Before I Go to Sleep: A Review

Before I Go to Sleep
By S.J. Watson

The subject of memory, or the lack there of, is the premise of this debut psychological suspense. Christine wakes up every morning shocked by her surroundings. Sometimes she is a small child, at others a twenty-something university student, but never is she the middle-aged woman that appears in the mirror. Christine suffers from a form of amnesia slightly similar to that made famous in the film Memento; every time she falls asleep she loses her memories; an affliction that has haunted her (although she does not know it) for twenty years. Her life and memories rest within the hands of her husband Ben, a man she has no memory of.

We are all liars. We change the past in our minds to save ourselves the pain and humiliation of past deeds and events. We alter the good and make it better to heighten our sense of euphoria. We dampen the bad on occasion, but sometimes we blow it up, making it far worse than it was in reality. We are the masters of our own minds, memories, and thoughts—at least we think we are, but sometimes we are fooled by our own psyches, tricked into believing the fantasies we’ve created, and never able to draw the truth from beneath the layers of deceits and half truths we have fed ourselves. This concept is one, which makes the premise of Before I Go to Sleep so compelling. Christine cannot discern what her truths are, she has no memory, only brief snippets from her life, rarely the same each day, to guide her. When she begins, at the behest of her doctor, to record her thoughts and snippets of remembrance in a journal, the question for both her and the reader becomes, “how much can you trust yourself not to manipulate the truth”.

As Christine, with the aid of her journal, begins to “remember” more she must choose who she can trust—herself, her friend, husband, or doctor—because she has remembered something and someone is willing to kill her to ensure her memory never awakens again.

The thrill of this novel is that the reader only ever knows as much as the narrator. Christine’s life unfolds for us as the pages of her journal, Watson keeps us just as much in the dark confusing world of Christine’s memories as he does with Christine herself. I do have to say that I figured a few elements out rather early, but Watson did enough misleading, to lead me on a few different paths, none of which were remotely close to the final outcome. Watson weaves an interesting tale, he deftly handles the horror of Christine’s situation, sucking the reader into her fears, and the panic and utter terror that we would all feel in her situation. An impressive debut, one sure to hook readers quickly and successfully.





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Ruby Red: An International Bestseller Making it's Way to the U.S.

Never before have I so thoroughly wished that I kept up with my German. Three years of classes and the most I can read are simple instructions (namely how much and where is the bathroom). Yet now, after having the opportunity to read the first book in Kerstin Gier’s internationally bestselling Ruby Red trilogy, I was tempted to go online and order the next two books (Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green) in their original German, just so I could keep reading. Alas, I’m afraid to say that my German skills are just not up to par, so I’ll have to wait along with everyone else for the English translations.

In both the adult and young adult book world, paranormal, dystopia, fallen angels, vampires, and werewolves rule the shelves, which can make sifting through the masses a little difficult. When I came across Ruby Red, a novel that seems to sit in it’s own genre—not quite paranormal, not quite historical—but definitely full of time travel, something about it just drew me in. In short, the plot revolves around 16 year old Gwen, a girl whose family has a time traveling gene. Gwen’s cousin Charlotte has been trained since birth to be the family time traveler, fulfilling a centuries old prophecy, only when the time comes, Charlotte doesn’t travel, Gwen does. What ensues is an introduction to an ancient society filled with dark and compelling characters, a handsome and dangerous fellow traveler, assassins, and the discovery of a family secret that will forever change Gwen’s identity. The story is not exactly complex—it’s only about 300 pages and moves very quickly, but it is captivating. In this first book Gier does preliminary character set-up, but does not delve (outside of Gwen) into motivations and allegiances. Many of Gier’s characters are shadowed, their natures and motives unclear, while others are so dark they seem to swallow you whole. The reader really doesn’t know what to think about many of the supporting characters—will they work with or against Gwen—and it is this that helps to draw you toward the sequels (that and a cliffhanger ending).

This is an easy book to read. Not because it is simple and juvenile (which it is not), but because it’s good. Good characters, original concept, and fun storyline; these all come together to create a fun and entertaining read. I eagerly anticipate the next books in this trilogy.

