Hi. Was it a rough week or what? We need to pace ourselves with the crazy current honcho. Even for those avoiding the news, it’s not going to be easy with this wayward circus and trying to hold on. But I hope those in the South who got some snow enjoyed a moment of wonderment with those rare flakes. We’ve had a mild windy winter here without much snowpack so people are worried about drought. It’s supposed to be in the 50s a bit next week, which is a rare thing for this time of year. So it seems the Canadian winter here has flown south. Too bad for the skiing.
Meanwhile the nominations for the Academy Awards came out last week with the French musical Emilia Pérez getting 13 nominations, which is a record for a non-English language film, followed by The Brutalist and Wicked picking up 10 nominations each, and A Complete Unknown and Conclave with eight nominations, and Anora, a romantic-comedy drama, received six nominations.
I was surprised but pleased to see that the sort of unknown actress Monica Barbaro who plays Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan movie received a Best Supporting Actress nomination (wow), and that the foreign film I’m Still Here, which I’m hoping to see whenever its available, received Best Actress and Best Picture nominations. We have a lot left to watch but should see some more films before the March 2 award ceremony, which apparently is still proceeding after the extensive fire damage around L.A. County. I’m still big on A Complete Unknown, which features some classic songs and was very enjoyable to watch.
In TV series right now we’ve been watching Bad Sisters Season 2 and trying out Severance Season 1, which has a pretty kind of crazy sci-fi plot about some office workers who are being manipulated by their company like guinea pigs. Both shows (on AppleTV+) are sort of dark and satirical but a bit fun in that way. Speaking of which, one of the better series we watched last fall was Ripley (on Netflix) based on the Patricia Highsmith novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. It was done once as a film in 1999 so I wasn’t really expecting much, but the TV series with Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley is done really well and is creepy. It has an excellent cat-and-mouse crime plot and was shot in black-and-white on location in Italy with some wonderful shots. Thanks to Lesley at the blog Coastal Horizons who talked it up in September. It’s a bit of an intriguing watch.
And now I’ll leave you with a review of what I finished lately.
The Leavers by Lisa Ko / Algonquin / 2017 / 352 pages
3.75 stars. This novel is still very relevant and I remember when it came out it was much talked about, so I’m glad I finally read it. It’s about an undocumented Chinese worker Polly who gives birth to a son Deming in NYC and tries to make their lives work as a single parent, though she is repaying debts to a loan shark. She switches jobs from a seamstress in a factory to a nail salon technician while she and Deming live with her boyfriend Leon and his sister and her son in the Bronx.
Polly’s looking to go to Florida for a waitress job which she thinks will be better for them, but then one day when Deming is 11, Polly doesn’t come home and no one can find her. Deming, who’s close to his mother, is left with a hole in his heart, thinking she’s moved without him. Eventually when she doesn’t return, he’s given to white foster parents in Upstate NY, who raise him and later want him to complete college. But Deming, who develops a gambling problem, can’t give it his full attention. He has a talent for music and playing the guitar, which is his calling but he’s also sort of aimless. He still thinks about his biological mother — and one day when his childhood friend gives him info about her, he tries finding out where she is.
In alternating chapters, Polly tells her story … and soon things begin to be revealed about what happened and why she left. Meanwhile Deming’s life has been one in limbo — neither fully one culture or another — his identity is convoluted and he hopes in finding his birth mother, he might find himself too. Polly and Deming are characters with problems who might irk you with some of their decisions, but the novel also seems to realistically raise questions about undocumented immigrants and the kids who become disconnected from them, and gives them more nuance and understanding than what we perceive in current events. It’s a pretty potent issue right now and it hit home quite movingly.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you seen any of these movies or shows, or read this novel — and if so what did you think?
I saw many problems that came along with immigration when I worked in the schools—the fear that lingers even long after coming to a new place of being rounded up and returned home; the awful memories of the violence and poverty that surrounded them when they were back home; the cruel way immigrants are treated once they have relocated including giving them jobs no one else will do and cutting wages and piling on work with no recourse…I think a book like The Leavers is one many who make decisions about people should read.
Please keep sharing what you are watching and reading, Susan. I don’t always remember to tell you thank you for specific things you recommend, but I often use your recommendations.
Thanks Deb. Kind of you to say. And yeah I fear the anti-immigrant thing is getting way out of hand. Your experience in the schools is heavy seeing such problems. The Leavers is a good book about such things and can broaden one’s perspective. Wishing you a peaceful week.
The Lisa Ko books sounds so sad but worty a read. Great review, as always.
