An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

An Artist of the Floating World
Kazuo Ishiguro
4/5 stars


In post-World War II Japan, Masuji Ono, an ageing painter, looks back on the years of his career before and during the war. The novel is written as a conversation with the reader, and Ono wanders from subject to subject, revealing more than he realizes. The reader, desirous to find what Ono is hiding, will eagerly consume this novel.  Ishiguro is an excellent writer, and this is written with charm and perception.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
Matthew Sullivan
3/5 stars

Lydia, only survivor of a gruesome tragedy as a child, lives a quiet life, working at the Bright Ideas bookstore, living with a solid boyfriend, and trying to act like she is as normal as anyone else.  One midnight at closing, she finds the body of Joey, a young and lonely ex-con, hanging from the ceiling with a childhood photo of her in his pocket.  Left with his books, Lydia finds the puzzle Joey left for her to solve, the solution of which leads her reluctantly back into her past.

This book, Sullivan's first, has a good premise and intrigues the reader from the beginning, but isn't able to keep up momentum.  Once it is discovered that the answer hangs on one unbelievable coincidence, the book looses it's force all together.  It moves quickly, though, and the prose is good.  It's not that this is a bad novel, it's just not fully credible.

By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham

By Nightfall
Michael Cunningham
4/5 stars

Peter Harris, moderately successful art dealer, lives a normal life on the surface, but underneath it's roiling with uncertainty.  His daughter currently hates him, his marriage seems stale, and suddenly, his much younger brother-in-law arrives to make Peter question everything.

On the face of it, I didn't particularly enjoy this book.  Then, I realized that the uncomfortable feelings were intentional, a reaction to Cunningham's skillful portrayal of Peter's inner turmoil.  Cunningham's stream-of-consciousness style and unquestionable talent made this book (that I didn't "like") a compelling read.  By Nightfall isn't as powerful as his Pulitzer Price winning The Hours, but it is excellently plotted to tell a lot of story in a small amount of time, masterfully drawing the reader into Peter's vulnerability .

March 2018 Wrap Up

Angela Thirkell

Books Read:
The Excellence of the Rosary Conferences for Devotions in Honor of the Blessed Virgin by Math Josef Frings   5/5 stars
This is a set of lectures given for a conference by Rev. Frings in 1912, and they are still relevant today.  These lectures, though scholarly, are easily read.  They explain and expound upon the various parts of the Rosary, giving the layperson a deeper understanding.  I highly recommend this short book.  (This book is available free for Kindle.)

Growing Up by Angela Thirkell  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Audio Books Completed:
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block  3/5 stars
Bernie Rhodenbarr is a professional burglar who has been framed for murder.  To save himself from prison, he tries his hand at solving the mystery.  This is smartly written, and though the solution was a bit hard to believe, all the pieces fell together nicely.  I'll definitely read the next in this series.

Upon a Dark Night by Peter Lovesey  4/5 stars  (my review here)

In the Midst of Death by Lawrence Block  4/5 stars
In this third Matthew Scudder book, a prostitute is murdered, and a whistle-blowing cop is framed.  Matt is hired to clear the cop's name and find the real killer.  Block effectively drops the reader into the middle of the action in this hard-boiled mystery.  It is generally well-written, with believable characters, though I found the solution a bit weak.

Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh  4/5 stars
This, an excellent mystery that revolved around the scales of fish, was well-written and well-plotted, as is usual with Marsh.

Did Not Finish:
The Wedding Walah by Farahad Zama
I thoroughly enjoyed the first two by Zama, and looked forward to revisiting the characters in this novel.  It lacked the life of the first two, and I wasn't able to get more than a quarter through it before putting it down.

Upon a Dark Night by Peter Lovesey

Upon a Dark Night
Peter Lovesey
4/5 stars

A woman is dumped in a parking lot, suffering a concussion and memory loss.  Another young woman falls off a roof during a party.  An elderly man is found shot through the head in an apparent suicide.  As Peter Diamond investigates these separate incidents, he finds what could be a common thread running through them.

Diamond, with all his faults, is a highly likable character and this series is a delight to read.  This mystery is complex, and the motive doesn't seem strong enough in the end, but overall it was well worth the read.

Growing Up by Angela Thirkell

Growing Up
Angela Thirkell
1944
4/5 stars

In this most satisfactory novel, Thirkell continues following the residents of Barsetshire as they live through WWII.  Growing Up focuses mainly on the twenty-somethings living in Winter Overcotes, as they take on adult responsibilities and grow out of childish thinking.  Thirkell writes with humor, charm, and just a bit of snark, which makes her books a true pleasure to read.  They must be read in order, though, so as to keep up with the characters.  If you like a gentle read, and have any interest in England in the 1930's and 1940's, I certainly recommend this series.  (High Rising begins the series.)

      

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

House of Many Ways
Diana Wynne Jones
4/5 stars

Charmain Baker has been brought up perfectly respectably, without a hint of magic in her life.  It's much to her surprise, then, when she is left in charge of her great-uncle William's house--since he is the Royal Wizard Norland and his house is as magical as he.  She and Norland's new apprentice Peter become embroiled in a Royal mystery, make new friends, and see the end of old enemies.

Jones is a fantastic writer, and this is a solidly written fantasy.  The characters are well drawn, and the plot well written.  It is humorous and entertaining, and while not perfect, a fun read, well recommended. 

Note: While it seems like a stand-alone novel at first, this is actually the third in the Wizard Howl series.  Readers without the knowledge of the other two books will find themselves lost in certain situations.