Review: Ask Again, Yes

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very recently a question came up in a Goodreads group of which I am a member—what is literature? Definitions were bandied about and although there was some consensus, it was still fairly ethereal and ambiguous. An online dictionary, however, offers this:

Literature: written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit.

Ask Again, Yes is most certainly “literature”—a novel that will not only assuredly be splashed across dozens of “Best of 2019” lists, but one that will also be read, explicated and analyzed for years to come. This is the birth of a classic.

The book begins in 1973, as two rookie NYPD officers, Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope, are partnered. Though it is only a six week stint, their meeting sets the course for the future of not only the two men, but also their families. For the next four decades, their lives intersect and collide as they face friendships lost and found, mental illness, and alcoholism—with eventual self-awareness that can only be achieved through the survival of horrific events and crisis.

Author Mary Beth Keane is on point as not only a skilled storyteller but also a brilliant wordsmith. Her prose is absolutely poetic, ebbing and flowing with phrasing and rich imagery that steals the reader’s breath. It’s not just the language, though, that makes this such a gorgeous book. Through Keane’s writing, each character is given life that lifts them off of the page and into existence. They are tragic and flawed, beautiful and real, each with hopes and dreams that transcend the obstacles with which they are faced. The reader KNOWS them and can’t help but to laugh, cry and cheer as their lives unfold.

Melancholy and even sometimes morose, the familial themes explored by Keane are at once uplifting and painful. At what cost do we cling to our past? How much energy do we expend in the name of vengeance? When does forgiveness become a noble pursuit? What, exactly, constitutes a life well-lived?

Ask Again, Yes is, without question, a must read for those who value family and the ties that bind; for those who expect good writing in exchange for the valuable time spent immersed in the pages; and for those who can appreciate the joy of a story well-told.

Thanks to both NetGalley and Scribner for allowing me access to an ARC in exchange for my review. The book is slated for a June 2019 release.

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Review: Avenue of Regrets

Avenue of Regrets by R.J. Piñeiro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This domestic suspense/thriller is Piñeiro’s first foray into the genre, and whilst there’s much done right here, there are also a few areas in need of a bit more attention.

When the book opens, David Wallace is bellied up to a bar, drowning his sorrows, guilt and regret over the loss of his job, his wife and his son—the seventh anniversary of which is upon him. The root of his guilt, as well as what happened to his family, is ambiguous, but the weight of his responsibility is clear. He meets a woman at the bar, an intriguing stranger, who receives a cell phone call and leaves as quickly as she appeared—though not before presenting David with a note that tells him nothing is as it appeared seven years ago when he experienced his losses. When he tries to follow her, he happens upon her being assaulted, tries to intervene and is knocked unconscious. When he comes to, she is gone, another woman has been murdered and the race begins to unravel the mystery behind David’s past and what exactly happened all those years ago.

The main plot is definitely alluring, and Piñeiro goes a great job keeping the pages turning and the suspense high. The history of David’s past is slowly revealed, as the present crashes in and adds layer after layer to the story. Here is where I felt things go south a bit, as overlapping subplots became overwhelming and confusing. At only the 75% mark, it appears that the book is winding down and heading towards its resolution. It then takes the final 25% for the author to tell, rather than show, what happened seven years ago, what’s happened since and how the subplots presented actually relate. Characters offer convoluted dialogue that attempt to explicate events, but it was difficult to follow and required more work than a relatively short novel should.

The second problem I encountered was one of the relationships portrayed. David is at once vulnerable and unlikeable, his past transgressions overshadowing his future—a character complex and well developed. I just didn’t feel invested in his relationships—not in those he lost nor in the one burgeoning with his assistant. There was just no spark to court my engagement.

Overall, Piñeiro has shown himself to be a contender in the domestic suspense genre. The writing itself is superb, full of believable dialogue that moves the story forward. He is also a pro at creating tone and mood through that dialogue, as well as through the setting. Definitely an author to watch moving forward.

