The Distant Hours

I know I never write anything on here, but honestly I don't often read a book that I really like enough to share. Well, I am completely flumoxed and turned upside down by The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. I can't think of another book more appropriate to a book club whose name includes "The Madwomen." It is so gothic. The three Blythe sisters are all madwomen in the attic, and almost literally so. This story has so many twists and turns, with each sister suffering her own heartbreak. Their stories are all layered and held together by their father, the author of a famous children's novel. The web of anguish also reaches out to affect the young girl who is evacuated to the castle from London during World War II. This in turn affects her own daughter. The Distant Hours shows how deeply parental misery may affect children and how the expectations of previous generations can really dictate how a life is lived, despite all efforts made towards normalcy and happiness.- Savannah

Fantasy for Adults?!?!?!

I admit it. I am a fantasy geek. I'm not quite sure how it started (probably with fairy tales) but I do know exactly when it blossomed into a full-on obsession: 9th grade. That summer I read The Once and Future King, and in September my teacher demonstrated incredible coolness when he forwent (is that a word?) The Odyssey in favor of The Fellowship of the Ring. And with that book I was lost...lost in a world of orcs and wizards and rings and quests. Since then, I have come to love all kinds of fantasy, medieval, and dystopian fiction, from The Hunger Games to The Death of Arthur, and even Beowulf...the Seamus Heaney version. But I haven't read any good, modern, adult fantasy in a long time. To be honest, modern adult fantasy kind of scares me. I mean, it is a little weird for grownups to be reading about wizards and warriors, heroes and princesses, dragons and demons...I feel like it's okay if it's a YA book or a classic, but the contemporary stuff is for the Dungeons and Dragons set, IMHO. Then I picked up Game of Thrones in Logan Airport a few weeks ago and have been lost in fantasy land ever since.

I can't speak to the new HBO show based on the series, but the books are incredibly compelling, if you're at all into fantasy. George RR Martin writes a little like Tolkein, a little like TH White, and a little like himself. My favorite part of the series is that there are about ten different main characters, and the chapters are told from alternating viewpoints. At first it was a little confusing to keep everyone straight, especially because as some main characters die, new ones take their place as narrators. But the technique keeps the story fast-paced and always interesting. I'm deep into book three of four, and I have trouble tearing myself out of the Seven Kingdoms. This is the kind of series that I can't wait to finish because I'm dying to know how it's resolved, but at the same time I dread the ending because it's going to take me forever to recover from the series and find something equally all-consuming to read. This series is so good that I would go so far as to say it could be the "gateway drug" for those reluctant fantasy readers. You know who you are...Harry Potter fans who have never ventured deeper into fantasy than Hogwarts...(I couldn't let this posting go without a jab at Harry Potter. I've actually gone soft on good old HP in my old age...I used to look down on HP fans with derision, but I do accept the value and renewed interest he has brought to the genre...plus I finally read the first chapter of the first book and it was actually pretty good.) If you're hesitant about fantasy, this series is written in a modern enough voice that it just might grab your interest.
Back to the dragons and kingslayers...
Rebecca

From India, With Love

A few months back we had a discussion about literary passions, and one Madwoman in particular divulged her secret love affair with novels set in historical India. One of the books on the subject she recommended was Beneath a Marble Sky, which I have recently begun to read. I am about half way through and about to start section 3 of 4 in the novel. I am beginning to enjoy it very much!

This is not a typical book I would pick out for myself if I were to browse the bookstore. While I enjoy historical fiction, I know next to nothing about historical India, so I was slightly afraid that I would be lost in the references in this book. Luckily, the book is a romance more than anything, with only general references to the politics and history of the time period, so its very easy to follow along. What I am enjoying most about the book is the author's skill at creating suspense. The main character keeps hinting that there is going to be some sort of treacherous event that happens, and I have a vague idea of what it may entail, but the plot keeps getting more and more involved, so it's keeping me guessing. I'm getting more and more drawn into the story, and I'm guessing I'll be able to finish it in the next few days. I'll post an update when I do!

Miss. H.

The Glass Castle

I just finished The Glass Castle and was thoroughly impressed. Throughout the book though, I couldn't help but wonder how much of the truth was stretched to make for good writing. One of Oprah's final episodes featured a second interview with author James Frey years after controversy over his book, "A Million Little Pieces." Not sure how much you heard about this- but he came out with a book that was marketed as a memoir about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. After Oprah added it to her book club list, it got a lot of attention- not all positive. People brought into question how much of the details were exaggerated. More specifically, former addicts argued that he would not be able to remember the details and the recovery process he depicted was far from accurate. He eventually admitted that there were fabricated elements in the piece and dealt with lots of negative press and countless lawsuits as a result. Do authors have an obligation to tell the absolute truth when writing memoirs/autobiographies? Personally, I think that every book in this category has some elements of fiction. I mean- I imagine that even the most exciting life has its dull moments.

One of my favorite parts of her writing style was that she wrote the various stories of her childhood with the naivete that she would have had at the time. But she gives us enough information that we can draw conclusions about what the problems actually are. Very carefully crafted.

I found all of the characters with the exception of the mother to be endearing. I absolutely despised her and found her to be completely self-centered. I can accept that some people want to focus on themselves. And those are exactly the people that should not have children. Every little detail about this woman irked me....one thing that comes to mind is the tidbit that she was divulging on Hershey chocolate bars while her children were rummaging through the garbage at school for anything to eat.

Overall though, whether or not it is 100% truth, found it to be a very humbling and inspirational read. Would definitely recommend (although I betting we have a few madwomen who have already finished this one).