I wonder how long it would take me to brush up my German??




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"Beauty Queens": A Disaster to Avoid

Satire, according to the World English Dictionary is a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony.

Good satire can be seen in Max Barry’s Jennifer Government, Voltaire’s Candide, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, and even Max Brook’s zombie epic World War Z. A great satire induces snickers and occasional guffaws, when the reader realizes that the character “so and so” is really similar to “that infamous CEO of that one company”, or when it is realized that “that ridiculous line” was really said by “this president”. Truly great satire mimics the real world in a way that takes away the horror of a moment and turns it into something not only comical, but also flips the event/person/quote/etc… into a rather intelligent comment on the world in which we live.

Beauty Queens, teen author Libba Bray’s (A Great and Terrible Beauty) newest novel, in a nutshell, is the story about a plane full of Miss Teen Dreamers (think Miss Teen USA) that crashes on a supposedly deserted island leaving the girls to fend for themselves. Of course the island isn’t what it seems—it’s really a secret base for “The Corporation” (think ultra-evil, world dominating conglomerate with political aspirations), complete with gun toting black shirts, an inactive volcano, and freaky, genetically mutated snakes. The girls are not what they appear either—although their true motives are all too plain to the reader. Throw in secret arms deals with terrorists, assassination attempts, and a boatful of reality TV teen pirates and you have the plot…what there is of it.

So is this satire? Bray sure thinks it is.

Unfortunately, despite it’s brilliant cover, Beauty Queens comes nowhere close to being an even halfway decent satire. It tries—very hard—to cover all of the bases; beauty pageants, feminism, the rights of indigenous people, transgenders, reality television, gun-toting former beauty queens (yes, the Sarah Palin digs are there in the form of character Ladybird Hope), race, sexuality, corporations, terrorism, capitalism, sex, stereotypes, self-image…the list could go on and on and on, unfortunately. Bray tries way too hard. She even includes footnotes and commercial breaks advertising (made-up) Corporation products, TV shows, and famous people. At first this tongue-in-cheek device is moderately humorous, but it gets old really fast. I think there were more nonsense footnotes here than there were useful ones in Steig Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

This book is just too all over the place to be entertaining. It begins so promisingly, with a great “Word From Your Sponsor” moment, but it ends there. The plot wobbles, the characters are annoying, and not just because they are beauty queens (I know someone would say that is a given, but I digress), but because Bray is trying to infuse too many politically correct/incorrect/obnoxious characteristics into each girl. I almost wanted them all to blow-up with the island (not a spoiler btw). The book is too frenetic, tries too hard to be relevant and funny at the same time, and the ending; an Animal House-like homage to characters’ futures is a nice touch, if a little cliché, but not enough of one to make this book readable.

Avoid, avoid! If you want satire please read one of the books listed above or try out Animal Farm, Catch-22, Syrup, Fool, hell, even Molière’s Tartuffe—just stay away from Beauty Queens!



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Dystopic Tellings

Dystopias and anti-utopias (yes, I know they are two separate terms, but I’m not joining that hair-splitting debate) have long been a part of fiction. From Orwell’s 1984 and Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 to The Hunger Games, the concept of a world hiding behind a wall of an (at first) well-meaning, but ultimately, heavily controlled utopic principles, has always fascinated readers. For some time we have been awash in a sea of vampires, fairies, then zombies, and then fallen angels—the paranormal literally overtaking bookshelves and movie theaters, but now, thanks to Suzanne Collins, the tide has shifted and we are caught in a frenzy of dystopic bestsellers. What does this mean exactly? Well, for one it means that my desk is literally covered in dystopic novels from every publisher out there, but it also implies that we, as readers, as people wishing to be entertained, are just as fascinated with the often frightening aspect of dystopic worlds as our predecessors.

I have always enjoyed the edgy feeling of dystopian novels; that slight sense of apprehension when you start to compare the “real world” and all of it’s stunning technologies and it’s militant use of political correctness, to this imagined alter-earth, where all these concepts lead to totalitarian governments and the squashing of free thought and actions. Is it any wonder that readers, young and old all experience the same thrill and general awe when reading about that one fictional person or group who decides to defy that power?

