Yellow Birds vs Round House

In Yellow Birds, Murphy and Bartle are young soldiers off on their first tour of the war in Iraq. Murphy’s mother asks the 20 year old Bartle to promise to bring her son home.  Bartle casually agrees but starts to ponder his responsibility to the younger soldier thrust into his care by his Sergeant.  The novel has flaws- a thin plot with a shaky conclusion and clichéd, watered-down stereotyped war characters. Powers makes up for these flaws with descriptions of Iraqi villages in the desert light, the depth of the soul sucking heat and the struggle of these two soldiers to survive with poetic passages that make your heart ache for young men in war. This is Kevin Powers first novel and he tells his story with passion.

In contrast, Round House by Louise Erdrich is her 14^th novel and it is a technically well written, socially significant story of a young boy’s struggle with the rape of his mother. Set on a reservation in North Dakota, Erdrich weaves together the complexity of tribal law and white law and rape. The Ojibwa stories are wonderfully told. The conflicts of white and tribal law I thought could have been better explained.  The characters still seemed remote and the final actions of the 13 year old did not ring true to me.

Because it grabbed my mind and heart.      YELLOW BIRDS

The Beginner's Goodbye vs. Round House

The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler vs. Round House by Louise Erdrich

The sweet novel tells The Beginner's Goodbye tells the story of Aaron, who was born with a slight physical handicap.  All his life he has felt coddled by his family.  He works in the family publishing business so he is never far from his relatives.  He has married Dorothy, a doctor he interviewed for one of his books.  They have a comfortable life together but are not truly in love. When Dorothy dies in a freak accident, Aaron must reinvent his life and eventually find love again.

Round House tells the story of Joe Coutts, a Native American boy of 13 whose mother is brutally raped and left for dead.  She survives the attack, and the book is about Joe and his parents' life together afterward.   The identity of the rapist is soon obvious, and much of the narrative is about tribal boundaries and the jurisdiction responsible for prosecuting the crime.  Ms. Erdrich writes an afterword about the high incidence of rape among Native American women, but the story is not a polemic.  The characters ar real and well-drawn.

I enjoyed both novels, but I felt that Round House had more depth.  For thta reason, Round House is the winner.

The Chaperone vs. Gone Girl

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Chaperone vs. Gone Girl

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn are excellent books with remarkable characters.   This is a tough match between a loveable protagonist in a historical fiction novel and one very wicked woman in a psychological thriller.  

The author of The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty, lives in Kansas the setting of the novel and writes with a lyrical style.  The writing flows and readability is one of its strength. There is a huge attention to historical details with an impressive bibliography at the end of the book.  It was obvious that the author researched Louise Brooks, the orphans trains, and Kansas history.  Cora Carlisle cares about her family, friends and even nasty Louise and the tone of the book is optimistic and heartwarming.  I am a fan of Laura Moriarty – her writing is lovely and there is always a solid substance to her novels. This escape to the past offers insight and reflection on how far we have traveled in the tolerance of birth control, homosexuality, unwed mothers and illicit sex.

Forging ahead to the contemporary world where bright people lose jobs and parents ruin the lives of their children, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a hot novel. It is easy to find fault with success and let the little guy win.

Gillian Flynn is a master of manipulation. Her skillful surgery of the minds of the characters and their motivations fascinates me. The careful pacing flips the pages.  The structure of alternating viewpoint chapters between Nick Dunne and Amy Elliott, the conniving couple, serve to confuse and misguide. Although one can view it as a Scott Turow look alike or as a carbon copy of an episode of Law and Order I believe strongly in its uniqueness.  Who is the bad guy develops into how low everyone can go. The ending is outstanding in its irony.  While I detested most of the characters in the book I was enthralled with their thought processes.

 I tend to follow most fiction fans and favor likable characters over unreliable ones. Cora Carlisle, the protagonist in The Chaperone  is a likable, strong, empathetic character, who rises above all obstacles Although Cara experienced hardship in her early years I felt that her life of lies worked out a little too picture perfect. Amy Elliott in Gone Girl is psychopathic, hateful, mean, manipulative, murderous, vicious, and damaged goods. Yet her mind and Nick’s are so intriguing. Welcome to the real world.