*Note: When reading, I was assaulted by ads in the Kindle version at the end of several of the chapters. The ads were for a giveaway of a signed copy of the book. I was so hacked off at the interruptions in the reading that I penned a message to the author. He responded quickly, and politely, explaining that this was a mistake in the e-copy that was in the process of being corrected.

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Review: When Brooklyn Was Queer: A History

When Brooklyn Was Queer: A History by Hugh Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Brooklyn Was Queer is a fascinating read in which the author delves deep into the history of same-sex relationships and gender identity. Whilst this is in itself is not a unique undertaking, author Hugh Ryan goes a step further, tying threads of the past to a central location—Brooklyn, New York. From its identity as a waterfront harbor, filled with sailors and businessmen, through its transformation into a city full of queer spaces, Ryan shares stories of the individuals who contributed to the emergence of “queer Brooklyn”. He also explores how that rise was experienced by white males, females and people of color—distinctions between which are followed throughout. He finally presents in glaring detail the sobering events that worked like falling dominos to destroy the fragile space.

Prior to this read, I considered myself fairly well versed on the gay movement. I knew about the Stonewall Riots and have friends who were there in the thick of things, making chaos as they also made a profound statement of solidarity and strength. I had never considered what being gay meant before those riots, however, aside from assuming that life was closeted and shrouded in secrecy. It was so much more complex than I had ever imagined.

The book opens with what I felt were the most moving and poignant pages—a brief glimpse into the shared lives of Gypsy Rose Lee and Carson McCullers. It’s a beautiful prologue that sets the stage for the rich and varied history that follows—and Ryan dives right in, explaining his use of the term “queer”:

“...in my research I use the catchall queer...to refer to people whose sexuality or gender identity isn’t conventional for their time, which helps me avoid projecting specific modern identities (such as gay or transgender) on folks for whom those ideas wouldn’t necessarily have made a lot of sense.”

From there, the book proceeds to lay down the first blocks in the foundation of queer life in Brooklyn—the publication in that city of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. The author simultaneously explicates Whitman’s verse and uses it as a lens through which to delve into Whitman’s sexuality. Whitman’s time as a resident of Brooklyn is the first marker of queer life in that city.

The Victorian-era discussion that begins with Whitman is explored through fact-based conjecture that addresses the societal constructs of relationships during that period. Ryan shares letters, diaries and publications to support the assertion that many of the intimate friendships may have been same-sex attractions, either considered or embraced, that would today be referred to as “gay”—and his research is as deep as it is broad. More hard evidence in the form of newspaper articles and editorials, personal accounts and publications underpin the rest of the book, as queer Brooklyn is birthed, then “erased”, from 1884-1969. Throughout, there is frank discussion of both gender identity and sexuality, public acceptance and prejudice

There’s so much to be learned, and Ryan teaches by sharing with readers facts and short narratives that bring to life the drag kings and queens, the activists and those simply living their truths as queer men and women. From Brooklyn Heights to Coney Island, the streets are filled with stories that are sometimes funny, at other times full of heartbreak. Unrequited love, bawdy behavior, beautifully intimate relationships and the cruelty of human nature is all on display here, eliciting from the reader both laughter and tears.

This is a must read for anyone living the queer life or simply interested in the issues of the LGBTQ community. As queer Brooklyn is rising like a phoenix from the ashes, a clear understanding of its history allows for an appreciation of the joys, as well as the sacrifices, experienced there—small, sometimes seemingly insignificant events that shaped and forever changed what it means to be queer.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated for publication in March, 2019.

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Review: The Warning

The Warning by Kathryn Croft
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Once again, I appear to be in the (very) small minority of people who just didn’t enjoy this book. I’m not going to spend a great deal of time trying to convince you that it’s a “bad” read—it’s not. It just wasn’t a read for ME.

First, the main plot is relatively cut and dry. Zoe and Jake have two sons, Ethan and Harley. The reader learns that three years prior to the start of the story, 14 year old Ethan and a friend, Josh, both drown after sneaking out late at night and making their way to the nearby river. Police ruled their deaths accidental. When the book opens, Zoe and Jake are still trying to find their way out of the darkness of grief that consumes them. Zoe, however, begins getting text messages from an unknown sender—messages that suggest Ethan’s death may not have been an accident. She sets out to discover the tuth, though the cost may be more than she bargained for.

