The Evolution of Annabel Craig - Lisa Grunwald

The Evolution of Annabel Craig - Lisa Grunwald

Genre: Historical Fiction

My favorite history teacher was so because she taught us history through the telling of stories. I love historical fiction for that very reason. I had a cursory knowledge of the Scopes Trial, but experiencing it through the eyes of Annabel Craig in Grunewald’s novel The Evolution of Annabel Craig was a much deeper look into this historic event. Annabel Craig is forced to mature quickly when she is orphaned as a teenage girl. She moves into a boarding home, gets a job, and with the help of her community grows into adulthood. She meets and marries a local lawyer and is looking forward to a better future. A group of local residents decide to draft a young teacher to be charged with teaching evolution in his biology classroom leading to the historical Scopes trial featuring Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryant. Their goal is to bring attention to their small town of Dayton, Tennessee. Annabel’s world is upended again as the trial challenges everything from her faith, to her notions of friendship, to her understanding of her husband and what being married means.

I didn’t know as much as I should about this trial, so I welcomed learning more through this work of fiction. I have done some reading since and appreciate how well Grunewald captures the spirit of the town, the trial, and many of the participants. She really does make history come alive. The town, the cast of supporting characters, are exceptionally developed given their large number. So, too are the trial guests - the reporters and the lawyers. My favorite part though is the development of Annabel. Grunewald does a remarkable job of presenting the extremists from both sides of the trial while exploring Annabel who remains a devout Christian who comes to understand and accept more fully the science of evolution. Grunewald’s thoughtful exploration of Annabel’s conversations with friends and family who have different ideas provides nuance that is often missing in political and religious discourse. Of course Annabel struggles - losing the love and respect of some closest to her, but she emerges strong, and we are given hints of what her future life might hold. I’d read about this life to be sure. 

I can easily become discouraged if I focus too closely on issues of politics and religion. I am a person of faith who has moved position from most of the people with whom I currently worship. I am of a political party that is not exceptionally popular where I live (I consider myself moderate and independent.) I often feel like I'm living in the gray. The gray can be an exhausting place for a people pleaser like me. I guess I can find hope in the notion that division is deep  in our American culture. I can hear folks talk about how “awful” things are just now. While they probably are, history reminds us that it has been “awful” before. 

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title.

Absolution: A Novel - Alice McDermott

Genre: Historical, Literary Fiction
Audiobook

I was thrilled to learn that this Absolution: A Novel by Alice McDermott  was set in 1962. I have recently become fascinated by 1962 with the discovery of my mom’s nursing cape awarded on her graduation from nursing school in 1962. I have longed to hear the stories that I didn’t know I needed about 1962. What was it like - attending school? dating my dad? starting a first job looking sharply professional in that cape?

Told in the forms of letters - we are first introduced to Patricia who is living in Saigon in the early 60s while her husband is working there. We are immediately immersed into the life of a woman in the 60s from the hairdo, to the girdle, to the role of a lovely and helpful wife. A simple garden party is presented as a bit of a battle for Patricia who here meets Charlene and her daughter Rainey (who is the recipient of Patricia’s letters and who responds back later in the novel). Our journey through Vietnam culture (through the experiences of white women) begins. 

Cringey moments abound as Patricia works with Charlene to “help” the Vietnamese people. In spite of the fact that she is painfully honest about her mistakes, we at least have the privilege of hearing the story after Patricia has some time to reflect. I’m not sure if she has achieved or even needed absolution. 

Since it has been the summer of Barbie, the inclusion of the Saigon Barbie element seems timely. Through her we get a sense of how Charlene works, get to know Li, and get a throughline to the end of the novel. She quickly becomes a symbol of Charlene’s thoughtlessness and Patricia’s confusion. And then she shows up in a plastic container in a closet. (Oh the things we keep!) I appreciate how well McDermott creates an innocent/unreliable narrator, highlighting the complexity of her transformation further. The setting here is so fully alive as well. From the oppressive heat to the horrific nature of the asylum for lepers, I felt very immersed in the landscape and time era of the novel. I read the audio version read by Jesse Vilinski - she does a superb job of bringing the content to life. 

I have just recently also completed Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake. As with Tom Lake, I value how the author explores the realization and impact of slices of one’s life. I am fascinated by how Charlene enters her time in Vietnam, what she learns there, and how she reflects on it much later on in her life. That’s what makes McDermott’s writing so good for me. I am challenged not only by the content of the novel - which is difficult - difficult time in history, for women, for the US, for the Vietnamese, but also by what she makes me see in my own life during the current time. This book challenges me to reckon with my own preconceived notions. So the cool thing here is that the reader gets insight into history, insight into relationships, and/or insight into themselves - wherever the novel takes him or her. Reminds me why reading is so cool.

The Heiress: A Novel - Rachel Hawkins

For years I wanted to tour the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. Most people, like me, I think, are fascinated with the lives of the extremely wealthy. When I finally got there, I was stunned by both the beauty and the opulence - oh to have a library with a ladder! But I think I was also a bit overwhelmed. Rachel Hawkins digs deep into the overwhelming lives of the extremely wealthy in her upcoming work The Heiress: A Novel. Like the Biltmore housed the Vanderbilts, Ashby House (located just outside Asheville) houses most of the wealthy McTavishes and to a large extent the house controls them. 

We meet Camden and his wife Jules as he is being called back to his family  home in North Carolina. He hasn’t been back in 12 years since the death of his adoptive mother (the heiress) Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore - 5 names, 4 husbands- all who died under very mysterious circumstances. He very clearly dreads the return. The story further develops through flashbacks, letters presumably written by the deceased Ruby, news clips and stories, and chapters from the points of view of both Camden and Jules. All these elements are combined masterfully to create a fascinating and suspenseful look at the extended McTavish family. Secrets abound - The McTavish’s,the furthest thing from a warm and fuzzy family, are clearly driven by the house and their inheritances. When is enough enough?