Sinners win over Saints.  Strength of writing, plot development and the structure of a novel control this contest.

WINNER: GONE GIRL BY GILLIAN FLYNN

Arcadia vs. The Yellow Birds

ARCADIA by Lauren Groff tells the story of a man told in four parts, beginning with his early childhood in a hippie commune in upstate New York. Even as a small child, Bit Stone can see the cracks splitting his parents' Utopia, though their stable relationship shields him from the drugs and sex to which many of the other children are exposed. I liked this part the least, because it seemed like Groff was trying too hard to develop Bit into a Holy Fool -- he's very small for his age and doesn't talk, yet he has a gift for midwifery!

In the second part, Bit is a teenager and no longer presented as the fool. Now he's known around the commune as SOMEONE WHO NOTICES THINGS. He's found his voice and expresses himself through photography. Meanwhile, the commune is collapsing under the weight of its own decadence. Its population has swelled from a few dozen to nearly a thousand. Really? A thousand? I can't imagine so many people willingly living with the commune's strict rules, unsanitary conditions and near starvation diet when there are other options available.

The final two parts of the story follow Bit as an adult. I liked these parts better, because the New York City that he inhabits makes for a more authentic setting. Groff delivers some insight into the value of community in the final section, which takes him in a bit of a circle back to where he began. The flu epidemic within this final section has already been commented on; I will say that I didn't mind it as much as some other readers. It wasn't the only element within the story that seemed slightly over the top.

What did annoy me are the lack of quotation marks around dialog. This wasn't the first book I've read that eschewed the marks (that would be Cormac McCarthy's The Road), and I hope that this stylistic trend will die soon. With The Road, the missing quotes came as jolt, but McCarthy's spare prose always made clear who was speaking. I figured, hey, the apocalypse has come and gone, who has time to worry about punctuation? Now, though, it feels gimmicky. For comparison, Bullet Time looked really cool and served a purpose in The Matrix, but you can't put it in every movie.

I did like Arcadia overall, despite my complaints. The elements of the novel that I enjoyed most -- the power of his parents' relationship, his love of photography, and Groff's insights on community -- are universal ones.

THE YELLOW BIRDS by Kevin Powers follows two soldiers who serve together in Al Tafar, Iraq. Early on, Powers establishes that the war for them is not some great adventure, but the great white whale -- a force of nature that indiscriminately devours everything within its path. Bartle and Murphy are only trying to survive. Their goal is to not be one of the first 1000 US casualties to the war. 

Besides his two main characters, Powers has populated his story with some well-known war tropes like the  colonel who comes to fire them up before battle with a big speech, and the hard-ass sergeant who delights in killing. Powers uses these tropes well, making them vital rather than tired. Bartle dismisses the colonel's "half-assed Patton imitation", and the killjoy sergeant also fusses over his privates, preparing them for battle by taping their gear to their bodies so it doesn't jingle.

Powers describes his characters through their motions (which are ponderous and deliberate -- perhaps because of the desert heat and the weight of their gear). He shapes Al Tafar through vivid depictions of the colors, which change with the movement of the sun. Powers himself served in Al Tafar, and the authenticity of his descriptions indicate that he spent a significant amount of time observing the shifting light while he was there.

He also clearly and concisely shows how both Murph and Bartle, like most young people, operate under the belief that death is something that happens to other people. I can say that one of them will not make it without spoiling anything: this detail is revealed early on. What I won't reveal are the circumstances of that death, and the effects that it has on the survivors. Powers' story is as much about processing death as it is about war.

I believe that Powers succeeds in not just telling a compelling story, but in recording his impressions of this specific place and time. He accomplishes both with precise, economical prose that never wastes itself.

Because Kevin Powers is someone who notices things, THE YELLOW BIRDS wins this round.

