Book Report Monday: The Museum of Extraordinary Things

Title: The Museum of Extraordinary Things

Author: Alice Hoffman

Genre: Fiction-Historical

Synopsis: Mesmerizing and illuminating, Alice Hoffman's The Museum of Extraordinary Things is the story of an electric and impassioned love between two vastly different souls in New York during the volatile first decades of the twentieth century. Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father's museum, alongside performers like the Wolfman, the Butterfly Girl, and a one-hundred-year-old turtle.

One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River. The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his father's Lower East Side Orthodox community and his job as a tailor's apprentice. When Eddie photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman's disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie.

With its colorful crowds of bootleggers, heiresses, thugs, and idealists, New York itself becomes a riveting character as Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a sizzling, tender, and moving story of young love in tumultuous times. (from Goodreads)

My Review: Hoffman is as reliable as always for me. I didn't know anything about the Triangle Factory Fire or about New York City in the early 1900's. The fact that most people haven't heard about the factory fire that killed 146 garment workers who could not escape the flames because the managers had locked them in was a driving force behind Hoffman's desire to tell this story. The fire served as a catalyst for unionization and garment worker's rights. In the novel lost soul and  photographer, Eddie, arrives at the scene of the conflagration in time to document most of the tragedy. Many of the victims, mostly young Jewish women, held hands and jumped from the windows to hasten their deaths.

Eddie is approached by the grieving father of one of the girls working at the factory who hasn't been seen since the fire but was not found among the dead. Investigating the missing girl leads him to Coralie, who lives in her father's museum of oddities which includes her. Coralie has a strangely sheltered life. She's seen and experienced the bizarre and unimaginable but she has seen little of life outside. The performers give the reader the same feeling as sideshow freaks from a circus or carnival. Yet we see them, not only costumed and in character but when they are engaged in everyday rituals. Many have deformities so severe they have no other option than to become an exhibit in the Museum of Extraordinary Things. For her own part, Coralie never considered that she had a choice. The two stories are set in a distinct juxtaposition but are intertwined by both the fate of the missing girl and the connection between Eddie and Coralie. In true Hoffman style, the young lovers are drawn intensely and irrevocably toward each other despite the cards stacked against them.

I loved the setting. One hundred years ago Manhattan was only partly developed, the rest of it was untouched wilderness. It was fascinating to picture swamps inhabited by no one but a crazy hermit and wolves where now there are endless streets filled with office buildings of dizzying heights.

My Recommendation: A must read for Hoffman fans. Also, anyone who enjoyed Night Circus should pick it up.

For Next Time: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

An Evening with Alice Hoffman

On February 25th Alice Hoffman made an appearance at Newtonville Books, conveniently accessible to me via the subway. It's important to note that in June of 2009, I headed to Long Island to attend one of her signings for The Story Sisters. I had never been to Long Island and had printed directions from MapQuest. Turned out that was a mistake. I was in traffic for hours. I was in the Lincoln Tunnel forever. The directions estimated 2.5 hours and even though I had taken the day off from work and left at 3pm for a 7pm signing, I didn't arrive until 8:30. The signing was over and Alice Hoffman was gone. I bought one of the signed copies and left. Since then I've read more of her novels and my admiration has at least doubled. You can imagine how determined I was to actually meet her this time.

I arrived with time to snag a seat in the center and purchase her latest book, The Museum of Extraordinary Things. Newtonville Books is a cool bookstore. I know all bookstores are cool, right? But check out their check out counter filled with books.

I could feel energy dancing through me, but I managed to stay still and not draw unwanted attention. Thanks yoga. The first thing she talked about was her life as a writer. As much as I love her books, I didn't know much about her personal life or how her writing career began. It's generally reassuring to hear wildly successful authors talk about writing. Their habits and methods are so similar to my own that it's a validation that I'm not on the completely wrong track, as I frequently fear I might be. She described her feelings when she starts a new project saying, "I can't write this. I don't know who that writer was that wrote all those other novels under my name but it can't have been me." While it's not exactly reassuring that writers never lose their doubt, it is a comfort that they write their way through it. If they can, maybe I can too. She talked about having writer's block and how she never expected to write a book like The Dovekeepers or The Museum of Extraordinary Things. She read from the book and answered questions.

The book I'm currently writing has involved a lot of research and I asked her how she approached her research for The Dovekeepers, which is set in Masada in 70. She said it was overwhelming at first, but eventually she realized that she only needed to know what her characters knew and so that helped her target her research area. As there isn't a lot of information about women's lives during that time, she found other ways to answer her questions. For example, nomadic tribes making bread in the desert today without any modern technology probably isn't all that different from making bread in the desert almost 2,000 years ago.

