Hello. It’s been almost 50 degrees here (so far north), which we are sad about since it will kill our snow for skiing. We need a storm, but there’s nothing in the foreseeable forecast. It won’t be a good day when the polar ice caps melt. Just another thing to add to our long list of worries.
Speaking of which, we have 4 days left to the U.S. Inauguration. Let’s hope for a peaceful and kind transition. Is that too much to ask? I remember being at the Concert on the National Mall for President Barack Obama’s first Inauguration in 2009. Oh yeah, I was there. Ha. Me, Springsteen, U2, Mellencamp, Usher and Stevie Wonder among others. I almost froze my feet off standing out there for four+ hours, but it was a very memorable day … and the concert was a rocking.
With all the insurrection news the past couple weeks, and the worry about my parents and their health in California, my mind has been distracted beyond belief. But I think things are starting to feel a bit more hopeful and to calm some (though alarmingly the pandemic continues to take thousands of lives per day). Knock on wood for what’s ahead.
How has your reading year started off? Mine has been surprisingly not too bad: I’ve read a few books for my freelance (PW) gig, and finished a long audiobook. So I’m aiming for completing 70 books this year. We will see. I’m not too caught up in the numbers — I’m just hoping for good quality reads and a decent mix of light and heavier books, from an array of authors with diverse backgrounds and locations. What about you … any big reading plans? And now I’ll leave you with a couple reviews of what I finished lately. (p.s. The second book below was finished at the end of 2020.)
Conjure Women by Afia Atakora / Random House / 416 pages / 2020
Synopsis: The novel follows the lives of three women amid their isolated Southern plantation community that spans slavery times (1850s) and also just after the Civil War in the Reconstruction era. The slave May Belle is a respected healing (conjure) woman who passes her gifts along to her daughter Rue, who becomes a midwife and healer during post-slavery times, though she often uses her healing powers to foment secrets and lies to her advantage. There’s also Varina, the white plantation owner’s daughter who is Rue’s friend from childhood but who is pressured to toe the line to the ways of her white slave-owning family.
The story, which alternates chapters between slavery time and freedom time, is set in motion by the birth of a strange, mysterious baby; the arrival of a charismatic preacher; and a strange sickness that begins killing the children in the area. With the deaths, the trust in Rue’s healing and midwifery begins to ebb and the community begins to suspect she’s into witchcraft, so she’s left to figure out how to win back their trust.
My Thoughts: Wow, there’s a lot in this historical novel, and it’s quite a long saga, which I listened to as an audiobook for weeks during my morning dog walks. There were times I wasn’t sure it would end, but I kept going with it. I’m so glad I didn’t stop. I felt it was quite a storytelling feat … following these characters through the end of slavery into the Reconstruction-era to see what would become of them. The timeframe plays an important part as blacks (freed for the first time) and whites (who lose the War) must figure out new ways to live and relate to one another due to the changes.
It’s a story that delves into the fraught relationships of the mother May Belle, and daughter Rue, and with the white mistress Varina … as they navigate events that test the community. Rue, the main protagonist, is a bit of a conundrum (both good and bad), which adds a bit to the complexity of the story.
My favorite part of the novel was the storytelling and the language the author uses that made the 1850s, ’60s, and Reconstruction era come to life. The author obviously did a lot of research from diaries of the time period to get the whole flavor for the people then, their healing techniques, and how they spoke. I felt like I was right there on the plantation with them. Kudos to the author for this inspired debut novel. Some have compared it to Esi Edugyan’s 2018 novel “Washington Black,” which I loved, but it being different … that novel didn’t come to mind for me, despite this being also quite notable.
The New Wilderness by Diane Cook / Harper / 416 pages / 2020
Synopsis: In a dystopian future wracked by climate change, a woman (Bea) and her husband (Glen) decide to leave the unlivable, polluted City with their young, ill daughter (Agnes) to join a survival study in the Wilderness State. The governing authority is allowing 20 volunteers to live in the last swath of protected land amid nature, where they must learn to adapt as nomadic hunter-gatherers without help from the outside world. The novel plays out as a portrayal of motherhood (with Bea and Agnes) and humankind, and is a lament of our treatment of nature. It was shortlisted for last year’s Booker Prize.
