Plymouth Librarians' Choice

The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos
Adult New Book Display - Main Level
Downloadable Audio Book

Fans of the smart, nuanced storytelling on the HBO series, The Wire, will also like The Night Gardener, because George Pelecanos wrote both. And just as The Wire made many TV critics’ “Ten Best” lists, The Night Gardener received critical acclaim as one of the best mysteries of 2006. Pelecanos uses his screenwriting talents to create scenes that the reader can actually “see” and the dialogue crackles as it propels the story forward.

The book opens with a child’s murder in 1985 and then jumps forward twenty years to 2005 when another child’s murder brings together the story’s main characters. The Night Gardener takes place on the gritty streets and working class neighborhoods around Washington DC - territory that Pelecanos covers right down to the fast-food wrappers blowing across the corner basketball courts. The story’s characters are all believable, complex human beings - complete with the usual foibles and flaws as well as rare moments of grace. The first part of the book allows us time to get to know the characters, so that we feel like we’re riding in the same car with them when the action accelerates and the plot takes some unexpected twists and turns. Fans of writers like Denis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendel, and Margaret Yorke who are looking for a complex, character-driven mystery will want to check out The Night Gardener.

The Devil’s Feather by Minette Walters
Adult New Book Display
CD Book Shelves – Main Level

Can’t decide between a cozy, English mystery and an action-packed thriller? Minette Walters’ new mystery has both. It interweaves two plots – a “ripped-from-the-headlines” story of a renegade mercenary and a little local murder in Dorset. The book begins with lots of action when Connie Burns investigates a British soldier-for-hire in connection with a series of brutal rapes and murders in Sierra Leone and Baghdad. Then the story shifts gears when the heroine flees to England in order to hide from the mercenary, who wants her silenced - permanently. The middle part of the story delves into the secrets, scandals, and suspicious characters living in the Dorset village where Connie goes underground. Fans of suspense should not be deterred by the change of pace, because Walters delivers plenty of action in the book’s final chapters.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice
Adult New Fiction- Main Level- Rice

Fans of Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle or Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love will enjoy this playful comedy set on a crumbling British estate after World War II. Penelope Wallace has never before had friends like the charismatic Charlotte and her brash cousin Harry, and is delighted to join them in glamorous new social circles. Posing as Harry’s new girlfriend (to make the old one jealous) does not, however, prevent Penelope from falling in love with a hopelessly unsuitable older man. And try as she might, she can’t think of a way to save Magna, the rotting, leaking and threadbare mansion where she lives with her family. Readers may find themselves wishing they could spend a week or two with the characters of this deliciously amusing story as they plot, scheme and dance late into the night.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Adult Fiction Shelves- Main Level- Toole

Looking for a story about a quixotic malcontent living in New Orleans in the early 60’s? Well, no you probably aren’t, but that shouldn’t stop you from picking up John Kennedy Tooles hilarious satire Confederacy of Dunces. Ignatius J. Reilly a 30-year-old intellectual introvert who still lives with his mother is forced to seek a job. From here he is thrown into a variety of misadventures meeting an eccentric array of characters. The novel works on many levels delivering comedy, social satire, and a very colorful description of the French Quarter. While many of the events that occur in the book may seem like disconnected tales, they eventually culminate in a hilarious and satisfying climax. Even more interesting are the events that surround the author himself who was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize. For more information on the author's life check out the dictionary of literary biography database at http://plymouthlibrary.org/remote.htm

Love and War in California by Oakley Hall
Adult New Book Display - Hall

The story begins during Payton Daltry’s college years in San Diego at the start of WWII and follows his life through to late middle age. Payton’s formative years abound with contradictions. He works at a socialist newspaper in spite of the personal costs, which include social ostracism and physical intimidation. At the same time, he longs to return to the upper-lass life his family lived before the depression. Payton desperately wants the approval of his father but he antagonizes him at every opportunity. He believes an unfounded rumor about his older brother whom he has always looked up to and admired. Of course, when he falls in love, Payton can’t decide how to proceed. All these relationships are left unresolved when he ships out to fight in France.

