Book Review: "The History of Sound" by Ben Shattuck

When short stories are done well, they can have as much power as a full-length novel. And sometimes, they make you long for more time with their characters but don’t leave you hanging. The History of Sound hits both of those targets.

What’s unique about this collection, however, is that elements of one story appear in another, so they’re essentially paired. Sometimes the pairing is more obvious and other times it’s more subtle, but this technique gives you a different perspective from a different timeframe.

There are absolutely beautiful stories in this collection. My favorite is the title story, where a music student meets a man in a bar just as WWI is heating up. The two fall in love, and spend a summer walking through the woods of Maine, collecting folk songs from various people. Their relationship is brief but has an immense effect on the musician, even years later. (This is being made into a movie with Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor.)

Some other stories that I know will stick with me include: “The Auk,” which follows a man dealing with his wife’s dementia in a very unique way; “August in the Forest,” about relationships and secrets we keep from those we love; and “Edwin Chase of Nantucket,” in which a young man’s life in 1796 is upended when his mother’s old boyfriend arrives with his new wife.

All of the stories take place in New England, and are set anywhere from the 1700s to the present. Ben Shattuck is definitely an immense talent, one whose career I’ll eagerly be following.

Book Review: "All the World Beside" by Garrard Conley

Garrard Conley’s first novel (after his extraordinary memoir, Boy Erased) is beautifully written, impeccably researched, and immensely thought-provoking.

In the late 1700s, Reverend Nathaniel Whitfield and his wife Catherine formed Cana, a utopian community with Puritan values in Massachusetts. Cana is built on principles of equity—everyone is considered to be the same as their neighbor. The idea has caught on with other Christians, who travel to Cana to be a part of this world.

Among those who flock to Cana is Arthur Lyman, a physician, who moves with his wife and preteen daughter. Reverend Whitfield’s words inspire Arthur, but they also fuel an intense desire for the other man. This is familiar territory for Arthur but not Nathaniel, and while he knows the feelings he has for Arthur are wrong, he cannot resist them.

But the relationship between the two men is not as secret as they believe it to be, and both of their wives and their children have to deal with the shock and shame that follows. And as the fervent intensity of the Great Awakening starts to overtake New England, Nathaniel and Arthur are risking their lives and the safety of their families, yet they try to figure out a way to survive without sacrificing their love.

Obviously, LGBTQ people have existed since the beginning of time, even if the world didn’t acknowledge them as such. But part of the appeal of All the World Beside is that it gave a glimpse into the lives of and dangers faced by gay people in 18th-century New England. That gave the book some added weight.

This book definitely has some similarities to The Scarlet Letter although the story is its own. It’s definitely a book that will stay with me for a long while.

Book Review: "The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary, Sarah Penner's debut novel, features dual-narrative historical fiction with a dash of mystery and drama.

In late-1700s England, Nella works as an apothecary. Like her mother before her, Nella’s potions and powders and salves bring comfort and aid to women for their physical and emotional issues. But unlike her mother, Nella’s business has a more sinister side—she’s known secretly as the woman to see when a woman needs to take care of an abusive or philandering husband.

The last thing she is expecting is a 12-year-old client, but Eliza Fanning is there at the behest of her employer. This encounter awakens Eliza’s interest in Nella’s work—both the light and the dark sides. But Eliza’s presence involves her in a scandal that has the potential to destroy Nella and her business—and perhaps both of their lives.

Meanwhile, more than 200 years later, Caroline is visiting London alone on what was supposed to be an anniversary trip with her husband. Reeling from betrayal, the aspiring historian spends the afternoon exploring items found on the muddy shore of the Thames. It is there she discovers an apothecary vial, which awakens the dormant researcher in her, and it’s not long before she’s discovering a series of unsolved “apothecary murders” from the late 1700s...

I’ll admit I probably fell prey to the hype around The Lost Apothecary and was SO excited to read it. While I enjoyed the way Penner writes, and definitely found myself captivated by much of the Nella/Eliza storyline, the Caroline story had very little appeal to me. I understand the message that Penner was trying to convey but it dragged the story down for me, and I found myself skimming Caroline’s parts by the end. I honestly think the Nella/Eliza storyline could've carried the story on its own.

That being said, The Lost Apothecary was still a quick, compelling read, and I look forward to seeing what’s next in Penner’s career. Plus, I know others have loved the book, so my expectations might have been too high, plus historical fiction isn't really my preferred genre.

Book Review: "The Invisible Life of Addie Larue" by V.E. Schwab

Believe the hype. V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is really THAT good.