As well as giving us a remarkable setting - the house felt like a character to me because of its influence, Hawkins does a remarkable job of creating human characters who are multilayered. In spite of being somewhat unlikeable, I was kind of rooting for Camden and Jules. I should clarify that they became more difficult to like for me as the novel developed - which was part of the beauty of this work.  The twists and turns subtly added in with the variety of narrators and methods created a lovely suspense and levels of mystery that were unexpected. I loved the tricky uncomfortable ending the most. Avoiding spoilers, but I was questioning my own judgment because of the complexity of these characters. The last page rendered me speechless for a moment. 

I have been trying to reflect on the impact of a novel on my own life as part of my blog posts. Part of me wants to say I am not wealthy; I am not evil; treat this book as a wonderful suspenseful escape. While that is true, I can’t help but reflect on the complexity of Hawkins’ characters. The older I get, the more I can appreciate that people are seldom as simple as I’d like them to be. When I was younger, my tendency toward black and white likely cheated me out of some friendships and experiences from people that I didn’t necessarily try to understand at the time. As I age, I can perhaps also be more aware of my own complexity and try to offer the grace that others offer me. Does that mean I’d be besties with all of the characters in this book. Ummm…no, but I do appreciate very much the care that Hawkins put into their development. The Heiress: A Novel  is definitely a must read.  

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister

Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister

As a mother what would you do if you witnessed your child murder a stranger in the street? I certainly can’t imagine. McAllister takes us on such a journey with this mother - who then has the opportunity to go back in time to try and resolve the problems that she didn’t even know about before they happen - saving her son from this horrific choice. I have always loved a good time travel book. I have more recently loved suspenseful books. Gillian McAllister’s Wrong Place Wrong Time combines these two loves masterfully. 

I love the structure of titling the chapters with how many days before the murder. I think how much fun that must have been to map out and perhaps how tricky it was to keep track of. McAllister creates a fascinating cast of characters and weaves them seamlessly into a variety of times. Of course we get to know Jen the best, and her confusion and frustration resonate with me. Don’t most parents wish occasionally for an opportunity to love our kids better, to raise them better?  We also figure out a great deal about her husband, son, and the rest of the people (many of them criminal) who populate their world. As we move through time and get to know these folks, McAllister expertly reveals bits and pieces about what leads to the murder to build suspense. The mystery grows organically and is fascinating. I also love the scientist - the expert in time travel - who adds veritas to the plot. I love a premise that is all in. I was listening and had a very difficult time ever turning the audio off. I would recommend this book to most. 

I guess as I age and become more reflective, I become more drawn to books that allow for doing things over and getting things better. Not that I don’t have a lovely life. I sure do, but I can sometimes be frozen in perceived mistakes and things I wish I had handled better-often with parenting. I wonder what I would do differently with the wisdom I have gained over time. And then I wonder if I would know what to do any better. I have had enough good counseling to know that I have to find a way to live in a healthy way with the choices I’ve made over time. But fiction allows us to dream and rethink. And I appreciate this chance with Wrong Place Wrong Time. 

Bright Lights, Big Christmas - Mary Kay Andrews

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas

I do love a Christmas thing - Hallmark movie, yes! Christmas in July, yes! Contemporary Romance set at Christmas time, you bet! And I go in with expectations for sure. To be clear, I don’t mind the cliches; they are part of what I love. The really cool thing about Mary Kay Andrews’ Bright Lights, Big Christmas is that she exceeds all of the Christmas genre expectations. 

Kerry Tolliver has been hiding out at her family’s farm in North Carolina since she lost her job and has zero desire to travel with her brother gruff Murphy to sell Christmas trees in New York City. She has to live in a broken down travel trailer using the bathrooms of nearby businesses and apartments. But her dad is recovering from a health event, and she just can’t say no to her mom.

Cue the lovely corner tree lot, the handsome nearby apartment dweller, the helpful community of neighbors, an adorable little boy, and a mysterious artist. Let the magic begin. I love how the relationships develop between Kerry and the others. Seeing her creativity inspired through wreath making and illustrating is a delight. And while it is a lovely romance, the romance is not necessarily front and center. Kerry finding herself, learning to love her December neighbors, and trusting her instincts are. An intriguing mystery surrounding Heinz - who shows up to help Kerry rediscover her art - develops. (I confess, a small part of me wanted him to be Santa.) Along the way, Christmas is a delightful part of the setting.

So. If you love all things Christmas, this book is for you (maybe I’ll spend a December in NYC sometime?). If you are worried that this book will be formulaic and not transcend Christmas, do not. This book is for you. If you are facing change, if you want a burst of courage to pursue your dreams, if you love to watch friendships develop and love a neighborhood as a character, this book is for you. I am not as familiar with Andrews’ work as I intend to become. 

I’m thinking that the creative piece is what works the most for me in this novel. I find myself just a tad envious that Kerry recognizes the importance of reaching for dreams at such a young age.  Do things come together nicely for her to support that, yes, but certainly in part because she steps outside of her comfort zones again and again, and looks beyond herself to care for Heinz.  I am certain I can’t be reminded enough that if you put good into the world, good likely will come back. I’ve also been thinking so much lately about what to keep and what to discard (Those thoughts coming in spades.) People have tried to shame me for my love of all things Christmas (mostly the movies, but also the books); I think I’ll keep that love alive. Thanks Bright Lights, Big Christmas and Mary Kay Andrews.

Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.