Oakley Hall’s prose evokes a visceral sense of place and time. He also populates the story with unforgettable minor characters. The fictional story is complemented by references to real people and actual events. Errol Flynn and Jack Warner are two “real life” characters who make appearances in the book. The details of the liberation of concentration camps and the waning days of fighting in Europe also provide a realistic backdrop to the story.

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman Comic geeks, take note! This no-pictures novel puts a realistic spin on the world of superheroes and supervillains. Our antihero is Dr. Invincible, pondering on what separates villains from heroes, remembering key superheroes as they all attended the same high school for the gifted, and plotting again to take over the world. Our heroine is Fatale, a cyborg with only shadowy memories of her former, fully human life. She’s the newest member of veteran superhero team the Champions. As she never feels that she quite fits in, she watches the other team members closely, giving us as readers insight into them. The reflections fit in between showdowns in a book whose characters, setting, and plot are all compelling.

I Gave You My Heart, but You Sold It Online by Dixie Cash
Adult New Fiction Display - CASH

Dixie Cash is a pseudonym for two sisters who write books that combine humor, romance, and a little light detective work. Fans of Janet Evanovich, Fannie Flag, and the Sweet Potato Queens will want to check out their most recent title: I Gave You My Heart, but You Sold It Online. The two earlier books in this series also have titles that could have been country-western songs: Since You’re Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash and My Heart May Be Broken, but My Hair Still Looks Great. The stories revolve around the adventures of two big-hearted, West Texas gals who run a combination hair salon and detective agency. It’s impossible to summarize the plot, which has more twists and turns than a tornado. Suffice it to say that the story gets hotter than a jalapeno when the gals get involved with a two-timing rodeo star, a sex-crazed octogenarian, and a gender-confused Las Vegas showgirl. Throw into the mix some online dating, identity theft, and stalking-on-a-budget and you've got one spicy salsa of a story. So find a shady spot, put some Margarita mix in the blender, and enjoy.

The Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee
Adult New Book Display – Main Level - GEE

In 1711, a young Alexander Pope sets out for London against his father’s will. He hopes to make a name for himself as a poet; his father remembers all too keenly Catholics being burned in the streets and forced to live at least ten miles outside of the city. Meanwhile, his childhood friends Teresa and Martha Blount are also heading to London for the season, where Teresa hopes that their cousin Arabella, the acclaimed belle of the season, can introduce them to the best in society. The Jacobite rebellion is being plotted, some Catholics supporting a return to a Catholic reign, while others want only to blend in with society. Amid the political turbulence, Alexander watches as Arabella becomes enmeshed in a passionate affair, so shocking that it will become… the scandal of the season. This highly accurate origin story for The Rape of the Lock is full of intrigues both social and political, and delightful for anyone who enjoyed books like Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring.

The Nanny Diaries: A Novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus - Adult Fiction Shelves – Main Level – McLaughlin
Adult Paperbacks – Main Level - McLaughlin

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a nanny? How about being a nanny to a rich Manhattan family? The Nanny Diaries: A Novel will give you a glimpse into the world of all that encompasses nannyhood. While the novel is fiction, the authors, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, have both worked as nannies in New York City and had a myriad of experiences to draw upon when writing their novel.