Finally, it was book signing time. I was getting my chance to speak to her privately. I had so many things I wanted to say and ask, didn't I? I must have lost most of them while waiting in line. The only ones I could remember seemed foolish. I managed to tell her that I loved all of her novels and she seemed flattered and a bit surprised, maybe because I was much younger than most of the people there. I thought afterwards I'd remember a million questions to ask her, but I didn't. Turns out the words she gives us in her books are enough for me.

Finally Friday and I Took a Trip to New York

Don't you love these shoes?

I had a client meeting in New York City this week and couldn't resist getting new shoes from ModCloth to mark the occasion.

I rode the train from Boston, and as we made our way south I saw lakes, beaches, and less and less snow. Trains have always been productive places for me. I can write, work and read without worrying about anything else that needs to get done. Other passengers act like blinders to distractions and keep me focused. This trip was no exception, though I couldn't write the whole time. I had to review notes and prepare for my meeting.

I love traveling, but traveling as a vegan can be a challenge. Traveling as a whole foods, organic, health nut, vegan can be impossible. Usually, I pack a lot of food with me, but New York City is full of options and I had a list of places near my hotel that I wanted try. First, after getting off the train I stopped at Terri. They have ready-made salads, wraps, baked goods and juices without additives. I grabbed their Lady in Red juice for breakfast the next day. The ingredients are beets, pineapple, carrots, and oranges. Nothing else. I took that and my Kale Superfood Salad back to my hotel.

Lobby

When I got there, I was instantly confused.

The lobby is ultra modern and I couldn't locate the front desk. People were all over, just hanging out. Carrying drinks from the bar. Everything is grey, white and black. I now have a better understanding of Katniss's experience when she goes to the Capitol for the first time.

Front Desk

Far more like a night club than a hotel, but I found my way after a few minutes of wandering around. Of course once I found it, it seemed obvious. You know, sometimes when you enter a new setting nothing makes sense at first? I'm sure it's not me who experiences that disorientation but I still felt like a bumpkin for not figuring it out.




Between the frustration of locating the front desk and walking through the city with my bags, I was more than ready for dinner. The salad and juice were both delicious. Terri has a wide selection of vegan baked goods. I even saw a vegan, gluten-free cupcake, but I had packed my last chocolate chip cookie from a homemade batch and didn't try any of their desserts.

The meeting went well, I won't bore you with the details. Afterwards, everyone left for the airport. I was the only one from my company taking the train and was free to walk around the city and enjoy the warm day. It was 65 degrees and sunny. New York is more crowded than Boston, but the real difference to me isn't noticeable until I look up. Boston has few skyscrapers, and the tallest one is only 60 stories. In New York that's nothing. Looking up has an overwhelming dizzying effect. It's astounding to me when I think about what we're capable of creating. Even with the weirdos in Times Square dressed up like superheros and speaking to me in Spanish, I kind of didn't want to leave the crowds or sunshine and I definitely wanted to stay for the 65 degrees!

Until my feet started to object to all my walking in cute shoes, then I was ready to head home. I grabbed dinner at The Loving Hut for the train ride. I had been looking forward to it, but was disappointed. It was tofu, rice and vegetables in their chile pasilla sauce. Pretty standard vegan take out, but the tofu was uncooked and hadn't been marinated. I would expect that from a conventional restaurant offering one or two vegan options, but not from a vegan restaurant in Manhattan.

The journey home was dedicated to writing since my brain would melt if I tried to work more. All around it was a productive trip, but it did make my week feel longer than usual so I'm especially happy it's Friday and it's Pi Day!

Don't forget to enjoy some pie to celebrate.

Book Report Monday: Magic or Madness Trilogy by Justine Larbalestier

Title: Magic or Madness, Magic Lessons, and Magic's Child

Author: Justine Larbalestier

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis: For fifteen years, Reason Cansino has lived a life on the run. Together with her mother, Sarafina, she has moved from one place to another in the Australian countryside, desperate not to be found by Reason's grandmother Esmeralda, a dangerous woman who believes in magic. But when Sarafina suffers a breakdown, Reason is forced to move in with her grandmother in Sydney. The moment Reason walks through Esmeralda's back door and finds herself on a New York City street, she's confronted by an unavoidable truth - magic is real.

