Close My Eyes

Close My Eyes

by Sophie McKenzie

Genre: Mystery

Review: This novel had an interesting premise. An unknown woman knocks on Gen’s door to tell her that her stillborn baby Beth is still alive. The novel is compelling for awhile. There were probably 100 more pages than necessary; by the end I was skimming just to find out what happened. To create a more suspenseful novel, the writing should have been tightened. Often ideas were repeated; the main characters doubts if she should trust Art, her husband, or Lorcan, a handsome stranger, were stated and restated.

Final thoughts: The novel was hailed as similar to Gone Girl, but it was not quite there. If you are desperate for a new mystery, you might want to read it, but for me it wasn’t a true thriller. As I read, I wished I had a Laura Lippman book, with fast-paced, clean prose, in my hand. 

Seating Arrangements

Seating Arrangements

by Maggie Shipstead

Seating Arrangements was the "book of the summer" in 2012, but I read it last month :)

Genre: Literary Fiction

Review: As the book begins, Winn Van Meter is headed to a Nantucket-like island, his summer house, and his older daughter Daphne's wedding. When he arrives, daughters, bridesmaids, wife, and sister-in-law have taken over his home. The book submerges you into the world of the WASPs. The novel's told from the perspective of Winn, who is sometimes sympathetic, other times just annoying. He is not the most likable character, and sometimes I got bored with him and it was hard to read, yet the writing itself is exquisite and the characters well-drawn. Livia, the younger daughter getting over a heartbreak and merely tolerating the wedding, was most interesting to me. 

Extras: Shipstead won a prestigious International Dylan Thomas Writing Prize as a result of this book.
 I watched part of this author discussion which mentions the book's genesis. 
I also appreciated the interview which noted Shipstead was aware that readers might be turned off by Winn's "first-world problems" of golf club waiting lists and such. 

**Out of her two books, I would recommend Astonish Me over this one.**

The Lost Sisterhood

The Lost Sisterhood

by Anne Fortier

Genre: Fiction

Review: While this book is long, it was definitely worth it. It follows Diana, a young Oxford academic who studies the origin of Amazon women. She is asked to go on a mysterious mission and can't resist tracking her beloved Amazons and trying to show that they really did exist, they aren't just mythology. Along the way there are adventures, vivid setting descriptions, and romantic moments. 

The novel's other thread follows Myrina and her sister throughout the ancient world from North Africa to Greece to the Troy of myth. 

I really liked the strong female characters and learning some history as well!

There is an interesting interview at the website on the homepage: http://www.annefortier.com/

She talks about how her next book is set in Paris!

Astonish Me

Astonish Me

by Maggie Shipstead

I loved this book--surely it will win best novel of the year awards!

Genre: Literary Fiction

Review: The novel opens the doors into the minds, the doubts, the fears, and the joys of aspiring ballerinas. If you enjoy entering the minds of the artists and reading poetic prose, check out this book.

Joan falls in love with principal dancer Arslan, a celebrated Russian defector but knows she is only meant to be a Corps dancer, so she is secretly happy when she finds she is pregnant. 

The story cuts between the 1970s through 2000s and follows Joan, Arslan, Joan's son Harry and his best friend Chloe, and Joan's friend Elaine. There is almost no way to describe the story, the writing style, the characters--just read it!

Author website: http://www.maggieshipstead.com/