The Nanny Diaries: A Novel is about young 21 year old Nan, mostly known as Nanny, who is earning a child development degree from NYU. Nan takes nanny jobs to earn money for her expenses. One day she meets Mrs. X at Central Park, and her world is never the same! Soon Mrs. X decides to employ Nanny to watch over her young 4 year old son, Grayer, while she deals with important matters such as party planning, shopping, and pedicures. At first, Nan finds this ritzy world of Prada shoes, fancy parties, and lavender water fascinating. Who wouldn’t want to work for a rich family that lives in a huge multi-million dollar apartment and shops on Fifth Avenue? However, as time passes, Nan witnesses Grayer’s sadness firsthand and realizes that no amount of money can take the place of real parents. Furthermore, Nanny begins to notice that she is often treated like the gum on the bottom of one of Mrs. X’s designer shoes as she is given more and more hours and offered less and less salary. As the Xs’ marriage begins to implode and Nan learns too much about their personal life, she knows that she cannot work for them forever, but how can she leave young and lonely Grayer? If you are looking for an interesting and delicious read set in fabulous New York City with plenty of satirical gossip, you will enjoy The Nanny Diaries: a Novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus!

A Kiss of Fate by Mary Jo Putney
Adult Fiction Shelves - Main Level - PUTNEY

Add a little magic to your romance with this first in a series set in Great Britain, early 18th century. Gwynne Owens is a young member of the secret magical group called the Guardians, who use their magic to preserve the peace as much as possible. She herself doesn’t have any sign of power, but is a librarian and a serious student of Guardian lore. When the action begins to heat up, she is a young and wealthy widow, living with her much older Guardian sister-in-law. Then she meets Duncan Macrae, a powerful Scottish weather mage. Their attraction is both powerful and frightening to Gwynne (nothing like a few lightening bolts to heat things up), and an early kiss leaves her with vivid visions of violent destruction. She wants to run the other way as fast as she can, but the Guardian Council senses that she will be crucial to balancing Duncan’s power during the gathering uprising in Scotland. After a hasty wedding, the pair is off on a short wedding tour on the way to the Macrae manor in the lowlands of Scotland. And now Gwynne’s power is awakened – truly high levels of seduction, charm, and persuasiveness, with some pretty good future reading to boot. Just quiet female powers, really, she thinks – will they be enough to keep Duncan from adding his power to the uprising and causing the rivers of blood in her visions? It doesn’t quite have the broad appeal of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, set in the same time period, but Kiss of Fate is a fine traditional romance with a touch of magic and a lot of action in the bedroom. It has a scholarly and adventurous seductress, and a kilt-wearing man whose kisses cause storms. If these are up your alley, give it a try.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes – Adult Fiction Shelves, Adult Paperbacks, and Adult Large Print – Main Level – Keyes. Teen Zone Paperbacks – Main Level - Keyes.

Charlie Gordon is a mentally retarded man in his early 30’s who is chosen for an amazing experiment—to receive a brain operation, injections, and therapy in order to make him smart. The model for such an experiment is conducted on a mouse named Algernon who has shown a great increase in intellectual abilities. Charlie happily agrees to be a part of this experiment because he thinks that being smart is the best thing in the world.

Soon after this experiment is conducted, Charlie does gain in intellectual smarts, but his mental facilities in terms of relationships with others is still behind that of normally progressing young adults. Thus, while Charlie enjoys being able to read and speak in many languages, he struggles with the most basic of human relationships. Charlie comes to realize that being smart doesn’t mean that one has all the answers or happiness in life.

Sadly, Charlie also comes to realize that the doctors who have designed this experiment have failed to plan fully for what can occur in such a rapid explosion of intelligence. Furthermore, Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur also fail to take into account real human emotions and desires as they treat Charlie like some sort of experimental lab rat. Charlie does find friendships with Algernon, his partner in this experiment, and Alice Kinnian—his teacher. He eventually falls in love with Alice, and they share a tender yet tragic love story.

Flowers for Algernon is mesmerizing. It is a novel that relates to all of our human emotions of love, fear, sadness, joy, failure, and success. Daniel Keyes has truly written a classic novel that will grab onto the reader and not let go until you are finished.

The Merlot Murders: A Wine Country Mystery by Ellen Crosby
Adult Mysteries – Crosby

Some people would say that drowning in a vat of Merlot is not a bad way to go: those people will appreciate this tasty new mystery by Ellen Crosby. When the family vineyard in Virginia (yes, Virginia) falls on hard times, developers come calling with lots of cash. Some family members want to sell and some want to keep the vineyard. When one of the hold-outs is killed in a hunting accident, it looks like coincidence. But a second fatal “accident” proves to be one coincidence too many.