I am on the library list for Severance, still can’t believe the library got in another Apple series. We are on the last season of Madam Secretary with only 7 episodes to go so I will see if I can start Severance next. We’ve been wanting to watch Longmire again too.
The snow here was quite unexpected as far as the amount. A dusting was expected and so when it snowed and snowed and continued to do so, things shut down. I still have snow and ice in the back part of the fields and back porch. Warmer temps are coming so hopefully it will melt. Loki isn’t a fan but once it froze over hard, he walked on it.
We should pick a month to start the next Elena Ferrante book. I’m looking forward to that. Currently reading Thorn Birds with Deb at Readerbuzz for my classics list and will start Testament of Youth with JoAnn in February (again for classics club). Thanks for writing about newer books and movies because that’s where I get my ideas 🙂
Hi Tina, thanks The Leavers is one I had on my Kindle for a long while.
I remember Madame Secretary being enjoyable … and I think we watched a few episodes of Longmire once. We got a bit crazy on the football for a while, so now that is winding down. 🙂 We can go back to the oddball Severance show.
Your snow was unreal. This week of 50s will feel like spring here. Crazy!
I’ve wanted to read The Thorn Birds (I missed it in my youth) perhaps I can get to it later this year. April might be good for our next Ferrante book. See if we can clear off the slate for it. Have a nice week.
I also read a story of displaced people this week, but it was about Vietnam and Cambodia, not about the US. I fear that refugee problems are now permanent because there are so many ways that people are losing their homes or seeking a better life.
Your reading lists are always interesting… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, yeah I fear displaced people stories will continue and get more grim. I saw your review of Vietnam/Cambodia memoir Slow Noodles …. man that was dark! So bleak. It must have been a very tough read but good she was able to write this book. Now I wonder how she’s doing. Thx for your reviews.
Whatever the craziness going on in the world, I try to find the good things that are happening and focus on those. Because there is good going on, too. And that helps me not start to spiral into negativity. So, I wish for you a really good weekend! And I hope that next week brings lots of positive things into the world. 😀
Hi Lark, thanks. Glad to see you got through the WordPress barriers. I hope it’s not a hassle. Alas, I’m not very tech savvy – I just like it to work.
I’m trying to manage my headspace now on all what I see going on. And I’m avoiding most of the news. Wishing you a good week.
Your reviews are always interesting and thoughtful. I might add “The Leavers” to my reading list.
Thanks Dorothy, kind of you to say. I had The Leavers on my kindle for a long while. It was much talked about in 2017 but now sadly the issue is about to explode further. Books like these can open people’s perspectives.
Hope you thaw out down there after the snow. Enjoy your week.
I liked The Leavers quite a bit when I read it a few years ago. Pretty different from my usual fare, but so interesting. And yes, very relevant these days.
I never did read The Talented Mr Ripley, but I would love to see the Italian scenes, so maybe…
Hi Jane, yeah I thought others had read The Leavers. It was a pretty big debut several years ago — glad you did. Not sure it was my usual fare either. But it did hit home in ways.
I haven’t read the Highsmith book either but I’ve watched it twice … her books often seem a bit chilling but clever. Enjoy your week.
We’re hoping to see A Complete Unknown and Emilia Perez soon.
The Leavers sounds relevant to our time — thanks!
Hi Joy, I look forward to hearing what you think of these movies. The Bob Dylan movie was a big hit with us. We haven’t seen Emilia Perez yet.
The Leavers is definitely relevant now. Enjoy your week.
The Leavers is very relevant right now and Polly and Deming seem like well drawn interesting characters. I am curious as to why Polly left and how that would have affected Deming growing up. This one is going on my TBR list and I believe Lisa Ko has written other books which I will look at.
Hi Kathy, the Leavers does pull you in … as it’s mostly told from Deming’s perspective and you want to know if he will be able to get his life together. It makes you feel their world as struggling immigrants, which is so relevant right now. See what you think of it. Have a great week.
Someone else mentioned Bad Sisters to me yesterday and it sounds really good. I’ll have to see if I have the streaming channel that it’s on.
I want to see the Bob Dylan movie; it sounds really good.
Hi Helen, Bad Sisters is a pretty dark comedy in ways on AppleTv. I think you would like these Irish sisters and it’s filmed around Dublin! Check out Season 1 & then 2. The critics are not liking 2 as they did 1 … but we are still onboard.
And you should see the Bob Dylan movie — Wow we were surprised in a good way! I’d almost see it again but I will wait a bit. Have a great week.
I want to read The Talented Mr. Ripley but not to interested in watching an adaptation. The only book I have read by Patricia Highsmith is Strangers on a Train, which is very well written but tense and uncomfortable reading for me.
