through a lot, but is still holding it together.

Recommended Reading: Lovers of YA fiction will enjoy any of McManus's books, and The Cousins remains one of my favorites outside of the One of Us Is Lying series.