Enter Lucie Montgomery called home from France, where she learned a thing or two about wine, in order to salvage what remains of the family business. Lucie has a lot on her mind between old family feuds, funerals, and former boyfriends. Not to mention she's scrambling to raise enough money to save the vineyard and contending with the strong objections of the family members who desperately need the cash a sale would bring. Soon it looks as though Lucie will be the next Montgomery family member to suffer a tragic accident. If you want to know what happens next, pour yourself a glass and settle into a comfy chair with this delicious mystery.

For other mysteries with a gourmet flair, check out the Plymouth District Library’s Booklist of Tasteful Mysteries.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Adult Fiction-Main Level

This long forgotten work is beautiful, yet haunting. What makes “Suite Française” so compelling has very much to do with the author herself. Irene Nemirovsky, a Russian born Jew, was quickly gaining popularity as a French writer before the outbreak of World War II. Originally, “Suite Française” was planned to be a five part work chronically the war from just before the invasion of France to the end which was tentatively called La Paix (Peace.) Unfortunately, Nemirovsky was arrested in July 1942 for being a Jew and sent to Auschwitz where she died.

Before she died, Nemirovsky had finished two parts of the sequence. However, it was not until 1998 that Nemirovsky’s two daughters finally opened the notebook containing the two novellas. Finally, after sixty years, the book was published and has received much critical acclaim.

The first novella is called “Storm in June” and portrays the flight of the people of Paris as they scramble in stunned disbelief to avoid the advancing German army. The narrative follows several groups of people and their struggle to survive while maintaining their humanity. The second novella, “Dolce", follows the uneasy balance of the German occupation. Set in the rural town of Bussy, an intriguing plot unfolds as the differences between the rural French and the German soldiers are explored, eliciting sympathy, unlikely attraction, and hatred.

Considering the context in which it is written, “Suite Française,” is a dramatic novel full of powerful emotions. This is not a historical novel written long after the fact. This is a work of art that was created as the events unfolded.

World War Z by Max Brooks
Adult Science Fiction - Main Level - SCIFI BROOKS

At first glance, the title World War Z might sound as though it’s going to be the equivalent of a schlocky B horror movie. We are talking about zombies here, and the material with which they’ve been presented in the past hasn’t been very deep. Aside from a few metaphors about consumerism that one might gleam from a George Romero film, the zombie hasn’t been treated very seriously as a motif. However, World War Z not only succeeds in presenting the zombie in a realistic setting, but there is also a mountain of sub-text being presented about our own human nature.

The book is presented as an oral history of the war in question and every detail down to the jacket is meant to convey the “realism” of it. The author himself is a character who interviews a wide variety of people from across the world about their experiences with the war. From political officials, military personnel, and pharmaceutical companies to celebrities and the average citizen, Brooks manages to capture each characters voice perfectly. Of course there’s gore, and lots of good old fashioned zombie violence, but what makes this book stand out is the grounding it has in reality.

It’s the arrogance of the politicians, the greediness of the companies, and the foolishness of the citizens that makes you really horrified, because if you were to replace the zombie element with any other crisis so much would still ring true. It’s this examination of our human nature when we are faced with such a dire dilemma that really resonates. In addition to this title, Brooks has also put out a Zombie Survival Guide that is actually referenced in World War Z.

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - Adult Paperbacks – Main Level – Lawson

Kate Morrison is a 26 year old zoologist and Assistant Professor of Biology at a Toronto university. She is in love with Daniel Crane who is the Professor of Zoology at the same university. She seems happy on the surface, but her family’s past always haunts her. When she receives an invitation to her nephew Simon’s 18th birthday party all of these memories from the past flood back into her mind.

