Book Reviews 2022: May-December

Dear me it's been a long time since I've done minireviews. The close of 2022 and the opening of 2023 seems the perfect time to pick back up the habit, eh what? 

For Old Time's Sake, by the Grim Writer

• Beta reading is so much fun, guys. 
• This is a sequel to Grim's gaslamp fantasy Molly from Hugo. It involves dark rain, a prince on the run, political conspiracy, attempts to invent a flying machine, and endearing old friends grown a few years older (and if possible more endearing) since last we saw them.  
• It's not exactly fair for me to squeal about this as it's not yet available to the public, but you can find Grim's blog and more information about this and all her lovely stories HERE.

The Thief Who Stole Heaven, by Raymond Arroyo

• This is a picture book retelling the legend of St. Dismas, the good thief. It features beautiful illustrations and it made me cry.
• I highly recommend it to: people in general. 

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian

• I recommend this book to: anyone who enjoyed the movie, anyone who would like to experience life on a ship in England's navy, anyone who digs naval battles or insects or the Napoleonic age or SAILS or characters just being bros. 
• The story concerns Captain Jack Aubrey's first command, in the course of which he forms a somewhat unlikely friendship with Dr. Stephen Maturin. 
• Captain Jack is kind of adorable, methinks; he understands EVERYTHING about the navy but is utterly CLUELESS about everything else. 
• Meanwhile Dr. Maturin doesn't know ANYTHING about the navy, but he knows lots about music and insects and human nature, and he's just, like, kind of the best. 
• There is also this guy named James, who is a conflicted undercover Catholic just trying to do his duty by both God and country, and James oh JAMES I love you. 
• Be advised that this is the kind of book that's not afraid to take it slow. There's plenty of adventure on the high seas, to be sure, but it's not JUST adventure on the high seas. We're quite content to spend a slow morning in the ship's cabin just watching praying mantises or trying to memorize the ship's sails. 
• Overall, I REALLY DIGGED this book and I can't wait to find time to read the second one. (I bought the next 3 in the series when I found them at a used bookstore, if that gives you any idea.)

Summer of my German Soldier, by Bette Green

• This novel is set in Kansas during WWII. 
• A lonely, abused girl meets delightful German POW who never asked to be a Nazi. He's in his twenties and she's like twelve but she falls in love with him anyway. 
• He's like "girl I'm in my twenties." 
• She's like "I'm in love with you anyway." 
• And I mean I get it?
• But also I am mad, because the book as a whole is very dark, and the ending did not make me happy. In fact, it kind of ripped my heart out. And refused to apologize for such a rude action.
• I would recommend it to: people who love severely depressing endings. 

Mysterious Tales of Coastal North Carolina, by Sherman Carmichael

• This book is exactly what the title says it is.
• I would recommend it to: people who are vacationing in coastal North Carolina. 

Something Fresh, by P. G. Wodehouse

• This comic piece of fiction concerns a bunch of people who are trying to win a bunch of reward money by getting back a stolen scarab (which it turns out wasn't stolen at all, but whatever, they don't know that). 
• P. G. WODEHOUSE IS A COMIC GENIUS. 
• His punctuation alone, guys. 
• It is the most eloquent punctuation it has ever been my pleasure to laugh myself silly over.
• Joan Valentine is a brick. 
• Ashe Marson is a doll. 
• I ship Joan Valentine and Ashe Marson SO HARD. 
• Joan is determined to Do Things. 
• Ashe has never been much of a one to Do Things. He's a little bit of a failure, but he's such a loveable and endearing failure I should like to keep him in the drawer of my writing desk or something. 
• Which doesn't sound flattering but maybe you know what I mean? 
• Anyway. The other characters were funny, 
• and someday I will read the rest of the Blandings books, 
• but for the most part I just wanted to read about Joan and Ashe.
• I would recommend it to: anyone who needs a good laugh, especially if you love good British prose. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss 

• This hits much differently when you're a new adult than when you're going into kindergarten.

The Family Under the Bridge 

• This is the story of a grouchy old hobo in Paris who, upon coming home to his own personal spot under the bridge one day, finds it invaded by a family of: 4 redheaded children, 1 stuck-up mother, and 1 dog that should be white. The children promptly adopt Armand as their grandfather. Also, they want a house for Christmas. 
• Throughout the course of this story we encounter: 
• a baby buggy, 
• a missing shoe, 
• a piece of coal, 
• a river, 
• a lot of Christmas shoppers, 
• a BIRD MOTIF which I found quite delightful, 
• a community of Gypsies, 
• the Court of Miracles, 
• a house on wheels, 
• and a Paris that feels like a real place both grubby and magical. 
• It's so simple and yet so unique. I love it muchly. 
• I recommend it to: humanity in general. It's so short, my dears, so very short and so very charming. You should read it posthaste, in truth, you should. 

Man and Woman: A Divine Invention, by Alice von Hildebrand

• Alice von Hildebrand's shamelessly anti-feminist take on man-woman relationships. (Don't let the title fool you, it's mostly about women.)
• It is FIRE. 
• I'm too lazy to summarize or analyze properly right now, but...it was so much fun getting to know Alice von Hildebrand a little bit. She's one of those authors whose personalities come through so strongly that you very quickly feel like you've made friends with them. 

