The Muse by Jessie Burton and a Fiona Friday pic

The Muse is my first read by Jessie Burton but I am definitely going to seek out The Miniaturist, now that I've read her second book.  The Muse was the August selection for my F2F book group. It has two intertwining stories, one set in Spain just before and at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the other storyline in the 1960s in London.

In 1967, Odelle Bastien begins working at the Skelton Gallery in London. Since she moved from Trinidad, five years prior, she has been working in a shoe store and writing poetry in her private time. Now, her roommate and best friend from Trinidad is getting married and Odelle is beginning a new phase of her life. At Cynth's wedding, Odelle meets a man who has inherited a painting from his mother. He's clearly interested in Odelle but she's uncertain about him and tired from the wedding festivities. She tells him to bring his painting to the gallery where he may possibly be able to get it appraised.

When Odelle's new friend finds out that his painting may be a missing work of art by an artist who disappeared during the Spanish Civil War, Odelle is intrigued. Thanks to meeting him again through her work, she begins a relationship with the young man. Meanwhile, her boss, Marjorie Quick, encourages Odelle to work on her poetry and tread carefully around the young man with the painting. He is, she suspects, not being entirely forthcoming about the painting's provenance. Odelle takes Quick's words to heart and quietly looks for answers on her own.

In 1936, the Schloss family moves into a finca (a mansion) in rural Spain. A brother and sister come to greet them and Teresa offers her services around the house while brother Isaac Robles talks of political unrest and mentions that he is a painter. Olive Schloss is also a painter and she is instantly besotted with the handsome Isaac. But, so is her mother, Sarah. While Sarah hires Isaac to paint a portrait, Olive finds that Isaac's presence and the encouragement of Teresa are leading to the best painting she has ever done.

Things are becoming more dangerous as war looms. When Teresa plays a trick on Olive to get her paintings some attention, both Olive and Teresa are surprised at the results. Still inspired by her muse, Olive continues to paint. But, the deception of Olive's father is infuriating Isaac. What will happen to the Schloss family when war breaks out and they choose not to return to England? What will become of Olive's art?

That was a long-winded description but The Muse is a fairly complex story. Odelle's story contains a number of mysteries. Is her boyfriend withholding information about the painting? Where did it come from (this one becomes obvious pretty quickly) and how did his mother come to own the painting? What's up with Marjorie Quick and does she know more about the painting than she's letting on? Meanwhile, the answers posed in 1967 are slowly coming to light through the unfolding story in Spain as the country's political situation grows more dangerous. What will become of Isaac Robles, the lost painter?

Highly recommended - While I was disappointed with the ending of The Muse, I enjoyed it enough to recommend it highly. I was utterly mesmerized, particularly by the story that took place in Spain and explained the origin of the painting. At one point, I was so immersed in the story that when I glanced up from the book I was surprised and disappointed to find that I was not, in fact, in a Spanish mansion. That made me laugh. It's not often I get so swept away that I feel that you were there sensation. As to the ending, I thought the author told us a bit too much. I don't know that I've ever felt that way before, but there were a couple things I would rather not have known about what happened after the Schloss family left Spain. I just felt like they were unnecessary and I'd rather have formulated my own mental ending. Weird, but true.

Discussion-wise: The Muse was a marvelous discussion book. There were lots of fine details to pick apart and discuss, secrets to unravel. Odelle is black and has a strange accent but Trinidad is part of the Commonwealth, something she's constantly having to explain. Her boyfriend, the man with the painting, is white. In the 1960s, this produces some complications. The other characters also have interesting lives, secrets, complexities.

Everyone in my group enjoyed the book and some of us were quite passionate about how we felt about particular details. One of the things I was reminded of while reading The Muse was just how little I know about the Spanish Civil War. I have a friend, from my hometown, who was born in Spain and whose mother was imprisoned in a concentration camp by Franco. So, I asked him if he could recommend any particularly good books about the Spanish Civil War to help me fill my lack of understanding. He recommended two titles and I ordered a copy of each, so I'm looking forward to eventually reading them. I've temporarily set aside my book on Israel and Palestine and want to finish that, first, but there is no end to the number of things I need to learn about and I'm excited to have another piece of history to study up on, in the near future.

Fiona Friday time! I opted to plunk this week's pic below a review because I've reviewed so little of what I've read in August. Whatever works, right? Fi is all elbows in this shot of her in a playful mood. Outside of the frame was a basket with coupons peeking out of the top and she was attacking the coupons when I caught her attention. Love that crazed look cats get when they're energetic.

