"The right arm is being sent back to Miami to be buried with the left one. There's plenty of room in the coffin." -Sheriff Sonny Summers
If that quote sounds strange, you ain't seen nothing yet! I listened to the audio version of this one in my car. It made me smile, laugh aloud at times and shake my head often at the surprise twists and turns in the plot. It was read by Arte Johnson---remember him from "Laugh-In"? I doubt anyone could have done it better.
Most of the Hiaasen work I have read is juvenile literature, Hoot for example. This one is definitely NOT for kids---plenty of strong language and sexual references! A Florida author, Hiaasen sets most of his books in the Sunshine State. This one goes back and forth from South Florida to the Bahamas.
Protagonist ex-detective Andrew Yancy has been "demoted" to a restaurant inspector AKA the "roach patrol." Early in the story he acquires a severed arm reeled in by a fisherman. Rather than believe it the result of a boating accident, he finds reason to investigate it as a possible homicide. If he can solve the mystery and find the perp, maybe he can earn his badge back. The reader meets many wacky characters as the plot spins---a scam artist, an unscrupulous realtor, a voodoo witch, an ex-girlfriend who is a sexual predator on the lam and a maniacal monkey, the former animal star of "Pirates of the Caribbean," just to name a few!
You cannot really call an audio book a page-turner, now can you? All I can say is it was entertaining to the max---a 5 rating for sure! Now I really look forward to Razor Girl in which Yancy tries again to regain his place in law enforcement. It is bound to be another wickedly funny romp!
Monday, May 22, 2017
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Because of the Sun by Jenny Torres Sanchez
"It was because of the sun. Because it was hot and melted your brain. Because it was an absurd ball of fire in the sky that blinded us and regulated our days and nights, our seemingly senseless lives and random fates."
-Dani's thoughts, from the novel
This young adult fiction was chosen for its author who happens to be a member of the church to which most of our Page Turners belong. This is her third published novel. A couple of years ago our group read her second---Death, Dickinson and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia---and I invited her to attend our meeting. It was quite a treat having the author of the current selection available to answer questions and share her inspiration and aspects of her writing process. I believe she enjoyed the feedback as well. In fact, she has agreed to join us for our discussion of Because of the Sun.
Protagonist Dani Falls is a damaged young woman even before the tragic death of her mother at the beginning of the book. Part One is mostly Dani's interior monologue as she feels her way through the loss and the displacement which results from it. When she is sent from her home in Florida to live with her aunt in New Mexico, it had to be serious culture shock. And she never even knew her mother had a sister, adding to the difficulty of the transition.
So much of this novel is steam of consciousness, far from my favorite literary technique, so I had trouble getting into the story at first. Once Dani starts to communicate and makes a few friends, it gets more interesting. When Aunt Shelley finally tells her story, the reader starts to understand much more of the dysfunctional family that made her, her sister Anna Ruby (Dani's mother) and Dani herself, the people they are.
"The truth will set you free," from John 8:32 in the Bible seems to be illustrated by the story as Dani learns dark family secrets and is able to finally forgive her mother. One has the idea that she will find love and happiness in her life as she is freed from her inner demons and begins to move forward.
The novel is divided into 3 parts but without chapters. I didn't really like that but I got used to it. In some places the transition of time or character was a bit confusing. Also a book called The Stranger by Albert Camus is mentioned frequently and I have never read or even heard of that novel so those references were lost on me.
I liked Because of the Sun but of the three Sanchez novels I have read, this would not be my favorite. Her first novel, The Downside of Being Charlie would be #1. I'm looking forward to our meeting this week. More after that.....
--------------
What a wonderful meeting we had with Jenny Sanchez, author of our May book selection! I had distributed generic fiction questions to use but we hardly referred to them at all since most of us already had questions in mind. Jenny shared where her ideas had originated including the second setting of a small border town in New Mexico, the actual family home of her husband. We heard how she had been influenced by her somewhat isolated youth, her reading of The Stranger in high school, the hot sun of Florida and New Mexico, bears in the news and the angst and resilience of young people. (She is a former high school English teacher.) Our Page Turners shared their reactions to portions of the book, some quite emotional. The discussion of the novel was so stimulating some of us left saying we wanted to read it again! We decided not to rate this book. We will give it an NR. With the author present, it would have been a bit awkward. Suffice it to say between author and readers there was great mutual appreciation!
-Dani's thoughts, from the novel
This young adult fiction was chosen for its author who happens to be a member of the church to which most of our Page Turners belong. This is her third published novel. A couple of years ago our group read her second---Death, Dickinson and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia---and I invited her to attend our meeting. It was quite a treat having the author of the current selection available to answer questions and share her inspiration and aspects of her writing process. I believe she enjoyed the feedback as well. In fact, she has agreed to join us for our discussion of Because of the Sun.
Protagonist Dani Falls is a damaged young woman even before the tragic death of her mother at the beginning of the book. Part One is mostly Dani's interior monologue as she feels her way through the loss and the displacement which results from it. When she is sent from her home in Florida to live with her aunt in New Mexico, it had to be serious culture shock. And she never even knew her mother had a sister, adding to the difficulty of the transition.
So much of this novel is steam of consciousness, far from my favorite literary technique, so I had trouble getting into the story at first. Once Dani starts to communicate and makes a few friends, it gets more interesting. When Aunt Shelley finally tells her story, the reader starts to understand much more of the dysfunctional family that made her, her sister Anna Ruby (Dani's mother) and Dani herself, the people they are.
