Review 163: Members Only

Members Only by Sameer Pandya
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book steps into some issues that are going on in the country, with race relations, cancel culture, freedom of speech, and yet it doesn’t dive very deeply. The book takes, mostly, one horrible week, for the main character Raj Bhatt, Sunday through Friday, with an extra chapter for the aftermath. First problem arose due to a horrible joke at his tennis club.

This alone would be enough for a bad week, but an even bigger issue comes up where Raj teaches. The students become overly critical about his lectures that criticizes some aspects of the Christian society. Things get out of control when videos are posted online, and a student protest ensues.

Raj doesn’t do the right things, it’s a bit messy. But that is life too, when faced with incredible situations we don't always say or behave in the best way. The novel gives many details in Raj's life: phone calls by his mother, what goes on with his kids, of course there being some minor issues popping up there as well, and a skin issue on his foot. It is one of the worst weeks anyone can imagine.

We get many details of Raj’s life, mostly in the present, also some from his past. They do fill in fully about Raj, and what I mostly found was that Raj isn’t honest, with anyone. He constantly tells little lies.

Perhaps all these details is more than necessary. There’s a moment with the dean telling Raj this deep secret no one else knows at all, how did that fit into this story? Did Raj get anything out of it? Not really. So what was it put into the book? It feels like it’s a misdirection, like maybe that would allow the character to take a real good look at himself, but no, not really. Instead he stumbles into buying a gun, (not the right type for his situation) let alone that in reality he would not get the gun that same exact day, there is a waiting period.

At the end, I was left with the feeling that Raj is never fully truthful to anyone in his life, and question if he was even to himself. So while the book was decent it fell a little flat for me.

Thanks to Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

I listened to the audio book copy of the book from the library. The narration was done superbly.

Review 162: How to Fly: In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons

How to Fly: In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book of poems. They are readable, relatable and mostly understandable. The book is broken into seven sections. Each has a theme, the first being a quirky sort of “how to” that pulls you straight into the book.

My favorite section is the second “Pellegrinaggio” where these poems take you on the journey of her and family traveling in Italy with her mother-in-law.

If you’ve never read poetry before, this book may pull you in.


Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 161: The Book of Two Ways

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Upon finishing book (Sept-12-2020): I really enjoyed this book. I've read a few of Picoult's books before and this one has a different structure. More thoughts soon.

I enjoyed this book, not only did it bring out of a (short) reading slump, I think this was her best work yet (at least of what I’ve read, this the 5th). The style of this book is somewhat different from the others I’ve read, and for me that was a good thing. I enjoyed her other books, but this one I’ve rated the highest.

There were many different parts of this book, and that is like life. One aspect that nearly gave me a pause was the focus on death, it isn’t an easy subject and at times one I’d like to avoid. Yet it is inevitable and the characters take you with them on their journey.

The main character is Dawn Edelstein, who faces her husband’s possible infidelity while also facing up to her own passionate past, along with a profession she left behind in Egyptology. When her plane crashes, escaping her own death as one of the few survivors Dawn’s life is changed. Even though Dawn is a death doula, being that close to her own mortality, made her examine past choices, as anyone might.

The story is woven well; shifting from Egypt to Boston in each section, along with reminiscing of the past and current work being done. Add in the alternate universe theories of Dawn’s husband who is a scientist, and yeah, there is a lot in the book.

Despite being content heavy I felt that enhanced the book. I enjoyed learning about Egyptology alongside reading about relationships and questioning one’s truth.

For me this is the best book by Picoult yet. I look forward to her next project.

 

Thanks to Ballantine Books/ Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 160: Stakes Is High

Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream by Mychal Denzel Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a short book of just a few long essays that have a powerful punch. The book is sharp, intelligent, and well reasoned, as a statement about the most powerful issues the American people are grappling with today, and in the past. Smith covers race, policing, prisons, power men hold over women, the current presidency, and much more.

Smith covers Shirley Chisholm, which I had very little knowledge about her, being the first black person to run for presidential nomination of a major party, and the first black woman elected to Congress. He imagines, briefly what might have been if she won the 1972 election and became president.

There is the part that strikes home, how when we say “American” we mean the people living in the United States, when it discounts all those people living in the continent of America, more North and South of us. How the United States is an Empire, with colonies such as Puerto Rico.

There is so much more here. The book is densely packed. A book that is part of the conversation that is not to be missed.

Thanks to Bold Type Books/Perseus Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.