Adeline was always a dreamer, wishing for more than what was expected of young women in 18th-century France. When her parents plan to marry her off to a local widower, the thought of her life essentially ending is appalling to her, so she flees.

In that moment of panic, she meets a handsome, mysterious stranger, whose face she had envisioned many times in dreams. He offers her what she wants. “I want a chance to live. I want to be free.” He grants her wish, but it comes with a price—no one will remember her through the course of her life.

The stranger hopes that a year of this torturous life will be enough, that she will despair and surrender her soul to him. But he underestimates her, and through 300 years she makes her way through the world, making connections that fade, surviving tough times, and they will continue to circle each other, simultaneously drawn to and repelled by one another.

And then in New York City in 2014, she walks into a bookstore and her life changes. She finally meets someone who can remember her. This turns everything upside down. But what of her arrangement?

OMG, this book. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is such a beautiful story—emotional, fantastical, gorgeous, and thought-provoking. What does a life consist of? Does a successful life mean being remembered? What is the price for happiness?

V.E. Schwab has created a masterpiece. This will easily be one of my favorites this year, if not the favorite. And I will definitely remember Addie long after.

Book Review: "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue" by Mackenzi Lee

Just when you think that no one is writing anything original, along comes a book that is so different in many ways that you wonder how the author came up with the idea in the first place, and how they were able to sell it to a publisher. Mackenzi Lee's The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is one of those books. What a sensational story, with characters I won't soon forget!

In 18th century England, Henry "Monty" Montague has grown up a son of privilege. His father is a lord with a sizable estate and business concerns, all of which he expects Monty to take over sometime soon. The thing is, Monty is more than a bit of a rake—a lovable one at times, but a rake nonetheless—one who is far too fond of carousing, drinking, causing trouble, and finding himself in romantic situations with a large number of young men...and women. All of this and he's not quite 18 yet!

Monty and his best friend, Percy (with whom Monty is more than a little besotted) are scheduled to have one last hurrah—a Grand Tour of Europe, where they will see the sites and have their last gasps of fun, after which Monty will begin working alongside his father and becoming a responsible adult, while Percy will leave for law school in Holland. But Monty's father has tired of his son's escapades and sharply curtails what his son has planned, sending along a teacher/chaperone of sorts who will monitor all of their activities. And then his father makes the ultimate threat—embarrass the family one more time, or get caught with another young man, and Monty will be disinherited.

"I'm too useless to make a life on my own, no matter how odious the one selected for me is. I'm well shackled to my father, no way to escape or want things for myself."

While at first his father's restrictions put a damper on the Grand Tour, it's not long before Monty and Percy begin to sneak away and enjoy themselves, under the watchful and jealous eye of Monty's younger sister, Felicity, who is supposed to be dropped off at finishing school along the way, despite her desire to pursue an educational and career path open only to men in those days.

"It occurs to me then that perhaps getting my little sister drunk and explaining why I screw boys is not the most responsible move on my part."

The more time Monty and Percy spend together, the more he wants to divulge his feelings for his best friend, despite his father's warnings. Yet one of the many things Monty is clumsy at is expressing his feelings, and more often than not, he winds up pushing Percy away, which is precisely what he doesn't want. One night, in a pique of jealousy and mischief, Monty makes a rash decision that puts the trio in danger, and sends them fleeing through France into Spain and Italy, throwing them into untenable situation after untenable situation, and forcing them to do—and say—things they never thought they would.

Along the way they will reveal and uncover secrets about one another which may forever change their relationships and their futures, and Monty, in particular, will finally begin to understand what life is like for those not born into privilege. But will these discoveries be enough to free them from danger and change the course of their lives?

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is both a rollicking adventure and an emotional book about finding what makes you happy (or whom), and accepting who you are and where your life should lead. It's also a book about coming to terms with the world around you and finally acting like an adult when you've been coddled and indulged for far too long to really understand the challenges other people face. Despite the setting and the characters' backgrounds, this is book with universal themes, and one that is just so wonderfully told that it made me laugh, smile, and, of course, get a little teary-eyed more than a few times, too.

I seriously loved this book. The characters Lee has created, from Monty, Percy, and Felicity to those they encounter along the way, are all fascinating in different ways. Monty does get annoying from time to time, and you wish he'd just do and say what he needs to, but I just couldn't get enough of him. I would love to see this as a movie, because I think these characters and their story would be as fascinating to watch unfold as it was to read. I can't wait to see what Lee comes up with next.

I really don't have any more words to express how I felt about this book. Maybe Meryl Streep can help.