The Morrison family suffers a great tragedy the summer of Kate’s 7th year. Her parents die in a car accident, and she and her little sister, Bo, are left to be raised by their older teenage brothers, Matt and Luke. Kate idolizes Matt who loves to study marine life with her in the many ponds near their home of Crow Lake.

The family struggles to make a living and find peace during the first year after their parents’ death. Eventually, their lives seem to get better until Matt gets involved with Marie Pye. Marie Pye is the daughter of the local farming family, the Pyes, who possess dangerous secrets. Once Matt becomes close to Marie, Kate and Matt’s relationship changes forever, and these events leave Kate bitter and un-fulfilled. Will Kate learn to confront and make peace with the past?

Crow Lake is a 2003 Alex Award winner which means it is an adult novel that will appeal to teenagers as well. Written in a mesmerizing fashion, Crow Lake by Mary Lawson is a fascinating portrait of one family’s life in Northern Canada. This novel switches between past and present so expertly that the reader is never left confused. In fact, once a reader starts Crow Lake, he/she will not be able to put it down until its conclusion!

Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
Adult New Book Display - Main Level - Barker

Clive Barkers first “adult” novel in six years begins with a very simple plea, “Burn this book.” It seems Jakabok Botch the minor demon now inhabiting the pages of Mister B. Gone would like nothing better than for you the reader to stop what you are doing grab a match and incur the wrath of a hefty library fine. However, if you are like me the temptation to read ahead instead of immolating the pages will no doubt be too much. Thus, Botch is resigned from the first page to threaten, taunt, seduce, and reason with the reader as well as tell his life story. Spanning from the depths of hell to the workshop of Johan Gutenberg, Botch revels in his family life, his love life (demons apparently love in their own ghastly way), and ultimately how he found himself trapped in the pages before you.
While many of Clive Barkers horrific trademarks remain, the book has enough humor in it to set it apart from his previous efforts. Fans may be a bit disappointed that this book isn’t the sprawling epic they might be waiting for. Especially if you’re like me and you are eagerly awaiting the final installment of his classics “The Great and Secret Show,” and “Everville.” However, if you view his latest book as a light appetizer instead of a hearty main course Mister B. Gone delivers enough to sate your appetite.

Face of an Angel by Denise Chavez
Adult Fiction- Main Level- Chavez

This is the delicious saga of the Dosamantes family of Agua Oscura, New Mexico. Young Soveida Dosamantes dreams of becoming a nun, but grows up to enter a different kind of service: waitressing at the El Farol (“the Light”) restaurant. From her mother, Dolores, and grandmother, Lupe, Soveida learns what it means to serve a husband, recommendations she emulates with woeful results. Is it possible to find happiness serving only others? The novel is a rich mixture of Soveida’s intriguing family history, humorous waitressing advice, excerpts of term papers for her Chicana studies class, snippets of phone conversations, and Soveida’s own story. Each section is named after a member of the Catholic hierarchy of angels, and pondering how Chavez matched names and chapters is a worthwhile side project for any literary types out there.

Matrimony
Adult New Book Display- Main Level- Henkin

Professor Chesterfield of Graymont College is fond of only two of his creative writing students. The first, Julian Wainwright, is the privileged son of wealthy New Yorkers and the second, Carter Heintz, wants to be Julian. Soon the two are best pals, both in love with Mia Mendelsohn’s photo in the freshman directory. While Carter dates a different girl, Julian woos Mia in the dormitory laundry room, and the couple is still together at graduation. Mia’s family, however, is falling apart: her mother has cancer.

Julian and Mia marry immediately, while Mrs. Mendelsohn is still able to attend the wedding. After moving to Ann Arbor, Mia pursues a graduate degree at the University of Michigan and Julian battles a killer case of writer’s block. The story meanders after the married couple as they settle into patterns together, watch their old relationships change, and discover how little they really know about each other. Should they have revealed more before marrying? Does it even matter?