In spite of the promising plot, there are a number of reasons I only gave this one three stars:

1. The structure is actually three-fold, which makes the entire work feel messy and disconnected—a series of chapters told in first person from an anonymous writer (in italics); another series written by Zoe, also in first person; then the remaining chapters, written in third person.

2. Extraneous subplots are, well....extraneous! For example, Cara, who works with Jake, is trying to seduce him. He rebuffs her, at which time she tries to (unsuccessfully) convince Zoe that he raped her. Entire pages are dedicated to detailing Cara’s attempts, yet those pages add nothing to the story itself. Other subplots were, I suppose, meant to be red herrings, but their resolutions just felt contrived.

3. The big reveal is a huge letdown and introduces characters that the reader has no idea even existed. There is NO way to puzzle this one out because the reader is never given all of the relevant details.

The writing itself is solid in construction, though there were numerous punctuation errors. This may be a Kindle issue, but if that’s the case, the electronic version should have been more closely vetted.

Overall, above average writing with an average plot and a substandard conclusion.

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Review: No Way Back

No Way Back by Rick Mofina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

No Way Back is a perfectly mediocre crime thriller by author Rick Mofina. The plot is, though sometimes implausible, straightforward and easy to follow; the structure is sound; and the background on the news business seems to have been well-researched.

When the story begins, Ann is in a local high end jewelry store picking up a custom piece she has ordered for her husband. Suddenly, armed gunmen storm the shop. When the dust has settled, one police officer is dead, the getaway driver has been seriously wounded and the gunmen have disappeared—taking Ann hostage. At the scene is local star reporter Tom Reed, anxious to get a jump on the story. He crosses police lines to try to get an interview with the store clerk, who is still clutching Ann’s receipt. When Tom asks for the hostage’s name, the clerk hands him the paper—a receipt signed by Ann. Tom Reed’s wife. Ann Reed.

The remainder of the book details Ann’s trauma as she is dragged across state lines, her husband and police always a step behind. The structure here is both interesting and unique. Each time an event occurs to further the police investigation, the narration becomes an episodic third-person retelling. For example, assume a note from Ann, in which she begs for help, has been found. Some authors might have a character call the police and explain the circumstances surrounding the discovery, thus introducing this aspect of the story. Mofina, however, favors showing rather than telling. He takes readers into a hotel and allows them to “watch” as Ann hides that note. He then later includes a scene that follows a cleaning woman and an electrical contractor into that room, where the note is picked up. This pattern is repeated as the story unfolds. It reminded me of the opening segment of Law and Order—where characters who find the victim appear in a scene that leads to the discovery, then are rarely seen again. Here, it was an approach that broke the monotony of pages in which little happened.

Finally, I have to give credit to the author for the obvious research he did relative to the news business. The jargon and terminology lent an air of authenticity to the piece that otherwise suffered with the holes in police procedure and character development alike.

Overall, the book failed to impress—thoroughly an average read.






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Review: Dodgers

Dodgers by Bill Beverly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dodgers, by author Bill Beverly, is a YA novel, haunting and beautiful, less “Y” and more “A”, filled with an intoxicating combination of poetic prose and the gritty language of the streets.

The story follows East, a young LA gang member, as he leaves the dangerous streets of his city for the first time, sent on a mission to pull off a hit ordered by his uncle. East, his brother Ty, and two others (Walter and Michael) head off for Wisconsin, armed with the resources, if not the experience, that they will need to get the job done.

Seeing the journey through East’s eyes is like living again the wonders of a child. He marvels at the mountains, is ensnared by the allure of the Vegas strip and shivers naively in the first bone-chilling cold he has ever known. Author Beverley is a brilliant wordsmith, giving a voice to East that portrays him as both child-like and adult, stuck in that vast in-between space that calls in both directions:

East liked driving here—the flat, unruffled fields with no one in sight, blind stubble mown down into splinters, maybe a tractor, maybe an irrigation rig like a long line of silver stitches across the fabric of earth. The flatness. There was more in the flatness than he’d expected. The van’s shadow lay long, and the fields traded colors. The boys slept in intervals or complained. Riding in a car for more than a few hours, he thought, was like suspended animation—somewhere under the layers of frost, your heart beat. To the left, a thunderstorm hovered, prowling its own road.

