The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Overall, the response to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker was positive.  Based on the comments, the book group would give this book a 3 1/2 to 4 stars (out of 5).

Those who had not been to Burma or another Asian country felt that the descriptions of the country and its people were such that they wished to visit.  They felt that the story was intriguing because of this and interesting to boot.  As a result of the rich setting and the interesting personalities and traits of the country's people, these readers felt that the book was, likewise, rich and interesting.  The setting provided a full backdrop for the characters populating it and made the book feel deep and complete.

Those who had been to Asian countries, however, felt that the descriptions of the country fell flat and did not do it any justice.  As a result, because the setting itself fell kind of flat, they felt that the book fell a little flat as well.  Along those lines, these readers also felt that the book was not as deep, more incomplete, and left a lot un-described or unanswered.  These readers felt that the author did not deliver on the description and the expectations created as a result thereof.

Unfortunately, we did not discuss some of the more controversial parts of the book for fear of ruining the story for those members who had not yet finished reading the book!

So, overall, 3.75 stars ;)

For March: Night Film by Marisha Pessl
For April: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

I think Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter was the last book group we read collectively as a group before taking a hiatus... About a half-year hiatus.  During that time, we "read whatever we wanted" and still came together as a group to discuss what we'd been reading, make recommendations, and just discuss books in general.  As much as we all love books, it was a welcome variation!  We have decided, going forward, to go every other month, reading as a group, and use the intervening month to read individually.  This next book will be the Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker.

But, Beautiful Ruins.  Collectively, this was another book at the group loved.  Of course there were varying opinions.  For example, one of our members loved the book so much that she subsequently read every other Jess Walter book she could find (and was very pleased with almost, if not all of them!)  She was very impressed with his ability to write from so many different perspectives with so convincingly - and that was a common compliment that the group had for Beautiful Ruins as well.

The book follows several story lines - starting in the 60s in Italy with a visionistic young man who meets a hollywood starlet and falls in love, to the jaded 30-something in modern times hollywood looking for that perfect screen play to make her fall back in love with the industry, to the near-retired old director with an interesting past and an interesting perspective on success... and he does it all convincingly, interestingly, and well.  It is one of those stories that bounces back and forth until you realize that it was actually a delicate weaving together of stories, with a satisfying end.

As a group, we highly recommend this book and hope we read more that make us feel as satisfied as this one did, in the future!

An Evil Eye by Jason Goodwin

Overall, the Desert Girls were not big fans of An Evil Eye by Jason Goodwin.  Most found it difficult to get into and were turned off by the familiar use of foreign phrases and terms without a glossary or quick historical explanation.  The mystery itself was somewhat interesting, but not particularly compelling or satisfying in the end.  It was good to know, but it did not feel like a big sigh of relief once resolution was reached.

We speculated that perhaps reading the first 3 books would have given us a better appreciation for Yashim, for the foreign phrases such as efendi and pasha, and for the mystery and Yashim's backstory.  But as it was, reading the book independently and out of sequence, it felt like wading through mud to trudge through.

Additionally, everyone agreed that the insertions of cooking instructions and ingredients was a distraction and annoying.  It did not flow smoothly from the text and instead felt like too much effort was being made to be cute.

No one seemed to think it was a particularly *bad* book, but it felt rather "meh" overall.  We were all excited to move on and think about our next book, Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

(For my personal review, see All Book Reviewer review of An Evil Eye.)

NW by Zadie Smith

The most telling response to this book is that almost no one in the group finished it.  No one had anything particularly bad to say about it.  But most of the responses were along the lines of "yeah, um... ??"

One reader compared to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, which, no, of course that's not fair.  But the comparison was in reference to "one of those books that doesn't have a plot, per se, or a climax, per se, but is more a period of time in the life of someone or someones."  The comparison was not to Smith's benefit -- while Achebe managed to capture the attention of a typically plot-driven reader with his beautiful writing, characterization, and details, Smith's story(ies) more often fell on uncaring ears.

It's not that the writing was bad.  It was interesting.  It was different. But Smith didn't do enough to engage the reader.  You just never really cared what she had to say next.  And a few parts got really interesting... and then she just moved on.