The Chaperone vs The Flight of Gemma Hardy

THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty VS THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY by Margot Lovesey

THE CHAPERONE;  This work of historical fiction is set in Wichita, Kansas in 1922. The reader is pulled right into this era with all of the period details - orphan trains, Prohibition, Flappers, and the onset of the Depression.  Cora Carlisle, aged 36 and a rather ordinary Wichita housewife, agrees to be the unlikely chaperone for 15 year-old Louise Brooks who is headed to New York to attend a summer session with the prestigious Denishaw School of Dancing.  (Readers might recognize the name of Louise Brooks who goes on to be a silent star in the early years of the movie industry.) This journey changes the lives of both women - in totally unanticipated ways. Two very different women - one a middle-aged empty nester and the other an adolescent on the brink of coming into her own life - find the answers they're looking for in New York City. This book looks at the myriad assortment of family relationships and their impact on the two characters' lives. 

Cora is a character I fell in love with. It was fascinating to see how her life played out. She was an admirable woman who managed to live a full life despite her many hardships. This book IS about "The Chaperone". 


THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY by Margot Livesey

This book is also historical fiction - set in the 1950's and 60's in Iceland and Scotland. Several reviews of this book call it a "re-inventive imagining of the classic, JANE EYRE."  It was a beautifully written book that I could not put down - for most of the book. However, as a reader, I simply could not go along with all of the many twists and turns that the author built into the plot. I could barely make myself finish the book because of this.

I loved the story-line. Gemma Hardy becomes an orphan at 3 when her Icelandic fisherman father drowns at sea. Her kind Scottish uncle becomes her guardian and welcomes her into his family. Gemma enjoys an ordinary life with her adopted family until her uncle passes away. Overnight, circumstances change for the worse for Gemma and she is suddenly hated, resented, and ostracized by her Aunt and cousins. At barely 10 years old. she is sent off as a "working girl" to a private boarding school. When that school goes bankrupt, she is forced to take on a job as an au pair on Orkney Island for the forlorn 8-year-old niece of Hugh Sinclair - a London businessman and owner of the remote Blackbird House.  Gemma's life takes off and circumstances at the Blackbird House cause her to deal with relationships and ensuing "flights" that are rather challenging for an orphan with such a hardscrabble life.

The beautiful prose and the magic realism of this book - set against the backdrop of Scotland and Iceland - made this a wonderful read. All was spoiled for me as the book neared its end. I simply could not accept the way the author developed the character of Gemma Hardy. 

WINNER: THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty

A Killing in the Hills vs. The Round House

A Killing in the Hills is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Keller's first novel, uhmmm. For a would-be thriller, the extensive character development and backstory was a distracting drag. I started skimming pages because of the implausible yet predictable plot. Prosecutor Bell Elkins, a single mom and her teen daughter take on an illegal drug ring that’s already pulled off a Capone-style massacre of three senior citizens in the hills of West Virginia. It was a chore to get through.

By contrast, Louise Erdrich's The Round House, pulled me in from page one. Being swept up by a good story is a great reading experience. Take the book as it comes- no preconceptions, anticipations or expectations. So here's my review without revealing the plot, which is only a google away, if you like to know beforehand. This, her fourteenth novel is uncharacteristically suspenseful made more so by my ignorance of the legal quagmire around tribal lands. There were twists and turns, dead ends and red herrings along the way.  It was hard to put down.

Therefore, The Round House wins round one.

Friends Like Us vs. Gone Girl

While these books don’t seemingly have much in common, they both have characters that are awful, horrible people.  All of them are just so unlikeable which made the reading a real chore.

I don’t want to give too much away about Gone Girl.  Amy Dunne disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary.  Police suspect foul play and all fingers point to her husband, Nick.  There are many twists and turns, but even so I found the book to be too predictable.  The book would have made a decent plot for an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent.  Amy Dunne also had too many things in common with Brenda Chenowith from Six Feet Under to be an original character.  And I don’t want to give anything away for the people who haven’t read the book, but what was that ending?  All that said, I though the writing was well paced and the book was a page turner. 