I Survived: The Attacks of September 11, 2001 and I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916, by Laura Tarshish (graphic novelizations)

• My little brothers discovered the I Survived graphic novels over the summer, so I figured I'd give them a shot.
• The one on 9/11 made me cry.
• The one on the Shark Attacks of 1916 struck me as kind of bizarre at first, but my sisters absolutely dug it, and when I finally got around to reading it I saw where they were coming from. Chet is a pretty endearing protagonist and Uncle Jerry is a brick, and somehow small towns in New Jersey + summertime shenanigans + 1910s aesthetics + creeks with SHARKS in them = a very satisfying aesthetic indeed. Not to make light of the actual shark attacks of 1916, of course. The historical notes in the back of the graphic novel sent me down a rabbit hole of Wikipedia research for about a half an hour, and it was a very disturbing half hour indeed.
• Would recommend. 

Interior Freedom, by Fr. Jacques Philippe

• This is good spiritual reading all about peace. For some reason it made me think of Brideshead Revisited.
• I recommend it to: people in general. Especially people who struggle with scruples or anxiety. 

The Legend of Iveswood, Vol. 1, by Zoe Ring

• This epic fantasy, my second beta read of the year, involves: shapeshifters, dragons, greed, prejudice, thieves, dead mentors, vengeful lords, shady characters, meticulous worldbuilding, a very spunky girl, lots of snark and sass, a very noble prince, and very scary things moving on the horizon.
• You can find Zoe's new website linked HERE. (Did I mention she's an artist as well as a writer?)

Children of the Levee, by Lafcadio Hearn

• This is collection of Lafcadio Hearn's newspaper sketches from the decades following the Civil War. They're primary historical documents referenced in Nikki Taylor's Frontiers of Freedom: Cincinnati's Black Community, 1802-1868, which was one of the best books I read in the first half of the year, so of course I wanted to learn more. Because it involves Cincinnati! And sketches of levee life! 
• I'm so happy this was available online. As Taylor warns us, Hearn is very biased, but also he's a key source. And on a purely literary level, his writing is very easy to read: sentimental, atmospheric, and sometimes very touching. You can almost hear the riverboats moaning by on the black moonlit river at midnight. Do I still want to write his-fic set in Cincy someday? You bet your britches. 

In the Name of Jesus, by Henri Nouwen

• Spiritual reading, mostly about humility, and how it's essential to the Christian life but also very easy to trick yourself out of practicing until you find yourself serving other people's most basic needs in a radical way.
• It's very short and very good stuff. 

The Dude Ranger, by Zane Grey

• This, the first Zane Grey novel I've ever read, features an Eastern gent posing as cowboy, falling for a spunky redhead, and learning to BE a cowboy--the hard way. 
• There is a lovely rugged Western setting. 
• There are lots of dances and gunfights. 
• There's lots of romantic jealousy (so much romantic jealousy). 
• Daisy is very indecisive. 
• Nebraska and Ernest are pards. 
• The bad guys are not gentlemen. 
• The plot involves lots of crooked ranch hands and so many shenanigans. 
• Miscellaneous, not to say irrelevant, thoughts: Why is the bad guy's name Dude? The name Dude should be reserved for loveable alcoholics played by Dean Martin. 

Love Poems for the Very Married, by Lois Wyse 

• Cute poetry. Someone left it at my new house, so I read it.
• I don't remember too much about it at this point, but seriously, it was cute.

This War is the Passion, by Carryl Houselander

• This book is comprised of meditations on WWII as the suffering of the Body of Christ. It was written during WWII in Britain by a Catholic mystic.
• It's intensely beautiful and made me think a lot about the Cross, and it was exactly what I needed to read at exactly the moment I read it, y'know? It made even being BORED feel like something you can offer up as an act of love for God. 
• Because of the "written in WWII Britain" thing mentioned above, it also gave me tons of Enemy Brothers vibes. Specifically, Dym Ingleford vibes. Anytime Houselander was talking about "the Christian soldier" my brain automatically went DYM INGLEFORD MY DARLING. 
• If this sounds at all like something you need in your life then WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR go read it.

The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera 

• I think this was the third time I've read this book, which is about a modern woman falling in love with life in a seriously old-fashioned town. Surprisingly it turned out to be the perfect thing to read on a plane?
• It involves classical education 
• and libraries 
• and "what does it mean to be a modern woman?" 
• and poppyseed as a secret ingredient 
• and children who paint icons 
• and "how does one find a husband?" 
• and "do husbands jive with feminism?" 
• and cats 
• and distributism 
• and simple-minded teachers being the best teachers apparently 
• and a monastery 
• and Italy 
• and "one MUST go to Italy to finish one's education." 
• And, of course, the Man in the Wing Chair, who is aggravatingly perfect.
• Why can I see this as though it's a movie?  