It was a little like going to a four course meal, but getting the check after the 2nd course.  (or more inappropriate analogies which I'll not state here, but which you can probably imagine)

Also telling was the fact that while a few of the girls said they will probably finish the book, most seemed less than interested in doing so and those who had not yet begun were wholly uninspired to do so.

The one reader who did finish the book did not seem to hate it, but did not seem to really have anything particularly good to say about it.  She said she wished she knew more about the area because she felt like she missed a lot of cultural references that might have made the book more interesting/engaging to someone who caught the references.  She also said that the dialogue was confusing and the path that the stories took was not always clear.  This was a point on which the other members agreed.

As for me, I had never read anything by Zadie Smith before, but I had heard great things about On Beauty and White Teeth.  Based on what I've read in other reviews, it would be unfair to judge Smith on NW:  her other books are apparently much better.  Regardless, that may be what has happened with me.  I'm not particularly inclined to pick up another Zadie Smith amid my busy schedule... perhaps in a few decades.  If I were to rate an un-finished book (it is highly unusual for me to not finish a book in the first place), I would probably give this a 2 1/2 of 5.  There was potential for an interesting story, but I felt like Smith just kept taking away the prize.  Perhaps there's supposed to be a lesson in all that, but I read to be mentally-stimulated (if not always intellectually ;)).  At about 1/2-way through, I gave up and moved on.

Comments are, as always, welcome!

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Sadly, I will not have as much to say about this book as I would like (but check out my personal blog here!!)  That is not because the Girls of the Desert did not collectively enjoy the book -- it's more because the Girls of the Desert collectively were too busy to give it its due!

Those who had finished the book and were able to make book group (four of the girls were stuck at work!) expressed sentiments of great appreciation for the book.  Those who were not quite complete with the book and were able to make our meeting also seemed to fully enjoy what they had read!

The most repeated comments were that we all became reminiscent and nostalgic for a time and place we had never been--New York in the late 1930s.  We loved the main character and her spirit, and we all felt as if while reading, we were transported to New York, almost wishful that we could experience the story first-hand.

Those who had finished are look forward to Mr. Towles' next book and those who had not are just as eager to finish Rules!
Definitely recommend.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

The Group, as a whole, loved this book.
It was entertaining, light, and fast.  The perfect book for mid-winter.

Bernadette is a "wonderfully told story about a rather dysfunctional family (aren't they all), with a mother (Bernadette) who is a genius hermit former architect, the daughter (Bee) who is a brilliant young girl with a medical history and a love of life, and the father (Elgie) who is a workaholic genius microsoft project head who loves his family, if from a distance.  Blech, sounds boring the way I just did that.  Trust me, it's not." (that is from my personal blog: see the full review here!)

Maria Semple, like many authors these days, took on the challenge of a mixed-media (ish) book.  The story is told through e-mails, letters, instant messages, and other written forms (a report from a doctor, for example).  Semple, however, succeeded where many others failed.  The story is successfully told through the mixed media.  Unlike with other books where it is frustrating receiving partial information and/or awkward presentation in unnatural formats, Semple has a gift of somehow presenting a complete story in such a fashion.  The various tones were expertly maneuvered -- ranging from the innocent pre-teen to the evangelical Christian to the professional tone of a doctor.  All are convincing, and all are endearing.

In reading the book, there is laughter, surprise, sympathy, and empathy.  Most of the characters are not only relatable, but salvageable.  They are impressive and crazy, rising just enough above the "normal" to make them interesting.

The group appears to highly recommend this book -- so much so, in fact, that we are yearning for another similarly satisfactory read.  Comments welcome!

**MY personal thoughts:
of course a lof of the thoughts above are conveyed through my lens, but, yes, I loved the book.  I give it FIVE of 5 stars and highly recommend.  It was fun and intriguing.  It really did make me laugh and I'm sure there was a tear shed around there somewhere.  I loved all of the characters, and I am very MUCH looking forward to reading another Semple!