Gone Girl: Predictable.  Decent writing.  Fell apart at the end.

Friends Like Us is one pun after another.  I believe the author was trying to be quirky and fun but I found it more annoying than anything.  Willa reconnects with her high school best friend Ben (who was madly in love with her, by the way) at their 8^th year class reunion (yes there is a story behind that, but who cares?).  Ben falls in love with her best friend and they become engaged after six months.  The threesome are BFF’s who do things like go mattress shopping together until Willa decides to sabotage Jane and Ben’s relationship.  I honestly think this may have been one of the worst book I have ever read.

Friends Like Us:  Horrible characters and horrible writing filled with puns.

I would rather have Amy Dunne as my BFF than Willa or Jane or Ben. They are all terrible, at least she has half a personality.

Winner: Gone Girl

Lightning Rods vs. The Beginner's Goodbye

Lightning Rods by Helen Dewitt vs. The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler

First of all, I am already an Anne Tyler fan.  So, I knew I would be biased in her direction.  But, after reading both, there is no comparison in which one I prefer, Tyler bias or not.  

With The Beginner's Goodbye, Anne Tyler once again captures the heart and soul of someone going through a trying time. This time, it's Aaron...who lives an unremarkable life with an unremarkable woman...Dorothy.  But, after Dorothy's sudden death, Aaron's period of adjustment offers more than just grief and depression.  He simply cannot let Dorothy go. This is a touching, sweet book that is filled with heart and emotion.  I found myself laughing at Aaron more than once...whether this was intentional humor on Tyler's part... just the sad-sack, vulnerable ways of Aaron manifesting themselves as comic moments I do not know.  I would like to think that Tyler wanted us to laugh at him a little...so he and her reader's would try and take life a little less seriously.  Tyler, who is known for her engaging and emotive character studies, really captures the soul of this wayward man.  I would be hard pressed to say it is Tyler's best work but it is one of her most engaging. 

On the flip side, you have Helen Dewitt's Lightning Rods. Comparing the Dewitt book with the Tyler book is like comparing avocados and apples.  NOT MUCH SIMILARITY.  Dewitt's book is a statement book about state of sexual harassment and general sexual tensions in the workplace.  I would call it a satire, but it not told in usual "satire" form...with a wink and a nudge.  This story is told with seriousness and devoid of any humor, which makes it all the more tough to read and even stomach.  Now, I do not consider myself any type of a prude and I do understand what the author is trying to say here (I guess) but this commentary on the state of workplaces, sex and male-female relationships just did not sit right with me.  In trying to be witty and edgy, Dewitt just becomes crude and inane. 

The clear winner here is THE BEGINNER'S GOODBYE by ANNE TYLER. 

The Casual Vacancy    VERSUS   The Yellow Birds 

Personally, I did not care for either book.  J. K. Rowling should stick to writing children’s books. Kevin Power’s book has been favorably compared to The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.  For me, it doesn't even come close. If you want to read a classic about war and the human condition, read the book by Tim O’Brien.  I think it is excellent. However, I will discuss the two books I was assigned by using a Pro/Con list.

CASUAL VACANCY:  A story that takes place in a small town in England with a story line that drags in the ugliest of human behaviors as the town council strives to find a replacement for a vacant council seat. This is Rowling’s first novel for adults.  

PROS:  ummmmmm, oh yeah, it was full of dry Brit-Com humor. Rowling’s a good writer. She is a sharp observer of social behaviors.

CONS:  The book is 512 pages!!.  There were 15 or more different characters.  It was difficult to remember them all, and I personally did not care about what happened to any of them. The ending was predictable and somewhat heavy-handed.  I skipped through a chunk of it.

YELLOW BIRDS:  Told in the words of a young private in the army who is serving a tour of duty in Iraq. The story focuses on his friendship with another young private and their daily struggle to stay alive amidst the horrors of war.

