Greetings, I wasn’t able to go to one of the Marches for Our Lives on Saturday, but I want to salute all the students (and parents) who participated and are leading the way on demanding action against gun violence. I was impressed, inspired, and moved by the students’ stories and I’m a big supporter of the cause: Go! I’m hopeful that this next generation will spur changes to enact sensible gun control (against bump stocks, AR-15s, and high capacity gun magazines — no, not trying to take away all the tooting guns) where nothing else has worked in the past. Is it any wonder that countries around the globe with less guns, less histories with guns, and just basic gun control have nowhere near the gun violence as the U.S. I would’ve gone to a March if I could have, but I’m out in the sticks of SoCal at the moment visiting my dear parents.
It’s been nice to be here, where spring is underway and there’s a bit of green foliage to behold despite the usually very dry, desert environs. A bit of rain has helped out this past week and month and things are in bloom. I can smell blossoms from the orange trees as I pass by and the trees are full with fruit: all kinds of citrus, and avocados too. It’s a nice novelty as back home everything is still under a layer of snow. Fresh OJ is quite a treat to me here and even the warmth of the sun.
This past week I finished off two more novels in the family/domestic drama genre. I don’t have a set plan to read these types of stories but somehow they seem to lure or find me. The first one I read falls into the mental illness fiction category (think perhaps “Girl, Interrupted” or Adam Haslett’s recent “Imagine Me Gone”) and the second one (I listened to as an audiobook) fell into the marital infidelity genre, which includes … oh just about a ton of novels. Both though had a freshness about them that seemed worth pursuing, and both were by debut novelists. So without further ado, here they are:
Mira T. Lee’s novel “Everything Here Is Beautiful” received quite the hype when it came out in January, with such authors as Celeste Ng, Ruth Ozeki, Rufi Thorpe, and Imbolo Mbue praising it highly. The cover too is quite alluring and I was curious to snag it from the library as I had a close friend who struggled with mental health issues.
It’s a story about two Chinese American sisters, whose mother dies when they are young adults and they are left to face their future. The older one, Miranda, is responsible and the protector of the younger one, Lucia, who is very bright, lively, and popular, but also headstrong and impetuous. She marries an Israeli East Village shop owner and writes for a newspaper. All is well for a while until she wants a baby, which her husband doesn’t, and the mental illness she thought was cured returns.
So launches this semi-sprawling novel, mainly about Lucia, her chronic mental illness that comes in episodes, and those around her who love her and try to help. Lucia later, after her marriage ends, hooks up with Manny, an undocumented Ecuadoran immigrant in Westchester County, New York, has a baby, and moves to Ecuador, close to his family. While her sister, Miranda, moves to Switzerland with her doctor boyfriend. Ecuador proves a warm and stabilizing place for Lucia, Manny and their baby but all is not smooth sailing, and her sister is called on over the years to try to help with Lucia’s lapses. The realistic ending, which I can’t say more about, brings the situation — the problems that so many people face — all down home.
It’s a read that started off slowly for me as I was getting a handle on the characters and the narrative that alternates among the sisters and partners, but then it picked up towards the end. I liked how the story highlighted the heartache, exhausting efforts, and trouble mental illness can cause not only to the person suffering from it, but also to the people who love them.
I also liked the book’s various viewpoints and location changes, but I guess I was expecting a bit more of an interaction between the sisters and their bond (perhaps due to how the book’s marketed); mostly they are separated in the story and there wasn’t enough I felt about or from Miranda. Still the novel affected me. It’s quite an involved read, not necessarily dense but there’s a lot squeezed into it, which takes considerable focus. Still it’s well written and the author is obviously talented. I wasn’t sure if it was a biographical tale taken from the author’s own life, but she seemed to put a lot into it.
Next up, I finished the audiobook of Julia Pierpont’s 2015 novel “Among the Ten Thousand Things,” about a family in NYC whose two kids (ages 11 and 15) inadvertently discover a box of hundreds of lascivious emails their father had written to his former mistress, which she had mailed to their house to get back at him. Yikes. This is the beginning of the unraveling of their family, ending their lives as they once knew it.
It’s essentially a story about their daily lives thereafter, the turns they take, and how the husband’s affair affects everyone in the family — including himself, who’s a well-known conceptual artist, the wife who gave up her career as a ballet dancer to be a mom, and their two kids who are coming of age and face their own struggles.
Surprisingly, midway through — in Part 2 of a 4 part story — the author tells what happens to their lives, the conclusion, and then backs up and returns in Part 3 and 4 to tell their present existence. It’s quite a tactic that threw me for a bit of a loop. I had to revisit it a couple times. Suspense apparently isn’t the point of the story, it’s more the characters lives and how they go on incrementally.
I would like to say it worked, but I think the story lost some steam for me. In places I think it lagged or meandered and I didn’t really like any of the characters much or the place each of them are at: such as the father who thinks the bygone affair is overblown and he should be forgiven, or the mother who seems sort of inert, or the son with his video games and teenage behavior. Maybe the young, shy daughter Kay who writes amusing Seinfeld fan fiction is the best of the lot.
Despite not loving the novel, I thought the author showed talent in her writing of their domestic situation, including some perceptive details and observations along the way. I wouldn’t be opposed to checking out her next novel.
What about you — have you read either of these books, and if so, what did you think — and what is happening in your neck of the woods?
We wanted to attend our local march yesterday but weren’t able to. I hope this next generation keeps at it and makes some positive changes.
Everything Here is Beautiful sounds thought provoking.