IOU

I owe you a post about Where'd You Go, Bernadette, our last book, which we collectively really enjoyed!  Next up is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles.

it's coming folks....

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

When we chose Anne of Green Gables, we knew that many of the group had not only read the book when we were younger, but some had read it over and over and over again.  For others, the movie (repeated watchings) were our background. And I believe for at least a couple, this was a fresh read.

Most of us were surprised that the book was written quite so long ago... I think we all felt like we had discovered it when it was relatively new on the market.  But no, it was originally published in 1908!  Which actually makes sense given the descriptions and cadence in the book.

This was a book full of details and not much of a grand plot.  If I were to sum up the overarching plot in 1 sentence, it would be something like:  Elderly brother and sister adopt boy but are given a girl and the book takes us through the next few years, as Anne, through her actions, personality, and sometimes words, convinces Marilla and Matthew to keep her.

But that brief description does nothing to give the book justice.
Although the book is almost more a series of mini-plots that fit within the overarching plot, the book is more about the power of love, hope, and friendship.

The group did not discuss the book that much because we were all swept up in how much we just loved it.  It is a wonderful testament to simpler times and the beauty of experiencing all of life as it comes.  Many of us related to Anne's character, but so many aspects of her liveliness have been trampled on by life in the 21st century.  A night with candles and reading?  No tv, no iPads, no smart phones.  It made me ache for a time when people learned about each other by real interactions with each other.

I think everyone in the group would recommend the book.  Highly.  It's just one of those books.  Even if it's not your "genre," it's so wonderfully written, so wonderfully told.  And we are, of course, going to share an Anne of Green Gables movie night ;)

Next up:  Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

The overall swing of the group was mild disappointment.  One member really did not like the book.  Another "didn't hate it."  But once we got to talking about it, flipping through the book and parsing out the stories, most agreed that the book was fine, if you like that sort of thing....

For you Sedaris fans out there, of which there are many in our group, if you are going to read this book, PLEASE NOTE it is NOT his usual style of funny most-likely-true essays.

These are .... well, simply put, they're animal allegories.  They are allegories of essentially crap people, but in the stories, such "people" are animals.  For example, there is the story of the Bear who lost her mother and needed sympathy.... and then kept asking for it...  and, well, i hate spoilers.  Suffice it to say, these are not characters that endear themselves to you.  But for many, they are relatable experiences - someone you know, someone you wish you didn't know, some conversation you overheard.

One of the girls in the group really liked the book.  This was a reader who did not, however, have any other Sedaris familiarity.  Which made us think... we were probably harder on the book because of what we were hoping for... what we were expecting.

So the short of it?  If you are a Sedaris fan, pick up this book w/ the knowledge that it is NOT a "Sedaris."  It's good.  It's insightful.  It's dark.  It's funny (in that dark sort of way).  But it's different...

Next up?  Anne of Green Gables.  Yep, we're takin it back to the Old School, 'cause I'm an Old Fool, who's So Cool......
(need sleep)

Next (August Book)

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris....

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

The Group met and discussed Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon around mid-July.

I was somewhat surprised by the responses.  On the whole, the Desert Girls were not great fans.  The problem most of the readers had with the book was that they felt that it was a little cliched, a little too simple, a little too surface... not to mention depressing.

BUT.

The readers also felt that the book served as a good reminder for those of us in marriages (more than half) and a sense of camaraderie for those no longer in marriages or in marriages struggling.

It was kind of cute, it was kind of endearing, and it offered a very REAL view into a type of life.  The author is a good story teller and a good writer, but the characters simply weren't terribly endearing.  And it is *noteworthy* how well Gideon employed texts, facebook entries, emails, chats, and common dialogue without the story being weighed down or annoying.  Her style certainly warrants more attention in future books.

Also, the topic is interesting -- a woman involves herself in a study about 21st century marriage and, through the course of the study, finds herself questioning her own life, marriage and family. But the problem is, ultimately, the characters are a little lost in the grandness of the situation.

