Small Rain -- Garth Greenwell

When I was reading Small Read I kept thinking what an oddly fascinating book. Some may find this story slow going, but I like medical stories (think Washington Post Medical Mysteries or NYT Diagnosis columns), which this is, and, I also like poetry, and the main character and his partner are both poets. The unnamed main character experiences intense pain and winds up in the ICU during Covid. The story follows his experiences with illness, hospitalization, and of course his thoughts on the meaning on life, love and poetry. Unlike the hazy days of being in a hospital, I was carried along. Dwight Garner found this novel to be interminable, I don't agree. I found it to be daring and profound. 

Tell Me Everything - Elizabeth Strout

First off, I should say that I love Lucy Barton. She is one of my favorite literary characters. I should also say that I have not read any other of Strout's novels besides the Lucy stories. So, I was entranced with the panoply of the Strout universe who populate Tell Me Everything. My, what a book. I can't remember when I was so moved. I cried often, and the characters took residence in my head. There is not a lot of action in Maine, where the novel takes place. Bob Burgess, the main character who is poignantly real, will break your heart; Lucy remains delicate and astute at once; while Olive Kitteridge chimes in as the aging observer. I was absolutely swept away by the love and brilliance of life this novel reveals. 

The Rich People Have Gone Away - Regina Porter

Sometimes a book that's sad, can also be funny. Sometimes a book that's moving, can also seem light. The Rich People Have Gone Away is all those things. In the midst of the pandemic Darla goes missing, but not in a way you'd expect. As the for search for Darla plays out, stories of race, ambition, family, tragedy, and talent all come in to play. Author Regina Porter is a playwright, and her novel often reads like acts in a play. A fast, intriguing read, with the air of a mystery novel, even though it's not really a mystery...it is more a story of interconnections, missed connections, and families.

On a personal note: Darla is a bassoonist. My mom played the bassoon from the time she was in high school until she was in her late 80's and her fingers couldn't manage anymore. Darla's thoughts about the instrument really caught my attention.

The Safekeep - Yael van der Wouden

An exhilarating, disturbing, sexy, and consuming story of suspicion and loneliness, The Safekeep is surprising and compelling. Isa's solitude and longing and Eva's need and sorrow collide in truly unexpected ways. Hints of antisemitism, the pain of war, and the loss of one's home and family, combine with the lives of an advantaged but cold family who occupy the home of someone else. I devoured this book and will remember Isa and Eva's complicated connection and passion with admiration for the telling of the story and empathy for their pain.

Aya -- Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie

A sweet glimpse into the lives of teenage girls growing up in the Ivory Coast in the 1970's. The story follows Aya and her friends as they begin to experience sexuality, ambition and dreams. The Ivory Coast was thriving in the 70's and this is an interesting look at the culture. The muted tones and stylized figures of the artwork are also a plus. Aya is the first book in a series, I may try another. 

You can read more about Aya here.

Someone Like Us - Dinaw Mengestu

Sometimes you read a book that you like a lot, but can't really find the words to describe it. Someone Like Us is that type of book. The story of Ethiopian immigrant Samuel, and Mamush, who may be his son, is shrouded in their unreliable characters. Still, there are kernels of their lives that are true...some sad, some disturbing, and some loving. The story is disconcerting as it travels back and forth in time and place, but that feeling of instability is an essential part of Samuel and Mamush's psyches. An unsettling, moving read.

The Horse -- Willy Vlautin

What a wonderful book. I was swept away by Al, his songs, his sadness, and at the bottom of it all, his kind heart. Al is a songwriter who has suffered from depression his whole life, he is from Reno, and the story follows him from almost-making it a few times, to not making it; to drinking, and sometimes not drinking; to falling in love, and losing that too. And then there is the old horse that shows up outside his door. I'm not really sure how to describe this book...it is musical, and sad, and uplifting all at once. I wish Al was real so I could hear his songs. 

The Most -- Jessica Anthony

What an odd, compelling, interesting little book. Set in 1957 during one day in the life of Kate and Virgil, the short novel reads like a Cheever story with a twist. Subtle and secretive, this moment in time has a kick to it. A lot is revealed in this novel's brief pages.

Touch -- Olaf Olafsson

 

A quiet, interesting, poignant book about lost love and aging. While I had to suspend belief a little bit, that Kristofer would head to Japan during the pandemic without letting Miko, the love of his youth, know he was coming, the intention of his rash act is admirable. Weaving in families, disappointment, Japanese history, London, Iceland, restaurants, and college days, along with fears and hopes, Touch made for a meaningful reading experience. 

When the Emperor Was Divine -- Julie Otsuka

 

A short and painful account of a family's imprisonment in the Japanese American incarceration camps during WWII. After their father is imprisoned for "spying" the unnamed family is transported to a horrible camp in the desert. Julie Otsuka's debut novel is devastating. It is heartbreaking what we can do to each other.