The popularity of this genre has been under much scrutiny, particularly since the majority of these novels are aimed at young adults and/or taught in schools. Scott Westerfield, the author of the Uglies series, which presents a dystopic world where 16 year olds are able to have a beautifying surgery (turning them from Uglies to Pretties) that allows them to live in a work-free, party-filled, high tech environment, gives his thoughts on this topic:

“Teenagers’ lives are constantly defined by rules, and in response they construct their identities through necessary confrontations with authority, large and small. Imagining a world in which those authorities must be destroyed by any means necessary is one way of expanding that game. Imagining a world in which those authorities are utterly gone is another …It’s little wonder, then, that a lot of YA dyslit embraces both extremes of hyper-control and chaos, wedding an oppressive government with post-apocalyptic ruin.”
(Teenage Wastelands, http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/04/teenage-wastelands-how-dystopian-ya-became-publishings-next-big-thing)

 I have to think that Westerfield has something here, but why have adults so thoroughly embraced this genre? Laura Miller of the New Yorker presents this concept (as discussed by Kay Sambell in “Utopian and Dystopian Writing for Children and Young Adults”)

"The adult dystopia extrapolates from aspects of the present to show readers how terrible things will become if our deplorable behavior continues unchecked. The more utterly the protagonist is crushed, the more urgent and forceful the message.“ (The New Yorker, http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/06/14/100614crat_atlarge_miller?currentPage=1)

 I guess this could be true also, in a rather Brechtian way of catharsis. But really, who cares why we love it—we just do and the publishers are having a field day. So, here’s what I’m going to do; mention of few great new genre novels and steer you all away from a couple of the horrid.

I’ve written about Penguin’s Matched, and in October of 2011 Ally Condie is back with the sequel Crossed. I’ve yet to receive an ARC, but am eagerly awaiting one. This is a series to be read and enjoyed, well-written and entertaining, it’s Penguin’s top dystopic novel. Also from Penguin, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, is another dystopic novel, but one which takes place in space. This one is an okay read, nothing enlightening, and there is a general feeling of discontent when you reach the end.

From Simon & Schuster, look for Blood Red Road by Moira Young. This is a great debut, a little rough around the edges, but sure to pick up as the series progresses. Look for a full review here in June.

From HarperCollins comes Divergent by Veronica Roth. This is another glittering debut, sharper and more fully defined than Blood Red Road, it is an edgy look at a world that for the betterment of humanity, has broken itself up into factions according to traits brought forth during an aptitude test given to all sixteen year olds. When Beatrice, a member of the Abnegation faction (the governing faction, devoted to selflessness) chooses to become a Dauntless (a wild and reckless faction, devoted to courage above all else) she must deal with a the hidden danger of her own true status, factions that have taken their well-intentioned programs to the extreme, and her own personal morals, as she navigates through an increasingly volatile world. This is a great new novel, one I’m quite happy to see come from a publisher with such a strong paranormal and dystopic list (ie. the utterly fantastic and gritty post-apocolyptic Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan). It’s a difficult book to put down and has a whopper of an ending—a must for genre fans.

From Scholastic comes Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens—an truly aweful dystopic-like satire, that will be throughly reviewed and harrangued in May.

As dystopia continues to prevail and over run the paranormals and steampunks, it is sure that we will see more and more of these novels. We are a society that thrives on such tales: Maybe because we’re teens searching for a way to outlet our rage against authority, or maybe because we desperately need some pity and purgation. Whatever the reason, they will write it and we will come, because we all want to topple a totalitarian world every once in awhile.





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If I Stay & Where She Went: Why You Must Read Them

A couple of years ago I read a book that stuck with me. It was one of those teen novels that an adult can pick up and devour, one which I’ve seen more adults love than teens. I loved this book, spoke about it often, wrote about it, and even spoke about it at the 2009 Warwick’s Reading Group Recommends Night. Here’s a brief snippet of what I had to say.