"The truth will set you free," from John 8:32 in the Bible seems to be illustrated by the story as Dani learns dark family secrets and is able to finally forgive her mother. One has the idea that she will find love and happiness in her life as she is freed from her inner demons and begins to move forward.
The novel is divided into 3 parts but without chapters. I didn't really like that but I got used to it. In some places the transition of time or character was a bit confusing. Also a book called The Stranger by Albert Camus is mentioned frequently and I have never read or even heard of that novel so those references were lost on me.
I liked Because of the Sun but of the three Sanchez novels I have read, this would not be my favorite. Her first novel, The Downside of Being Charlie would be #1. I'm looking forward to our meeting this week. More after that.....
--------------
What a wonderful meeting we had with Jenny Sanchez, author of our May book selection! I had distributed generic fiction questions to use but we hardly referred to them at all since most of us already had questions in mind. Jenny shared where her ideas had originated including the second setting of a small border town in New Mexico, the actual family home of her husband. We heard how she had been influenced by her somewhat isolated youth, her reading of The Stranger in high school, the hot sun of Florida and New Mexico, bears in the news and the angst and resilience of young people. (She is a former high school English teacher.) Our Page Turners shared their reactions to portions of the book, some quite emotional. The discussion of the novel was so stimulating some of us left saying we wanted to read it again! We decided not to rate this book. We will give it an NR. With the author present, it would have been a bit awkward. Suffice it to say between author and readers there was great mutual appreciation!
Friday, May 5, 2017
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
"Life is change, constant change, and unless we are lucky enough to find comedy in it, change is nearly always a drama, if not a tragedy. But after everything, and even when the skies turn scarlet and threatening, I still believe that if we are lucky enough to be alive, we must give thanks for the miracle of every moment of every day, no matter how flawed. And we must have faith in God, and in the Universe, and in a better tomorrow, even if that faith is not always deserved."
-Pino Lella, looking back on his long life
Being a lover of historical fiction, I have read numerous novels set in WWII Europe, particularly involving the Holocaust and events leading up to it. However this was the first set in Italy which the author admits is known as the "Forgotten Front."
I must confess I might never have discovered this novel except that it was one of several choices for a free book for Kindle. I selected it because the description was intriguing and I am so glad. Not only was it an engrossing page-turner but I learned a great deal about the Nazi presence in Italy. All I had really known about WWII Italy was Mussolini, Fascism and that it was one of the Axis powers---the bad guys!
Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the story of Giuseppino "Pino" Lella, an unsung hero whom the author met and spent many hours interviewing when he was in his 90's. What an incredible life Pino had led! Starting out at age 17 he was a "conductor" on an underground railroad of sorts leading Jews and downed pilots out of Italy into Switzerland---an extremely treacherous journey, to say the least, and soon after became a driver for Nazi General Hans Leyers. This put him in a position to spy for the Allies at great personal risk.
Early in the story Pino meets race car driver Alberto Ascari and agrees to teach him to ski in return for driving lessons. The driving skills Pino develops serve him well later and end up saving his life and that of others. We are told in the "Aftermath" that Ascari has become known as one of the best Formula One drivers of all time.
As I was nearing the end of the novel, I happened to see a TV documentary on Anne Frank, a graphic reminder of the horrors brought on by the Nazi regime. It is difficult to conceive of such cruelty and violence as depicted there and in Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Such a profoundly heart-breaking time!
The author describes this book as narrative nonfiction but also biographical and historical fiction. Whatever it's classification, I give it a 5. It is thoroughly researched, well-written and presents a story that needed to be told!
-Pino Lella, looking back on his long life
Being a lover of historical fiction, I have read numerous novels set in WWII Europe, particularly involving the Holocaust and events leading up to it. However this was the first set in Italy which the author admits is known as the "Forgotten Front."
I must confess I might never have discovered this novel except that it was one of several choices for a free book for Kindle. I selected it because the description was intriguing and I am so glad. Not only was it an engrossing page-turner but I learned a great deal about the Nazi presence in Italy. All I had really known about WWII Italy was Mussolini, Fascism and that it was one of the Axis powers---the bad guys!
Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the story of Giuseppino "Pino" Lella, an unsung hero whom the author met and spent many hours interviewing when he was in his 90's. What an incredible life Pino had led! Starting out at age 17 he was a "conductor" on an underground railroad of sorts leading Jews and downed pilots out of Italy into Switzerland---an extremely treacherous journey, to say the least, and soon after became a driver for Nazi General Hans Leyers. This put him in a position to spy for the Allies at great personal risk.
Early in the story Pino meets race car driver Alberto Ascari and agrees to teach him to ski in return for driving lessons. The driving skills Pino develops serve him well later and end up saving his life and that of others. We are told in the "Aftermath" that Ascari has become known as one of the best Formula One drivers of all time.
As I was nearing the end of the novel, I happened to see a TV documentary on Anne Frank, a graphic reminder of the horrors brought on by the Nazi regime. It is difficult to conceive of such cruelty and violence as depicted there and in Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Such a profoundly heart-breaking time!
The author describes this book as narrative nonfiction but also biographical and historical fiction. Whatever it's classification, I give it a 5. It is thoroughly researched, well-written and presents a story that needed to be told!
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