There was the main character -- Wife 22 herself.  She seemed to be rather selfish and self-obsessed person, a fact not lost on her supposed best friend, to the point of missing some rather big markers about the situation she has embroiled herself in.  Her husband seems to be an oblivious, also selfish, unaware, dishonest, but seemingly "good person."  Her children are precocious and selfish... and yeah, there was a whole lot of selfishness.

I don't believe any of the Desert Girls would recommend NOT reading the book, but we would say, go ahead, it's simple, it's a beach read, and most importantly, know what you're getting into.  We don't want to add spoilers here... but we're happy to share the spoilers if you're sure you want to hear them (just send us an email or post a comment!)

<<note: I had an ARC copy of the book, but the rest of the Desert Girls bought/rented/borrowed their own copies>>

NEXT

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon...

Iron House by John Hart

We were all given the choice between Iron House and Last Child and everyone started with Iron House.  I say started with because after reading Iron House, many of the girls are ready to read Last Child.

The Group comments, as a whole:
- a fast read
- "How are you not done?! I couldn't put it down!"
- very entertaining
- "Oh! He's a lawyer! No wonder!" (that was a compliment :))
- "How did you find this? I've never even heard of him! It was really good!"
- "How many books has he written?"
- "The Last Child is even better!"

Overall, the group was very pleased with the book and, as I said, many are ready to read The Last Child.  The pace was great and we felt that he moved the story along quickly.  One member did not love the beginning, but by page 30 or 40, was wrapped up in the plot, the characters, and the story.

Without offering any spoilers:  It's about a career killer who attempts to "go straight" for his love and his baby.  Unfortunately, his past life has no interest in letting their golden killer walk away and he is chased while the people that he loves are put in grave danger, all of their lives being upended and, in some ways, completely destroyed.  There are twists and turns along the way, keeping the story interesting and the reader reading.

Many agreed that, once reading, it was difficult to put the book down.

Overall, the group was PLEASED! And would recommend to anyone who likes a good story, a good thriller, a Grisham/King (mild) story.

NEXT: John Hart: 2 Books

We have won TWO books by John Hart from readinggroupguides.com!
The Iron House & the Last Child.

We'll be discussing them in early June.
Can't wait!!

BossyPants by Tina Fey

I think I can safely say that, as a group, we not only loved the book, but we love (or at least strongly like and admire) the author.  This was not, however, universally true prior to our reading the book.  Some in the group were prior fans, some were prior non-fans, and some were neutral.

Tina Fey has written a very accessible book with a feminist-but-intelligent-and-thoughtful perspective.  She's funny, there's no question.  But she's not just funny.  There were points when we laughed at out loud, and there were points where we disagreed with her political statements, but overall, reading her book was like talking with a good friend.

The members of the group who had not watched or did not watch 30 Rock did not read (or closely read) the portion of the book that dealt with the show - but the book was complete without it and, those members included, fully enjoyable on its own.

As a group, we highly recommend the book.

And personally, I probably recommend it even higher than that.  It was truly an enjoyable experience.  I was one of those people who "couldn't stand" Ms. Fey ... and then I saw her in Baby Mama with Amy Poehler (who I have always loved) and begrudgingly admitted that she was funny and a decent actress... and then my husband's slight obsession w/ 30-Rock allowed me to watch the first 1/2 of the first season in succession... and I was completely won over.  She's self-deprecating in a completely endearing way.  And she's smart.  And funny.  I read the book in the couple hours it took to fly from Milwaukee to Phoenix and enjoyed all of it.  I hope there's a second!

Announcement: April 2012 Book

Bossypants by Tina Fey...

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Sigh.  A few wonderful things about the book.
It is a wonderfully told tale in the magical realism genre.
A lot of people don't know the difference between fantasy and magical realism... one enters a different world, and the other brings the impossible into our world.  The Night Circus is the latter.
It is also historical fiction (broadly).  It is also a love story.

Those who know me (including the book group :)) know that I love fantasy and magical realism.  I am more hesitant with historical fiction and love stories because they are often written without complexity or grace.

It is not the type of historical fiction that draws on real life historical events (which is why it's "broadly" in the genre), but it occurs in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Morgenstern interweaves the characters, the story, the planning of the circus, the drama, the anger, the love, etc., effortlessly to a final conclusion.