My Thoughts: This debut novel came out the same month (August 2020) as Charlotte McConaghy’s novel “Migrations,” which is also a bit about nature and humankind’s ruin of it — and I thought I would like it as much (I wanted to), but to me the execution of “The New Wilderness” wasn’t as good a story and I wasn’t drawn into it nearly as much as “Migrations.” I guess I was genuinely a bit surprised that “The New Wilderness” was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Still parts of it are compelling and visual — the mechanics of the group (called the Community) — and its fight for survival in the Wilderness State and not knowing if its members would make it while hunting and living off the land, and what would happen to them and with their dealings with the Newcomers arriving and the Rangers who control the area.
The story reveals the complexities in the relationships between Bea, Glen and Agnes, and with the rest of the group, whose wannabe head honcho Carl seems like a testosterone narcissist. Some of the writing of the action and the natural world is good, though some of the plot to me seemed to sort of drift along at times — like it didn’t know where it was going or have a plan to what it actually wanted to do. I was hoping the plot was going to go in a different direction than it eventually did.
And while I liked the toughness of the mother Bea’s character, who is sort of the de facto leader of the group, some of her actions and the ending don’t do much with or for her. Agnes is one to watch for. I listened to the book on audio, which was a pretty easy but long listen. If I had the print copy …. the longness of it as well as its drifting and conclusion might have made me want to throw it against a wall, ha. It does seem like it’s set up to have a sequel.
The group dynamics of the story made it seem to me sort of like: “Lord of the Flies” meets “Hunger Games” or something like that … but I wouldn’t elevate it to Margaret Atwood’s “MaddAddam’s” trilogy or such.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read these books, or how is your reading year starting? Stay well.
It was 60 here there other day, which seemed unusual for mid-January. One of our rhoddies is beginning to bloom, which also seems early.
What a different world we lived in back when Obama was inaugurated in 2009! How very cool that your were there for that concert on the Mall. I was glued to my tv, watching all the televised events, my heart filled with so much joy. I hope next week’s event will go smoothly and am so sorry it can’t be enjoyed in the same fashion as Obama’s.
Yes, the past month or so has been filled with terrible news, it’s a wonder anyone can focus on daily life and work. I do hope we’re turning a corner, though, and am looking ahead to better days. My reading has been pretty good (thank you, Louise Penny!) and I’m eager to dive into some backlist titles, as well as some of those new and shiny ones. Conjure Women sounds interesting and as I read your review, I was reminded of Kindred by Octavia Butler, which I just finished. I’m not sure I’m quite ready to revisit the Southern plantation era, but I will keep Atakora’s book in mind for later in the year.
Have a good week, Susan!
Hey Lesley, thanks. It’s been a very warm winter – here so far, which is unusual. I’m glad you mention the Octavia Butler book — I still need to read her books. Hopefully later this year! Butler grew up in Pasadena, interesting. I spent a few childhood years in San Marino! Let’s cross our fingers this Inauguration is peaceful. The Obama one still makes me a bit weepy. Enjoy your week!
I am reading Migrations now, about halfway through. I love it! I might skip The New Wilderness because it does not sound as good. I have looked at Conjure Women. Not sure on that one either. The main character in Wild Seed by Octavia Butler is also a healer. I hope to post my review of that one tomorrow.
If we get through this coming Wednesday without too much craziness, I might feel like I could stop holding my breath. I watched the 2009 Obama inauguration from a hospital room with my mom, who was recovering from two strokes. I remember how cold it looked in DC. Love your story about being there.
Hi thanks Judy. So sorry about your Mom. I know we all remember these historic moments and where we were etc. – but that memory must be painful, ugh, very sorry. I still need to read Octavia Butler! & it seems like some of her books are like the novel Conjure Women. I hope to get to Butler this year.
I’m pleased you are liking Migrations … & the Aussie author has a new novel about wolves coming out in Aug. 2021, woohoo! Can’t wait. Enjoy your week & reading!
Truthfully that memory about my mom was not a bad one. She was so happy that Obama got elected and her neighbor arranged for that TV in her room especially on that day. Later as I cared for her at her home until her death there were more and more painful memories I gathered but I was with her everyday for the last 3 months so that was good for both of us.
Yeah Judy – so glad you spent those months together. Was your mother from the Midwest? Is that why you spent time in Michigan? Or was she from Jersey? I’m glad she was happy about Obama and you were there for her.
I hope your parents are keeping safe and healthy. Have they gotten their vaccine yet? Mine got theirs yesterday. I love the cover for Conjure Women and the topic sounds interesting.
