Review of THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern

An Enchanted Novel Written by a True Magician

Reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is like being in a lucid dream. A part of you realizes you're reading a book, but mostly you're lost in its depths.

I have to say, be careful where you read this thing. It's totally possible to forget where you are, how to cross a street, how to stir the soup, or whatever it is you are trying to do while reading. The book takes you over. 

But let's marvel at the magician – I mean the writer. How does one even begin to write in the second person, at times the first person, and the third person – all in the present tense? All with a rich, turn-of-the-century feel, an attention to detail, and a story and timelines that run on many levels? With places and settings you can walk through yourself, not just watch the characters walk through it. With characters that are sorcerers and real people, at the same time? 

And even with all this sorcery, the experience feels as smooth as resting your head on a pillow. 

This is a sweet, dreamy read. I was hoping it would never end. 

Added later: 

I'm in heaven. The Night Circus is total joy. I am immersed in the story, carried away by the magic, and lost in the marvelous imagery. 

In her interview with GoodReads, Ms. Morgenstern says she was influenced by Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes . I read it when I was very young, and it's been a part of the unfolding of my life ever since.

The Night Circus will stay with me always, too.

(c) 2015 Suzann Kale

Review of THE SENSE OF AN ENDING by Julian Barnes

I totally could not put this book down. I got so lost in it, the characters became part of my life. It's clever and witty, and also devastatingly sad, all at the same time. Written in the first person in memoir-style, it is above all, surprising. 

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING tells the story of lives that are woven together through both choice and circumstance. 

More review details follow when I get the chance, but I just wanted to get this out there in case anyone was on the fence about whether to read it or not.

Review of MY SPLENDID CONCUBINE by Lloyd Lofthouse

This most amazing book took me on a journey that was deep, vivid, and brilliantly written.

I felt like I was part of the exotic odyssey of Sir Robert Hart, the 19th century British Inspector General of China's Customs Service. So well-written was the book, I was there, side-by-side with Hart, discovering the Chinese culture along with him, learning about the joys and dangers of colonial China just as Hart learns of them.

Because author Lloyd Lofthouse is a master at infusing fact with story, mixing "scene and sequel," action and thoughtfulness, all that I learned alongside Sir Robert was fascinating, jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, and deeply satisfying.

This talent that Mr. Lofthouse has of making the reader feel like a part of the story, makes the characters and the scenes come to life. Yes, I'm reading a book, but yes, the characters jump out of the pages and live their lives in front of my eyes.

Mr. Lofthouse researched his real-life historical character, Robert Hart, extensively - so the reader gets an "inside" look at this profound man's life.

And although Hart's story takes place over a century ago, it is timeless. It's the story of a man who embraces a new culture without judgment, embraces love without hesitation, and ultimately teaches the rest of the world how it may be possible for us all to live together in peace.

Writer Anchee Min says in the book's forward, Robert Hart "was the father of China's modernization." Not because Hart forced western ideas into China, but because he made it his life's work to learn the Chinese languages, learn the literature, and become part of the Chinese world. From inside - that's how he made changes.

To me, "My Splendid Concubine" is writing at its best. I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It's fascinating, it draws you in, and it stays with you long after you've finished the read.

(c) 2014 Suzann Kale

Review of UNDERLYING NOTES by Eva Pasco

Reading Eva Pasco's novel about a woman's mid-life transition was, for me, engrossing, fascinating, and complex. It left me informed and deepened.

Carla Matteo worked with her husband Joe since their marriage, building a successful business together. But she chose to pursue the business, even after she had trained for a career of her own, because she made the personal decision to show her love by working along side Joe to grow his company; his dream.

With midlife, however, complexities arose: in marriage, in family secrets revealed, and in friendships. With Carla there was also a restlessness. Carla wasn't sure she wanted to live out the rest of her days without having explored her own dreams, her own career. And so she quit the business she had been such an integral part of, and began her adventure.

Carla's was an internal adventure, filled with nuances, layers, secrets revealed, and "underlying notes" - just like the array of perfumes she's collected, studied, and befriended since childhood. When Carla "takes to the bottle," she's talking about the perfume bottle!

I found Carla's story captivating, not just in its content, but also because of author Eva Pasco's talent. Pasco's writing is like the scented labyrinths of her perfumes - we are treated to different layers of the story at different times. And when a "note" - or a story segment - comes together, it's as if the last piece of a puzzle turns the fragments into a whole picture.

Like the many layers of a fine perfume, all the pieces of Carla's seemingly separate puzzles do come together - and we see, along with Carla, how her life makes sense, how her transition into her new life comes to be.

I love the almost poetic style of Eva's novel. I love the obsession with and references to the perfumes her character has loved and lived with throughout her life. And Eva skillfully weaves in captivating "notes" about many of the perfumes' origins and the details of their ingredients.

Eva's attention to detail, too, was almost life-changing for me. How her character Carla went about calmly and carefully solving the mysteries of her life was an inspiration.

The essence of Underlying Notes will stay with me always. I totally recommend it 100%

Review of RULES OF CIVILITY by Amor Towles

What a wonderful writer Amor Towles is. I saw his Goodreads Live video, too, which added to the richness of his "voice".

And richness is what this book was all about, for me. The story, the characters, the descriptions - it was all textured and layered to the point where the scenes pop off the page and play themselves out like a movie.


(I guess I write short reviews. The book is a page-turner, I couldn't put it down, and finished it in about 2 days.)

Review of MR..PENUMBRA'S 24 HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan

Review 1 of 2: I'm only halfway through it but I had to post.

It's a joy to read Robin Sloan. He has "It": perfect plotting, delightful characters, 3-dimensional settings and descriptions, incredible wit and humor, and - for me the most important - a voice, an attitude, a way of being in the world that could be cynical but chooses not to be.

Sloan's metaphors are amazing. We all try to think up great metaphors, but Sloan's read smooth and easy, and at the same time surprise you to the point of having to re-read them just to experience their high again!

Will post more in a few days.

11/16/12 It's a few days later:

Loved it, voted for it for the Goodreads awards, am recommending it to all my friends. It was absolutely delightful, brilliantly crafted, and totally inspired. 

(c) 2016 Suzann Kale

Review of THE FEAR INDEX by Robert Harris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Robert Harris' THE FEAR INDEX was one of the most exciting books I've read. From the first paragraph, I was hooked - and I couldn't put it down until the last page. What a brilliant writer Mr. Harris is. He is able to keep the action going at a fast pace while still creating a 3-dimensional atmosphere. When he describes a place, I am there - I can feel myself in that place. It's quite amazing. I personally love to be transported when I read a novel, and I'm always looking to experience places, settings, moods. I like detail. I like lighting, weather, colors, spaces. To be able to keep a story moving without skimping on the details is quite a skill.

I'm not going to get into the plot, because there are layers upon layers of it, all possible "spoilers," but in general it's a story about technology and the world stock markets, and a guy who totally understood how to merge the two.

It was how I would define the genre "thriller." 

(c) 2015 Suzann Kale

Review: PROOF OF HEAVEN by Eben Alexander

The author describes his experience of life on the other side as "the perfect storm." A million details came together with stunning perfection. And because Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon, his story is very much a bridge between science and spirituality.

I was very moved by the book and grateful to read of Dr. A.'s experience.