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.
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 🙂
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
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. 😀
Your reviews are always interesting and thoughtful. I might add “The Leavers” to my reading list.
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…
We’re hoping to see A Complete Unknown and Emilia Perez soon.
The Leavers sounds relevant to our time — thanks!
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.
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.
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.
So many clowns in that circus!
The Leavers sounds interesting, thanks for sharing your thoughts
Wishing you a happy reading week
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!