Hi Kathy, glad you support the students. The Beautiful novel is quite thought-provoking — dealing with mental illness is clearly no easy problem.
I attended a local march here yesterday. As you mention, maybe some action will finally be taken on sane gun legislation.
We got a foot of snow this week on Long Island so spring is not yet here for us.
Among The Ten Thousand Things does not sound perfect, but the characters and plot sound very interesting.
Hi Brian, glad you attended the march, wonderful. It seems spring is coming a bit late to many areas this year. In the end Among the Ten Thousand Things was a worthwhile character study, though it was a bit weird how the conclusion of their lives was told in the middle of the book. Hmm.
In my neck of California it seems like it has been raining all month. But now we have had two days of that sunshine you enjoyed so much. Yesterday I bought an Easter lily to celebrate.
Debut novels are always an interesting study to me. They often have flaws but announce a new author to follow and it is like meeting someone who might become a friend. I would give Everything Here is Beautiful a try as it sounds like it has something unique to offer.
I finally finished the LBJ biography I have been reading for so many months. Feels like a monumental accomplishment and I learned so much I had not known before about how the legislative branch works. I am ready to give presidential biography a break for a while and read some good family drama!
Ha Judy, good for you. The LBJ bio is quite a conquering feat. Now bring on the fiction & drama, ha. I agree with you on debut novels. They’re far from perfect but there’s a newness I like finding. It’s been cooler here in the desert or “Inland Empire” area than normal but still nice for me. I have to go back in a couple days and don’t want to leave! Enjoy your week.
I think it is wonderful about the marches, and I can’t help but be reminded of the protests of the 60s and 70s.
My eldest son, who has lived in Europe since the mid-nineties is always remarking on how much more gun violence we have in the US…
The books you’ve mentioned look good, especially Among the Ten Thousand Things.
Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Hi Laurel, I agree the marches are terrific and I hope they work. Your son is right, no other country has gun problems like we do. Both of these books were not perfect but worthwhile. Thx for stopping by.
I’m glad you are enjoying SoCal. Out of the two novels Everything Here Is Beautiful would be my pick to read.
Hi Carmen, It’s been a great & relaxing trip out here. I needed the break from winter! I think the Mira Lee novel was a bit more literary than the other & also walked a sensitive line on how to write about mental illness. hmm.
Among the Ten Thousand Things sounds fascinating even if it did not quite work for you.
Wasn’t the participation the marches something to behold? I feel like this is only the beginning too. These kids are fired up; I see it in my daughter, who has become much more vocal about her opinions. There is an entire world-altering generation that is just now getting its voice and becoming politically active. So exciting and fun to watch and encourage!
I agree Michelle, I’m very excited by these students who are calling for positive change. I hope the movement keeps on. They are impressive & are calling politicians out on all their excuses. Hail to them.
I missed out on the Marches over the weekend, but our daughters participated in NYC. You’ve made me curious about Among the Ten Thousand Things, but I’ll probably skip Everything Here is Beautiful for now. I never seem to enjoy mental illness fiction…
Hi JoAnn: Kudos to your daughter for Marching! I’m revved up for the cause, can you tell? I agree that mental illness fiction is a slippery slope, often it falls into melodrama or pandering or something else, but Mira Lee seems to have bided a fine line to make some good points about it. Still it’s probably better to skip if you haven’t had a worthy experience with that genre.
I have Everything is Beautiful at home from library; glad u enjoyed it.
BTW: I know a few senior citizens who went to DC and Boston for the March for Our Lives Ralley. It was an amazing event and turnout.
Hi Diane, great to hear about the Marches & the seniors getting out to support them! Wahoo. The whole event seemed to have an amazing vibe of coming together to get something done against gun violence. Wow great numbers too. thx for stopping by.
I don’t think I could read Lee’s book. Not right now. Too close to my sister’s situation and mental health status.
You and I are always heading to the desert at opposite times. I am really wanting to head out there but not sure when that will happen given my daughter’s show, rehearsal and club volleyball schedule. We don’t have a weekend to ourselves until July. It’s not like we do much when there but I love the proximity of the mountain range, the lushness of everything and the laid back lifestyle. My dog loves it there too.
I agree Ti. I love the desert too for all the reasons you mention. It’s awesome out there. I hope you get to go soon. I have just returned and I didn’t really want to leave. Ugh. So hard. I could live out there. Someday. Lee’s book sounds like it would hit too close to home. So a good idea to skip. Enjoy your week.
I want to say that I will look into the books you highlighted but I am so overwhelmed by all the serious books I’ve been reading lately I’ve decided I need a romp with Flavia duLuce or something silly by McCall Smith to lighten the mood around here. Doesn’t sound like either of your selections would do that for me.
Yeah I know what you mean Anne. I often need to break up what I’ve read with other lighter, more fun reads … so I’m reading Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine now — and it’s doing the trick. I hope you have found something silly as well. Thx for stopping by!
This is the first I’ve heard of both of these books, so I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on them. At first I was thinking I might prefer the second one, until I read your reviews and now I think the opposite. For one thing, the fact that the kids discovered the affair so abruptly makes me feel really sad for them. I don’t feel as bad for the adults – but the children are innocent victims. I also don’t know what I’d think about the structure of the book – but I guess I’ll never know unless I try it!
Yeah that 2nd book’s structure sort of zapped some of its intrigue for me. I need a little suspense to keep going. I agree the kids suffer quite a lot in these affair situations, which the book showed. The character in the first book was a bit frustrating in her illness but it seemed truthful. Thx for stopping by.