Hi Helen, Conjure Women took me awhile to get through but it is good storytelling! Glad to hear your parents got their vaccine, wow that’s terrific!! And yes mine should be getting the vaccine fairly soon … but my Dad got sick over Christmas with CV and it was quite rough, ugh. It was awful but he’s going to be all right … it’ll take some time to recover. We don’t know how it happened. I just wish the shot had come sooner. Have a good week.
Let us hope that better days are ahead for our national government.
My reading has still been slow.
I tend to like dystopian fiction. The New Wilderness sounds interesting at least.
Hey Brian : it’s been hard to read much with so much news distraction. I think The New Wilderness for the most part kept my interest as I wanted to see if they would escape & survive the study. Enjoy your reading. & Stay well.
I’ve been avoiding the news and pretty much everything else after the pandemic dug in deep here along with the nasty insurrection. So disturbing to me. I am eager for Inauguration Day, though I’m nervous about it, too. How wonderful that you were able to attend Obama’s inauguration.
Conjure Women sounds like a book I’d like to read. I’ve just added it to my library list.
I think I will look for The New Wilderness, too. This year seems like a good year to read a book like this. Or maybe it’s a bad year to read a book like this. I guess we will see.
Hi Deb, it’s good not to watch too much news lately. Reading books is better! Both these novels seemed a bit long to me but they were pretty good. I will be curious if you like either if you get to them. Obama’s inauguration was quite a historic joyous moment in time … far from where we are now. Enjoy your week.
It is a stressful time, for sure. That’s amazing you were able to be there in 2009! So cool. I have plans to make it a bit special at home. Some balloons and streamers and something yummy to eat! I just hope it is peaceful…
I’ve been wanting to read Conjure Women since it first came out. I’m hoping spring! Seems like a good time for that one. I’ll have to add the other one to my list as well. Stay safe and I hope you get a good storm for your skiing! We’ve been really warm the past week too. But snow is expected next weekend…
Hi Heather: that’s nice you are doing something special for Biden’s inaugural. We all deserve it at this point. The storytelling of Conjure Women made it quite good – I hope you like it whenever you get to it. And yes, I see too now where we are supposed to get snow starting on Thursday night into Friday of this coming week. Wow that will be good! It’s quite icy here now – which is treacherous walking. Hope you’ll get some snow where you are. Enjoy your week.
Hi Susan, how awesome to have been to the Obama inauguration. I do plan to be glued to the television on Wednesday, as I’ve been avoiding it as much as possible. We’ve gotten a lot of rain which has messed up my walking routines. Hoping your parents stay safe in CA. Happy Reading.
Thanks Diane, I think my parents now are a bit better than they were before. And we are hoping they get the vaccine soon. Are you really getting a lot of rain — you usually get snow, right? I think I’ll be glued to the Inauguration this week as well. It’s too bad it has to be like a military state there now — with all the troops on the National Mall. How terrible — it’s all come to this. I’m ready for Biden. Enjoy your week.
Strange times we find ourselves in. On so many fronts, political, climate, pandemic. I guess all we can do to escape this harsh realities, is read books! Luckily we are all good with that.
Have a good week and I hope the temperature drops for you guys.
Thanks for visiting me earlier!
Hey Mareli, looks like we might get some snow on Thursday night, which will help our ski slopes, woohoo. And I agree …. when things in the world get rough … we need to keep reading and stick together 🙂 Hope your teaching & school life there gets better. Good luck with it.
We’ve experienced a bit of your opposite in weather here. December and January have actually been colder than usual. It’s the La Niña effect, I think.
I look forward – although not without trepidation – to Wednesday at noon when it is to be devoutly hoped that our country will experience a new start. I remember well that first Obama inauguration and how we felt so full of hope on that day. How lucky for you that you were able to experience it first hand.
Conjure Women does sound interesting. I’m going to consider it for reading at some point. I feel a bit more ambivalent about The New Wilderness although this might in fact be the perfect time to read such a book.
Good points Dorothy. It seems I was reading a lot of dystopia /speculative /pandemic fiction last year — without really realizing it. It’s just what #45 put us all through. I too will be watching on Wednesday and I hope there will be no disruptions etc. Biden needs our support – considering all the work he has to do.
It’s interesting to hear that you are having colder temps there this winter — it definitely seems like a reverse! Enjoy your week.