This quiet, beautifully written work manages to amble along slowly while also covering a lengthy chunk of Julian and Mia’s lives. Henkin's prose is charming yet unpretentious, earning Matrimony a spot in the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2007. If action and adventure are what you love, this is probably a bad choice, but fans of realistic fiction at its realist will be pleased.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Adult Paperbacks - Main Level DANIELEWSKI

To describe Mark Danielewski’s novel House of Leaves in a few words would be somewhat impossible. However, I feel inclined to try anyway. Imagine a book, about a book, about a movie, about a photographer and his family who are living in a house that grows and changes from the inside yet remains static on the outside. Confused yet? Well that’s half the fun of House of Leaves. More than just a book about a haunted house, it focuses more on the concept of darkness. The darkness that grows inside us, and the absolute infinity that the illusion of darkness can create even if we are merely standing inside a closet. The book consists of two main narratives, one involving Johnny Truant, who comes across a monograph written by a blind man Zumpano. The other deals with the contents of this monograph detailing the experiences the photographer has inside the house. As if this wasn’t enough the two narratives begin to slowly dissolve leaving the reader to question if Truant isn’t just making the whole thing up himself.

The book itself is as much a labyrinth as the house is, inverting text on certain pages, single words on others, and for the truly adventurous a whole load of footnotes. In addition Danielewski’s sister, the musical artist Poe, made an entire album that is a companion piece to the book. While many may criticize the book as form over function, or simply view it as pretentious postmodern garbage, the enjoyment of House of Leaves depends solely on how much the reader wants to delve into the abyss. If you're willing to dive in with an open mind than you may find the experience more than rewarding

The Heroines by Eileen Favorite
Adult New Book Display - Main Level - FAVORITE

It’s the early 1970s. Thirteen-year-old Penny Entwhistle lives with her mother in a little B&B on the Illinois prairie. Along with some regular customers, this B&B is visited by the heroines of literature, who come at the most stressful points of their stories. Penny has clear memories of Blanche DuBois and Scarlett O’Hara (who tried to steal their silver). Now, though, Penny is really sick of all the attention her mother gives them – particularly the weepy Deirdre, who’s currently taken over Penny’s own room. Penny snaps. She meets the mysterious Conor in the woods, a Celtic king who claims that Deirdre is his runaway wife and wants her back. When the police get involved, Penny tells them the truth, with predictable results. She meant to hurt her mother – but suddenly, Penny is the heroine in her own story, and things are not going well. This is light and amusing fiction for fans of the classic heroines.

The Gift by Richard Paul Evans.
CD Book Shelves - Main Level - EVANS

Nathan Hurst has struggled for much of his life with Tourette’s syndrome and painful secrets from the past. He works for the same company that he has worked for since he was a teenager. Life seems like it will always be the same. Until one night while stranded in an airport, he meets Addison Park and her two children, Collin and Lizzy. There is something special about Collin, the older child. Nathan and Addison fall in love and share a magical love story, but the greatest love story within The Gift is the purity of Collin and “his gift.”

The audio recording of The Gift is performed by John Dossett and is extremely well done. Mr. Dossett does a masterful job at conveying all of the characters' emotions. If you are looking for a book with a message of love, hope, and redemption, then you should pick up a copy of The Gift.

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
Cd Book Shelves – Main Level – BINCHY

Talking to a spiritual well? That is not the half of it in this delightful Irish tale!

Whitethorn Woods is a fascinating story of ordinary people who all have a connection to a small town in Ireland—Rossmore. Rossmore is home to the Whitethorn Woods and nestled within these woods is the famous St. Ann's Well. St. Ann’s Well brings peace to many who visit over the years as they pray for everything from healing an illness to finding a special someone. Now there are talks of a new highway to be built right though the woods which will destroy the famous St. Ann’s Well.