The Leavers sounds like a good book if not a read to enjoy. I had not heard of it before.
Hi Tracy, it seems most of Patricia Highsmith’s books are uncomfortable reading … as she makes squirm-worthy plots & characters and they’re often chilling crime novels. I wonder what you’ll think of The Talented Mr. Ripley … I haven’t read it — but from seeing the movie & series … I know it’ll be a slippery devious slope. I remember your review of Strangers on the Train, whoa.
The Leavers was pretty topical. I’m glad to have read it. Wishing you a great week.
So many clowns in that circus!
The Leavers sounds interesting, thanks for sharing your thoughts
Wishing you a happy reading week
Hi Shelleyrae, thanks. I had to laugh at your comment — but I couldn’t agree more. It’s a sorry mess.
The Leavers was pretty good and topical. Happy reading too.
It’s been a very difficult week. I’m not doing too well avoiding the news, although I don’t watch anything on TV. But my daily news feed and IG feed are pretty depressing. It’s going to be a long four years, I’m afraid. So much worse than the first time he was in office…
We’ve been in the 30s in the morning, but warming up to the upper 40s. But it’s weird to not have any rain. Normally, that would make me very happy, but now I’m worrying about the fire risk later this year. Maybe we’ll get a lot of rain in February.
Glad you’re enjoying Bad Sisters. I found it good for a laugh here and there. Also happy that you like Ripley (thanks for the shout-out). It was so well done!
The Leavers sounds like one I might like, and also one that would be a good book group selection.
Hi Lesley, yeah now that you mention it: The Leavers is a pretty good one for a book club read. Quite a few issues to discuss in it. I wish I still had a book club.
Like you, I have been struggling too with the regime change & policies. It is heavy and depressing. I’m not sure how to handle — but maybe long nice walks with an audio would help us both? I try to avoid the news but I read some headlines.
I’m hoping too February will be a good snow month — because so far it’s so dry here. If it’s dry where you are — that’s not good. Then later we have to deal with fire season? Ugh.
I’m surprised how dark Bad Sisters is in Season 2 …. but still like the actresses. Ripley was devious but very well done. They are sort of considering a Season 2 apparently hmm. Wishing you a good week. take easy with everything.
You’re exactly right about coping here. I have adjusted a bit in remembering there will be midterms and if the Dems can pull their act together and retake the House it will put an end to any real legislation. A tiny glimmer of hope.
We watched Ripley as well and found it creepy, but hypnotic. The ending makes it look as if there will be a second season. Do you know if that’s the case?
My reading has been slow but strong. I’m still very plot focused, which makes me sad a bit as literary fiction is just not working for me. My brain can’t hold onto it. So, I’m going with the flow and reading historical fiction and mysteries.
We’re experiencing the same thing here in Seattle. Driest January since the early 80s. It’s pretty to have so much sunshine at this time of year, but we need the rain.
Hi Catherine, that’s wild about your very dry weather … and no wonder we’re not getting any from the West Coast. It’s worrisome. We need moisture!
We are about to start week 2 of the new regime and it’s likely more ball of knots for the stomach. I will take your glimmer of hope. Anything at this point. But I am trying to avoid much news/media so that helps … with my head & reading.
Apparently Netflix is considering a Season 2 of Ripley but they haven’t announced a go-ahead yet — but I think eventually they will. The show was a success. I agree it was deviant and hypnotic.
Keep up your reading you’re doing well finding the right things now. Liked your recent podcast too! Always enjoyable to hear your thoughts.
You’ve been busy watching a lot of TV and movies. Ripley sounds interesting; I saw the movie at the cinema in 1999. Jude Law was gorgeous! Great review of The Leavers; you have me wondering why the mother disappeared. I’m avoiding longish books so far and concentrating on short books. I’m making progress that way. Have a great reading week! That purplish sky is really something, by the way.
Hi Carmen, thanks. I too am taken with purple sky in the photo. And for whatever reason, it’s one of my favorites of the last few months. I keep staring at it, like I will fall into it, lol. And I wasn’t even going to watch Ripley b/c I’d seen the movie in ’99 but it’s a bit different than the Jude Law one. But both are sort of diabolical. I think it seems we are watching a lot but we only watch like one episode of something per night, so we aren’t huge bingers, lol. But I am trying to see some of the nominated movies before March 2. hmm. Let me know if you read or see anything good. My reading is a bit slow this January, hope yours is better.
So far I’ve read two Penelope Fitzgerald’s and one Saramago, all three 4* and less than 200 pages each. I’m on my 3rd Fitzgerald— At Freddie’s; it’s supposed to be funny. Okay so far. The Saramago one, Cain, was really something.