PROS:  The author had spent time in the military in Iraq, so the story felt real and somewhat like his memoir.  One cares about what happens to the characters, although one does not really get to know them that intimately.  Well written.  A brisk, brief writing style which I personally enjoy.  It was only 240 pages, so a quick read. 

CONS:  Hey, it’s about war, so it was seriously depressing.  The story at times reads as somewhat disjointed and rambling. “Lost my way” a couple times during my read.

To reiterate, I did not care for nor would I recommend either book.  However, since I am required to choose one, 

The Winner is

Yellow Birds

Arcadia vs The Orchardist

Arcadia and The Orchardist have certain things in common. Both are stories of American history. Each focuses on a dramatic historical movement. The Orchardist is about pioneers settling the west, in this case the far western United States. Arcadia represents the twilight of the Utopian movement that started in the nineteenth century, and besides a few exceptions like the Amish, ended in the hippie communes of the 1960s and 70s where Arcadia is set.

 Both novels are organized around one main protagonist. Arcadia is tightly bound to Bit Stone, the first child born in Arcadia. Arcadia is seen only through Bit's point of view. The Orchardist centers its narrative around  the orchard keeper William Talmadge but moves among other viewpoints, most notably that of Della Michaelson, a teen-aged foundling who settles on Talmadge's property, and her niece Angelene, Talmadge's foster daughter.

The Orchardist follows Talmadge from childhood, when his restless mother drags him and his sister to a patch of land in Washington state and begins to cultivate the land. Talmadge grows up to become the orchardist, never leaving his land which he has made into a productive fruit farm. His life and his love is the orchard until two pregnant teen-aged sisters, runaways from an abusive brothel-keeper, find shelter with him.

The characters in The Orchardist are larger than life. Talmadge seems almost a force of nature, especially as described in the novel's opening: "His face was as pitted as the moon...(h)is ears were elephantine...the flesh granular like the rind of some fruit." (Is this passage overwritten? Yes, especially in the clipped, portentous tone.) The other main characters are similarly huge. Talmadge's Nez Pearce friend, Clee and his neighbor Caroline, who helps him with the sisters, are all wisdom and kindness; Della is monumentally damaged by her abusive childhood, and her abuser, Michaelson, is monumentally evil. Other characters, like Jane, Della's sister, figure importantly into the story, but are barely sketched in.

Yet despite this imbalance and stiffness there remains something compelling in the story of the American west, a romance that never wears thin. So in the intensity and bigness of this book, first-time novelist Amanda Copin has contributed something to our communal story.

At first glance Lauren Groff's Arcadia seems overwritten too. But you come to see that the tone reflects the overheated and naive world view of the Arcadians themselves. "May they rot in their bourgeois capitalist hell" says Bit's mother, Hannah. Bit imagines the world outside of Arcadia: "Humans out there are grotesque: Scrooges and Jellybys and filthy orphans... a blight called television like tiny Plato's caves in every room."  Groff turns out to be a skillful writer, letting us see the overview of Arcadia's life span as a community at the same time as she brings all of the characters and details to life. The pleasure of reading Arcadia is in Bit's close observations of himself and his world, given words lacking to the child  by the Bit-omniscient narrator. The narrator's interpretation of Bit's consciousness is convincing.

The plot of Arcadia follows the birth and death of the commune. At first everyone, including Bit's parents Hannah and Abe, embrace the communal ideal under Handy, the charismatic leader of Arcadia. Gradually, over the course of Bit's growing up, things unravel, drugs suck up a lot of energy, and rebellious newbies make a mess. We leave Bit at the commune in his teens and, in the last sections of the novel we pick up and follow him as an adult as he adjusts to life outside and reconciles with the remnant of the commune that he carries with him. The very last section takes place in the near future when a flu-like epidemic has taken over the United States. Perhaps this goes on too long, and the meaning of the epidemic and how it fits into the novel remain unclear to me.

Despite this last puzzle, and for greater mastery of language, detail, and character the winner of round one is

Arcadia