Compliments made at group:
It is fun!
It is interesting.
It was impressive that someone so young writing a debut novel wrote with such maturity.
She did, with the weaving, what many attempt and fail at.

Criticisms & Comments made at group:
The ending seemed a little bit of a leg down after the effort that went into the rest of the book -- almost as if she became tired and just finished it a bit in a rush.
And of course, it's not everyone's top genre -- but even those people thought it was fun.
It is a little dark in the beginning, but works itself out in a satisfying way.

Please add your thoughts!

Next: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I'm so excited...

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

As stated before, we received this book as part of a promotional giveaway on Reading Group Guides.  Personally, I was a little hesitant to read another Kristin Hannah, because I had not been in love with Firefly Lane.  However, not only was I very pleasantly surprised, many of the Desert Girls were similarly so.


The night before book group, I received a couple emails:
"I was reading it last night I realized it was 3 am and I should try to stop reading it and get some sleep!"


"It wasn't great literature, but it made me very nostalgic!"


And during our meeting, there was more of the same.  One read it in one day, another over the course of a weekend, and I read it on the plane on my way to Wisconsin.  One thing is certain:  It's a quick read!


It also made many of us feel nostalgic.  Not because any or all of us could *relate,* but because, as most of us are in our early 30s, it made us remember high school, first loves, first best friends, parties, and the sheer amount of unsafe behavior we all engaged in!


Many of us also happen to be lawyers, and while we understand Ms. Hannah used the assistance of a lawyer in writing that portion of the book, many of us were skeptical... "lawyers aren't really like that!"  ;)  Some are.


Overall, we thought the book was a great quick read, a beach read, an airplane read, a vacation read.  We *thoroughly* enjoyed it, as a whole, and felt really happy about having won it for our group.


Let's see, a short synopsis of the book:  Lexi has a difficult past, but she's a good girl.  When she is taken in by an aunt previously unknown at 14, she is grateful but still guarded.  She is brought back to an island on the western coast and surrounded by the affluent.  She is a hard worker, a good girl, and honest.  Her best friend is Mia, a shy, very wealthy, very unique and spirited girl whose twin brother, Zach, is Mr. Popular, but also a wonderful high school kid.  Zach and Lexi have an immediate attraction to one another, but because Zach cares deeply about his twin Mia, because Lexi is Mia's best friend, and because the last time Zach dated Mia's best friend, Mia lost her only friend, Zach and Lexi stay far away from one another, until their senior year.  One night, Lexi nearly kisses Zach in a haze, and from that point forward, the two of them are inseparable.  While Mia is upset and hesitant at first, and while Mia and Zach's helicopter mom Jude is very wary of the development, it goes well for the year.  Final week of high school, tragedy strikes.  I am not into spoilers, so I won't say what, but I was pleased because it was predictable with a twist.  I like twists.  The remainder of the book deals with the repercussions of the failings of each of the characters.


My thoughts:  Hannah has delivered an emotional, insightful page-turner.  She has a gift of portraying the personalities, characters, and emotions of teenagers, mothers, and others.  She presented a relatively plausible scenario addressing pain, heartache, love, and forgiveness.  I was most impressed by Hannah's willingness to portray such an unpleasant and continuing depression, anger, and sadness.  It was down, dark, blue, and yet there was always that light -- you could see it just in the distance.  I don't tend to like tear-jerkers, I don't like being emotionally manipulated, and I tend not to love what I dub "dramas" because I find that they are generally either poorly written or poorly told and, instead, merely indulgent of the author.  I really enjoyed Hannah's Night Road because it was well told, well written, and did not feel like the author merely indulging in herself.  It was a story, from beginning to end.  I recommend, definitely to people who like "Fiction and Literature" (drama ;)).

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Our next book, for our January meeting, will be Night Road by Kristin Hannah.  Special Thanks to Reading Group Guides for the contest!  We are looking forward to discussing the book.

As a side note, I have read a Kristin Hannah previously -- Firefly Lane.  Although I thought that book was a decent page-turner and had some interesting story lines, so far I am much preferring Night Road.