Mia is a promising cellist living a fulfilling life with her parents, young brother, and boyfriend, when in the blink of an eye her entire world is taken away. As she sees her past and the promise of an uncertain and painful future Mia must make a heart wrenching choice: let go of her tenuous hold on life, or stay, live without all that she holds dear. If I Stay by Gayle Forman is the most compelling book I’ve read this year, and surprisingly enough it is a teen novel. This is an amazing debut novel that pulls you in and does not let go.

It’s true, this book stayed with me, and two years on I still remember the visceral effect this book had on my emotions. It is one of the few books I had to sit and contemplate upon finishing, rather than hop directly onto the next book. I even downloaded the music mentioned in it—and have become a fan of many of the songs—because I wanted those unique feelings to last.

On Tuesday (April 4, 2011), Where She Went, the sequel to this amazing debut came out. Taking place three years after the horrific accident that destroyed Mia’s family, this book is told from the point of view of Adam, Mia’s former the boyfriend, the person who made Mia stay in this world, when it would have been so easy to let go. Adam, now a famous musician, is barely holding it together mentally, emotionally, and socially when a chance encounter with Mia, a rising star in the classical world, sets off a night of remembrance that will finally give him the answer to where she went and why she stayed.

I don’t know how she does it, but Gayle Forman manages to tap into your emotions in a way few authors can. You feel not only for the characters, but also with them. If I Stay was such an emotional roller coaster, dealing with the pain of loss and question of living with that pain or leaving it all behind, and Where She Went is equally brilliant emotionally, but here it is the anger of being left (physically and metaphysically) behind that rolls over the reader like a tidal wave. Her use of music and lyrics are inspired—truly tapping into the importance of music within the lives of Mia and Adam, but also how much we, the readers rely on music and its’ cathartic powers in our everyday lives. It’s as though she has this brilliant score running beneath the text, not so noticeable that it detracts, but just enough to add to our understanding of the plot and character development. She moves us with music without us ever hearing a single chord. I don’t know how she does it, but I want more.

If every book could this good, more people would be reading. I don’t know how to put it more succinctly than that. There are “must reads” and there are “read this nows”. Read this set of books now, you will crave more.



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A Mini Review of "Heads You Lose"

Heads You Lose
By Lisa Lutz and David Hayward

Lutz, of Spellman Files fame and Hayward, of no fame at all, team up to create a brilliantly neurotic whodunnit, with bodies, motives, and plot points flying in like Dorothy’s tornado in the land of Oz. A veritable he said/she said, with the authors blindly writing every other chapter, no one is safe and nothing goes as expected. I don’t know which is better—the story of siblings Lacey and Paul as they muddle their way through murder, drugs, and money—or the squabbling and character assassinations between authors Lutz and Hayward at the end of each chapter. No one is safe. Nothing is sacred. And if Lutz and Hayward do not publish The Fop (you have to read the book to find out what I’m talking about), they are missing out on a great marketing opportunity!
Highly original, exceptionally entertaining, and an ending that is wholly unexpected, Heads You Lose is a read unlike any other.





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Bent Road

While I would hesitate to call Bent Road by Lori Roy a psychological suspense or even a dedicated mystery, I can say that it is an engrossing read. This new novel brilliantly captures the small town aura of 1960’s Kansas. Flitting between the 3^rd person narratives of four characters; Celia, her two youngest children Daniel and Eve-ee, and her sister-in-law Ruth, the novel manages to be both literary in its encapsulation of small town life and prejudice and intriguing in it’s presentation of two mystery subplots, the unexplained death of Eve (Celia’s sister-in-law) decades before, and the sudden disappearance of a young girl. I say subplots because while both are essentially the blood in the veins of this story, their strength in terms of plot falls in comparison to the infinitely more interesting character study that this novel becomes. It is easy to become sucked into the world of these characters, to feel sorrow with them, fear for them, and to be angered by their actions. One becomes far more concerned with the thoughts and actions of these individuals than the (to my mind) less interesting mystery-plot. The ability of Roy to elicit this response from a reader as a first time novelist says a lot about her writing prowess. I would highly recommend this new novel to lovers of solid character-driven fiction.

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