This thrilling novel will bring readers through revelation upon revelation, leading to Reason's ultimate discovery of the price she must pay if she uses her magic.

(from Goodreads)

Why did I pick it up?: Sometimes books get lost. Maybe you miss their window of popularity or maybe they just weren't popular enough to find their way to you. Whatever the cause it's kind of sad, isn't it? I know I'm missing out on a lot of books I would enjoy and I might never find them. That's why I'm glad I found the last two books in the Magic or Madness trilogy when I was at the Philadelphia Library last autumn. They were so cheap-I think a quarter each-that I figured I'd get the first book on Amazon and read the whole series.


My Review: After being told her whole life that magic isn't real but that her grandmother- who is insane and evil-believes it is, Reason is forced to see the truth. Her mother lied. Magic is real. And Reason can use magic, but it is dangerous. Reason has no idea who to trust. She's spent her life running from her grandmother, but now there are others who may be even worse. 

Since using too much magic will shorten your lifespan and magic can be stolen, this world is a cutthroat one. And while Reason needs her friends to teach her, she also can't trust them, can she? Throughout the series Reason struggles with that very question. It makes every decision she has to make even more challenging.

One interesting aspect is how everyone sees and feels magic differently. It could be viewed as geometric shapes, as connections of energy between people, or (as it is for Reason) a combination of mathematical patterns and smells. 

Nerd Moment: Oh, the math! Can I just point out that I adored the math Reason uses throughout the series. Her favorite is the Fibonacci sequence. Before she understands her power, she uses the numbers to calm herself when she's in danger of losing her temper and using too much magic. This was a rare instance when my mathematician-reader identity is perfectly pleased. 

Reason is Australian and the series contain a lot of vocabulary unfamiliar to American teens. It is explained and even joked about when Reason finds herself in New York City and meets Jay-Tee who finds the Australian way of saying things ridiculous and amusing.

I really enjoyed the series. It was a quick, easy read, and overall a fun journey. I could have done without a few predictable plot points that are overused in YA fiction, but to be fair these books came out just before the YA boom so I think that Larbalestier was a part of setting rather than copying trends which are now frustratingly overdone. 

My Recommendation: Fans of The Faeriewalker Series by Jenna Black would probably enjoy these.


For Next Week: Ape House by Sara Gruen

Book Report Monday: Gone Girl

Title: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn

Genre: Thriller

Synopsis: Marriage can be a real killer.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

(from Goodreads)

Why did I pick it up?: My sister, the Florida one, said she was up all night finishing it. You have to know her to understand how serious this was. She loves sleep, it's precious to her. Normally, I suggest books to my sisters and not the other way around. So when it happens, I take their suggestions and add it to my list, since they usually trust me.

Favorite Line: "So I know I am right not to settle, but it doesn't make me feel better as my friends pair off and I stay home on Friday night with a bottle of wine and make myself an extravagant meal and tell myself, This is perfect, as if I'm the one dating me."

My Review: Relationships can make people crazy. Everyone knows that, but some people are already psychotic, sociopaths beforehand and after. . .well. . .you'll have to read Gone Girl to see what I mean.  

Real people are not easily filed away into categories of good and bad behavior and characters shouldn't be either. Gone Girl is full of fleshed out personalities. At the start, the story pulls you into the psyche of Nick beginning the morning of his wife's disappearance, but she teases with showing how much Nick knows. Is he guilty? Is he guilty? I needed to know. The chapters alternate between Nick's journey and Amy's diary entries which begin with her and Nick's first meeting seven years before she disappears. Both perspectives shed light into the darkest corners of the mind. I enjoyed the way Amy and Nick described the same events, it showed how they each viewed their spouse and what the other one was leaving out or altering.

Flynn shows the relationship ups, downs and insane bumps of Amy and Nick honestly, giving the reader just enough details to hope, cringe, laugh, admire, and worry about the couple's marital state and their psychological well-being in turn. It was an emotional roller coaster, complete with the nausea at the disgust with the extremes some people will go to save face or just to say they won.

Sometimes a book buzzes its way to bestsellerdom and everyone's reading it and they keep telling you to get on board because you're a big reader, are you not? So, you pick it up and it's fan fiction that makes you a little (or more than a little) uncomfortable. This is not one of those bestsellers. Gone Girl is a fast read and there are many unputdownable chapters that kept me up later than usual. 

Recommendation: If you liked The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, even though you found the beginning a bit slow, you'll love Gone Girl which will pull you in without delay and none of the names will cause you to stumble and curse the Swedish language.


For Next Week: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King