Young Father Flynn is a mentor for the townspeople of Rossmore, and he does not know which side of the issue to fall upon, progress or hope. As Father Flynn listens to his brethren, the story of Whitethorn Woods truly unfolds because the voices of all those who have had a connection to this Well are explored. Some are simple tales of friends and lovers; others are tales of deceit, shock, and even murder. What will happen to these people and their famous St. Ann’s Well? Maeve Binchy has created a marvelously unique and fascinating tale that will be hard to stop once it is started!

The audio book version of Whitethorn Woods is delightful. Read by Sile Bermingham and Paul Michael in true Irish style, the listener will be entranced by the personal stories of the inhabitants and relations of Rossmore, Ireland. Binchy’s characters are very well developed and deliciously human. Any listener that takes the time to travel to this small Irish town is surely in for a special treat!

Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers
Adult New Books Display - Main Level - Flowers

Prudence Whistler has always been just that – prudent. She’s always had a written plan for her life, and followed it to the letter. At 36, though, her plan is crashing down around her. She’s fired from her job at a non-profit and her boyfriend dumps her just as she had decided that he’d be an OK husband. Her younger sister, Patsy, is a single mother who believes in following her heart, and who’s still holding out for true love. Pru has always been sure that she’s better at life than Patsy – but a weekend trying to parent two-year-old Annali by herself as well as suddenly finding Patsy and herself in the same boat has her reconsidering. A crazy cat, a couple of gay best friends, a few NPR inside jokes, and some inappropriate romantic choices round out at lighten the story. Her search for a vocation, love and family is authentic and tender without losing the sense of fun.

Without Blood by Alessandro Baricco
Adult Fiction Shelves - Main Level

Without Blood is a dark fable that somehow manages to create a rich epic story of revenge without exceeding one hundred pages. The story involves a young girl Nina who witnesses the execution of both her father and brother. After this damaging incident she spends the rest of her life seeking revenge on the three men responsible. The story itself is deceptively simple, however its themes are anything but. Alessandro Baricco the best-selling author of Silk touches upon how the damages of war, the need for vengeance, and the mental scars we keep inside can continue to be passed on like a disease. While a story such as this could span more than ninety-seven pages, Baricco distils the narrative down to its basic elements. By doing this each moment of the story, every glimpse of the characters psyches, every word is imbued with more importance.

The Reserve by Russell Banks
Adult New Book Display BANKS

If your taste runs to classic American authors like Hemingway and Fitzgerald, you will enjoy reading Russell Banks’ latest novel - The Reserve. On the other hand, you can bypass the literary stuff and just enjoy this tale of madness, betrayal, and tragedy set in the Adirondacks in the late 1930’s.

The novel’s hero, Jordan Groves, bears a striking resemblance to a Hemingway character -- he’s an artist of some renown with a storied past as WWI flying ace. The story begins when Jordan “crashes” a party by landing his seaplane in the exclusive enclave known as “The Reserve.” There he finds himself intrigued by a beautiful, seductive, and somewhat unhinged heiress - Vanessa Cole. Vanessa embodies the fragility and carelessness typical of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s female characters (think of Nicole Diver (a character based on Fitzgerald’s own wife, Zelda) and Daisy Buchanan). Desperately unhappy in what she perceives as her gilded cage, Vanessa’s rebellion wreaks havoc beyond the well-heeled environs of The Reserve and into the lives of the barely-scraping-by locals. When Jordan realizes that Vanessa is too much for him to handle he retreats to the safety and serenity of his home and family, where his wife, weary of his philandering, takes matters into her own hands.

Russell Banks is well-known for giving voice to complex, multi-dimensional characters who convey the story to the reader in their unique voices. Banks employs the same character-driven style in The Reserve and he succeeds brilliantly in channeling Hemingway and Fitzgerald, although that faithfulness to "the masters" sometimes comes at the expense of Banks own voice and style. But that’s just a minor drawback in what is otherwise an entertaining and smart novel.

(Note: If you like complex, character-driven stories check out Affliction and >The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks. Both novels were made into movies too.)