I love your nature photos. It’s been surprisingly mild here in Quebec too, so different from the brutally cold winters I remember in my childhood. I’m glad you enjoyed Conjure Women. I was curious about it after spotting it’s beautiful cover.
Hey Laura – thanks for stopping by. Interesting to hear that Quebec’s been mild too this winter. Alberta has been sunny & clear, hmm. I agree that Conjure Women has quite a fetching book cover — I’ve looked at it so many times – like I’m trying to figure it out (there is a doll in the story from which the object on the cover comes from). I hope you have a great week. Happy reading!
My reading has been mostly non-existent this month so far. But then I read a very good book this weekend and I have another good one in progress. So fingers crossed that it may end well at least. It’s just been very stressful and I find it hard to read in that mood.
The New Wilderness is new to me but I love the synopsis. What a pity that it wasn’t executed well or it could be a very good one.
Hey Athira: I can relate. It’s been quite a stressful first month of the year. Gosh it’s got to get better. But CDC says Covid deaths could reach 500K in February. Ugh. Sorry to bring more bad news. We just got to hang on for a couple more months & then it will lighten hopefully. Good luck with your reading! You might like The New Wilderness — check it out.
Global warming has become more of a problem every year. Was just talking to my parents in central NY (where the average annual snowfall is 120″) and they’ve hardly had any winter at all yet. Yet another problem the Biden administration will inherit! I’m apprehensive about the inauguration, but hoping for the best. Fingers crossed we’ll be celebrating Wednesday night!
Your review has me reconsidering Conjure Women. It might be a good choice for a read/listen combination since it’s so long. We’ll see…
My reading year is off to a strong start. That’s a relief to me after such a dismal 2020. Hoping I can keep it going. Take care, Susan.
Hey JoAnn: glad to hear your reading year is off to a strong start! Hopefully we will be celebrating come Wednesday. It’s Time! We’ve all suffered enough, it’s been a very long 4 years. And yeah it seems like the North has been unusually warm this winter … from Alberta, to New York and Quebec … I’ve heard all have been mild. Hmm. We’re ready for spring strangely. You might like Conjure Women — I thought the storytelling in it was outstanding. Enjoy your week.
You are starting your reading off well. I am halfway through The Overstory which isn’t too bad since it’s 500 pages and I just started it. Haha. I am really liking it and find myself only wanting to read it outside, oddly.
Our weather was unseasonably warm and windy. Didn’t mind the warmth but I never enjoy that wind. However, I now have a tan again just from sitting out twice.
My anxiety only hits when I am wide awake at night. I fall asleep but can’t stay asleep so that is when I worry about the state of California, college admissions, and the like. This weekend we tried a new thing to try to help my daughter with her insomnia. I had her sleep with me so I could see if she was actually sleeping or having nightmares. Mostly because the doc prescribed something mild for her but she said it did nothing to help. Well, she slept like a baby with me next to her. The dog even slept on her head and she didn’t make a peep. Tonight she is on her own again so we shall see.
I have a sense of dread right now. Partly due to the news headlines about more violence headed our way, partly because this is when we get quakes and there have been a few already. We do not need any quakes.
Hi Ti, I definitely hope you don’t get any quakes there now, & I too am crossing my fingers for no more political violence. I’m sorry to hear of your daughter’s insomnia — I can understand it — though I hope she doesn’t overly stress about her admissions etc. It sounds like the sleep medication helped her. Sleep is so important! But it’s hard for many of us these days.
I am really glad you are liking The Overstory! That bodes really well for when I get to it. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. Take Care.
I’ve added Conjure women to my TBR but I’m not sure about the other. The concert for Obama must have been famously rocking, with that guest list ! I love those pictures, especially the second, with the light and the snow, gorgeous 🙂 Have a great week, take care !
Thanks Iza. Yeah the photos sort of make me feel at peace. And the concert on the Mall in 2009 was really good and had a once in a lifetime kind of feel to it. Quite a line-up for sure! I was lucky to be there. I hope you like Conjure Women. Have a great week.
I’m so glad and relieved the inauguration went off without a hitch. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest.
I’ve not heard of Conjure Women. It sounds intriguing!
Hey Rachel : yes I feel very relieved too! And I feel hopeful about the new admin. Conjure Women was a good one though a bit long. thanks for stopping by.