Hi Carmen, Great to hear! I don’t think I’ve tried either author but it seems like I should. Good you are enjoying these. You’re off to a good start!
This has been a tough week, for sure… I’m already weary! I read The Leavers in 2019 and thought it was a solid 4 star read, then raised it to 4.5 stars as I continued to think about it. Still so relevant!
Hi JoAnn, good to hear you read & liked The Leavers. I thought so. It was a potent one in its publication day and it still is too, ugh. It kept me reading to find out more of what happened and how Deming would fare.
And I too am already weary of the regime. It’s best to keep walking & reading and avoiding too much media. Hope you have a nice week.
Immigration is such a complex problem and a heartbreaking one when you hear about the individual stories. The weather is crazy! I guess we can’t count on norms anymore with climate change. I hope you get some snow. It’s so important right now. I haven’t been following the Oscar nominations and really don’t watch much on TV other than Downton Abbey and Schitt’s Creek right now. I did hear Severance is an addictive show. I might try it someday. Have a wonderful week, Susan!
Thanks Rachel. Yeah I agree with all you said, lol. Immigration, weather, oh my feels heavy right now. And it seems like we watch a lot but usually it’s just one episode per night of something, so it’s not too overboard (unless it’s football?). We are not far enough into Severance yet to tell what we think. All we know so far is that it’s odd, lol. Hope your week is good too!
I am keen to watch Emilia Perez. I like a good foreign movie and this one is getting a lot of buzz!
I hope you have a good week.
Hi Marg, good to hear. I want to see Emilia Perez too but now we don’t get Netflix? Figures. I’m not too big into musicals but I’m trying to keep an open mind about it. After all it received 13 nominations! Hope it’s good.
Enjoy your week too.
Due to the orange thing, my husband and I are seriously thinking of leaving the country. It’s a daunting thought. But research has begun. We really enjoyed Ripley on Netflix. So well done!
Hi Olivia, Wow I can’t say I blame you. What’s happening now is crazy and wrong. If I hadn’t already moved, I’d probably be interested in Europe or Africa, or perhaps New Zealand, lol. It’s far enough away and Canada is a bit too close.
Ripley was a good show! And they might eventually do a second season.
The Leavers sounds like a book I could get into. I actually thought I had read it until I read your thoughts on it. I have not.
Before I talk about this clown show of a government we have, I will say that that photo at the top of your post is lovely. It’s been cold and rainy here, about 35 degrees as the low. I had ice again on my windshield. Very different from the 79 degrees we had right after the big fires.
Now for the clown show, can it just end? Please. There is no governance, just overturning everything Biden and Obama touched. Just out of spite. Let’s kill the Dept of Education so we can keep our base stupid. Let’s ban any kind of health notifications so that when another pandemic hits, it won’t be tied to the wannabe dictator. Let’s get rid of all protections so we can be white, the women can have lots of babies and drop their career aspirations, and let’s make drugs super expensive so the weak can die. Natural selection at the hands of an orange pop tart.
Thanks Ti. The purplish photo is one I like quite a bit. Almost every night I take another photo of the same place in a different color. It never seems to get old.
As for the clown show, it is very bad and hard to watch unfold. I wish there was more to be done to stop it. It’s painful.
I hope the cooler weather might help things around there. Hold on this week!
I have Leavers on my TBR shelf where it has set for awhile now. It does seem especially relevant right now. My husband and I enjoyed the first season of Severance. Although, I admit it took me awhile to warm to the show. I’ll have to check out Ripley. I bet I would like that. I had missed all the Academy Awards news, so thank you for the update! I have seen Wicked, and really enjoyed it. I haven’t seen many movies other than that this past year though. I hope you have a good week, Susan.
Thanks Wendy. Yeah I think you’d really like the series Ripley. It’s quite alluring. We havent gotten too far into Severance yet and are a bit on the fence.
I had bought The Leavers on one of those $1.99 ebook specials and it sat on my kindle for quite a while. But it’s worth reading and it moves pretty quickly. So relevant right now, ugh! Hope you too have a great week.
I’m sorry you’ve had a rough week. The news can be overwhelming, and it’s definitely a challenge to stay positive sometimes.
I hope you get some proper winter weather soon.
Btw, these two are definitely on my watch list.
Take care, and here’s hoping for better days ahead.
Thanks Lux, nice hearing from you. The news lately is not always easy, but I’m hanging in there. I hope you are too. Enjoy some of these movies or shows if you get to them. Enjoy your weekend.