Know going in that the YA genre label is a bit of misdirection, as the language alone would preclude this from being appropriate for younger teenagers. Racial epithets and adult language, as well as episodes of profound violence, are many and varied. They are, however, as important to the story as the characters themselves.

Brutal and heart breaking, poetic and raw, this read will stay with you long after the cover has been closed.


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Review: Land of the Blind

Land of the Blind by Jess Walter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It just doesn’t get any better than when Jess Walter tells a story, and Land of the Blind, his second novel featuring Spokane Detective Caroline Mabry, is yet another sterling example of Walter’s creative genius—a book that is worthy of a five star rating.

The first big star speaks to the quality of the structure—an innovative approach that alternates between two narratives, each imbued with a voice that is as unique as it is engaging. Initial, and then rotating, chapters are told in third person as Carolyn Mabry is given the unwelcome task of taking a confession from a man whom police fished from a hotel ledge—a man everyone at the station is calling a “loon”. The only thing he will tell the officers is that he is confessing to a homicide, and he intially hesitates to offer anything further, not knowing where or how to begin. Eventually Mabry convinces him to write his confession—and write he does. In these chapters, told in first person, the man from the ledge recounts his story, seemingly being written even as the reader is consuming the words. He works his way to revealing his name, then to explaining his crime. In the interludes within his story, the reader is audience to Mabry’s investigation, as she works to first identify, then locate, the victim before the written confession is complete. In the tradition of most suspense novels, the plot snakes in serpentine patterns, twisting and turning as the action unfolds.

The second star is for that winding plot, at once convoluted and complex, complicated and yet somehow beautifully simple: a story of the cruelties of youth, first loves and the occasionally painful consequences of our ill-conceived actions. Though the overarching premise is one of a man’s guilt-ridden conscience, crime, and ultimate confession, it is the confession itself that is the heart of this work. It is filled with rich episode snippets in the life of a man with a fractured self-image that is based upon the perceptions of others. Readers born in the mid to late 60s will appreciate the references to the culture of the time—the products made popular, the music being played and even the athletes who were idolized—as the confessions plays out. Beginning with his childhood, the man from the ledge spends 48 hours filling tablet after tablet with a retelling of events that he claims led to the very recent death of a friend, a death for which is responsible.

Star number three is awarded for the dynamic and diverse characters. Though first published in 2003, the characters remain relevant today, 16 years later. From the high school bully to the consummate and quiet stoner, the academic young girl to the neighborhood outcasts, the reader is able to invest in each as their relationships are explored with glaring clarity, unedited and raw. Walter presents characters so real it is as if the reader can reach out and touch them as they reach back.

Star four is for the wordsmithing. If there’s any doubt as to Walter’s talent, that concern is extinguished through passages such as this:

“...she wore a long, tight print skirt with no sign of her old smart-girl self-consciousness, and watching her walk in it, a man could be forgiven if he thought of trading everything—family, career, self-respect—for one day spent tracing that skirt’s gentle roll over hips and thighs, to the calf, where a glimpse of smooth, tanned ankle revealed a simple silver bracelet, a dizzying piece of jewelry that was impossible to ignore, to avoid imagining it as the only thing left on her, gleaming in the light from a bedroom candle.”

His ability to paint a visual that is also sensual and moving is beyond reproach.

The final star is for Walter’s ability to tell a tragically compelling story that is also steeped in social satire and dark humor. There are laugh out loud funny moments as well as tragic revelations that will make readers weep; the idea that nature and nurture are inextricably linked, that we are as much products of our environments as we are victims of fate.

If you’ve never read Jess Walter’s work, I can only ask why not and encourage you to drop everything you’re doing and read it now. Land of the Blind is the perfect place to start.



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