The Return of the Prodigal Son, by Henri Nouwen

• This is a spiritual memoir about Nouwen's relationship with the Prodigal Son--specifically, as portrayed in Rembrandt's painting, which Nouwen got to visit in the USSR. Draws heavily on the Gospels, of course. 
• Guys this is SUCH A COOL BOOK. The art appreciation is beautiful, and there are sections on the Prodigal Son, the Elder Brother, and the Father aligned with deep theological ideas about humility and spiritual poverty and spiritual fatherhood. 
• For some reason it made me think a ton about Laramie, which is...odd.
• Isn't it beautiful that one piece of art can move somebody enough and make them THINK deeply enough to write a book as full of goodness, truth, and beauty as this?
• In the Name of Jesus was good and all, but I would definitely recommend The Return of the Prodigal Son as an introduction to Nouwen. 

My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok

• Concerns the adventures (misadventures? mundane struggles? spiritual and familial struggles?) of a Jewish boy who grows up to be a painter in spite of strong opposition from his family/community. 
• Set largely in Brooklyn, NY, during the Cold War. 
• Involves the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 
• delicious descriptions (because Asher is so VISUAL), 
• and a really compelling first-person narration. 
• (At least, it was compelling for me. There's something about the style that makes the book at once easy to read--such short sentences, everything is so immediate--and yet so profound.) 
• The ending made me sad in a way that kind of left me flat? But I feel like it's one of those books that I'll go back and read again someday and be all "Oh THAT'S what he's getting at!" and simply love it to pieces. 
• Maybe. We'll see. 

The Jeweler's Shop, by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II)

• The play JPII wrote before he was JPII, which is jam-packed with his philosophy of love and marriage. 
• Takes the form of a dramatic dialogue, more poetry than action (apparently this is because he wrote it in the rhapsodic style that his Polish theater group used during the Nazi occupation--they had to be super low on props and sets and stuff, because if the Nazis caught them performing plays it would be very very very Not Good). 
• There is a storyline. It's just not presented in the way we're used to from, say, Shakespeare or Thornton Wilder. 
• In Act I, I was pleased with the poetry and mildly interested in the characters. 
• In Act II, I was considerably more invested, but was wondering how on earth the characters in Act II were connected to the characters in Act I. 
• In Act III, everything came together and it SHATTERED me.
• (Okay "shattered" is a dramatic word. I think it would have shattered me under the right conditions but hurriedly reading the entire play in the hour or two before my book club met to discuss it probably does not count as the right conditions.)
• I highly recommend. 

Home for Rent, by the Grim Writer

• Again, it's not fair for me to squeal about this novella when it's not available to the public, but. 
• It's another of the books in the Molly from Hugo world, coming between Molly from Hugo and For Old Time's Sake, and involving the adventures of a certain motherly figure as she opens her home and heart to five world-weary young women. Endearment abounds. Involves guest appearances by one of my favorite gentlemen in fiction. 

The Everlasting Man, by G. K. Chesterton

• Chesterton's take on human history, split into two parts. "On the Creature Called Man" is a reflection on man's early attempts at civilization (with an emphasis on Cave Men, Greece, & Rome, particularly Rome's war with Carthage). "On the Man Called Christ" is about how Jesus' Incarnation perfectly fulfills everything mankind had been searching for. 
• It's SO BEAUTIFUL. I often cite St. Francis of Assisi as my favorite of GKC's non-fiction works, but...but...well even if this one doesn't beat Francis it comes pretty darn close. 
• I particularly like the chapters on Jesus. Because Jesus makes everything better. 

The Great Gatsby: The Graphic Novel, adapted by Fred Fordham 

• My sister pointed this out to me in the bookstore and I was like "ooh, pretty, but I don't need it. I don't need it I don't need it I don't need it." And of course I bought it.
• And I'm so happy I bought it cuz IT WAS SO PRETTY.
• I was impressed by how much of the dialogue was worked into the graphic novel (and how much of the narrative, too, for that matter; it was almost excessive but not enough to distract from the absolute loveliness of the art). 
• I'm also happy to have read it because I feel like it gave me a fresh look at the story. I've read the book so many times that I've gotten kind of automatic about taking in the prose, but reading this it was like, "JEEPERS, Nick might not be the most active guy in the world, but insofar as he took any action he is indeed as culpable as the next person" and "aww, look at Gatsby trying to be heroic." (As opposed to "Nick does nothing, he is just the eyes" and "Gatsby is DELUSIONAL," which is usually what I think.) 
• I could quibble about how I think Daisy should be dark-haired instead of blonde and certain characters should be less pretty than they were in this rendition, but am I going to complain when overall the aesthetic was perfect? Am I? No. Of course not.
• 'Twas beautiful. Fans of Gatsby should check it out. (If they like graphic novels, that is.)

And there you have it. All the books I can remember reading in the latter half of 2022. A pretty satisfying batch, overall. But I hope to read much more than this in the first half of 2023. :) 

God bless you and keep you all, my dears! A blessed New Year to ye!

Have you read any of these books? Have you any thoughts about them? What have you been reading these days?