©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

I'm sure you've heard about The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney if you haven't already read it. There are a gazillion cover images online and that usually means the book buzz worked. Clearly it worked on me. I was curious what it was about The Nest that merited the huge advance and the heavy publicity but it didn't sound like my typical book choice, so I put a hold on it at my local library.

You probably also know what The Nest is about but I'm going to tell you, anyway, and there will probably be spoilers. The short version: The story of a dysfunctional family in which the siblings have all relied upon a monetary fund that was to be distributed amongst them, now drained due to a disastrous accident.

***WARNING***SPOILERS***WARNING***PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK***

The Nest is multi-faceted but rests mainly upon the draining of the family's fund. Leo, Jack, Bea, and Melody don't really have much to do with each other; their father is dead and Mom was always a bit flighty and inattentive. Before he died, Dear Old Dad set up a fund (a "nest egg" of sorts, hence "the Nest"). It was meant to only be a token amount to be divided amongst the 4 siblings upon the 40th birthday of the youngest, Melody. However, it grew and grew, thanks to a decent market and wise investments. And, even though their father didn't want it to be something they would come to rely upon, they've all gotten into a wee bit of trouble due to the anticipation.

Leo has made a lot of money and he's blown a lot, as well. He hasn't worked since he sold his company for a small fortune. He's weak of character, a drug addict, and a bit of a sleaze when it comes to women. It's his fault the Nest has been drained.

Now, on the cusp of Melody's birthday, the other siblings have learned that 90% of the Nest is gone. Melody was counting on the funds to help pay off the house that was overvalued when they purchased it and to fund her twin daughters' college educations. She thinks her husband doesn't know about her reliance on the money; but, Walt has always told her not to rely upon the Nest, convinced that her family was way too flaky to come through.

Jack has a business that is not profitable and . . . hmm, I think he's gotten a reverse mortgage? I can't recall what exactly Jack has done but he's siphoned money off the second home he and his partner, Walker, own, and then covered it up with lies.

Bea still grieves the love of her life, who died three years ago. She's a writer but she got a sizable advance for two books, many years ago, and has only managed to finish one. Her publicist has rejected Bea's latest attempt.

Leo is a greedy, self-centered jerk who doesn't feel all that bad about the disaster that used up the Nest. He's decided he'll try to make another fortune and then divide it. But, he hasn't worked in so long, where will he even begin to find the money?

There are plenty of details that I won't share. Will Leo come through with the funds and divide them amongst his siblings or will he choose to take care of himself? When he moves in with Bea's publicist, Stephanie, will he be able to maintain the relationship or ruin it, as he has in the past? Bea feels like an absolute failure and she will need to pay back half of her book advance. When she begins to write, again, will it be worthy of publication or will she continue to trudge on, humiliated and just a bit lonely? If Leo doesn't save the day, what will happen to Melody's family? Will they be able to keep the house and send the girls to school? What will happen when Walker finds out about Jack's deception?

There are a lot of other plot threads involving the twins, Stephanie (my favorite character), and the people Leo used to work with before he sold his company. Suffice it to say, The Nest sucks you in and doesn't let go.

I loved the way the book ended because (highlight if you want the ending completely and irredeemably spoiled):

Only Leo is unhappy and it's because he chose greed over doing the right thing. The other siblings manage to each find their own solutions to the trouble they've caused and become closer in the process. I liked the clear sense that money corrupts and you're better off finding your own way in life than relying upon an inheritance, even if it's a struggle to do so. Maybe that's a bit on the cliché side, but it felt perfect to me. 

Highly recommended - A compelling plot with a number of interesting subplots and well-developed characters. At it's heart, The Nest is about a group of people who aren't necessarily likeable but they are realistic, particularly in the way they justify their debt or greed to themselves. I think we all lie to ourselves a little, in that way.

©2016 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Cove by Ron Rash

The Cove by Ron Rash

Copyright 2012

Ecco (An imprint of HarperCollins)

Historical Fiction/Suspense

255 pp.

Rested, he began rowing harder. The river widened and then narrowed again. A black panel slid over the sky, locked into place a moment, then slid back, the moon and stars above once more. He turned and saw a bridge's silhouette, high and solid as a ship's hull. The river ran straight for a long while and no lanterns glowed from shore or window, the world absent but for water.

--from p. 33, The Cove

Reason for reading: I've wanted to give Ron Rash a try, for a while, and The Cove sounded like a nice, creepy but unusual read (for me, anyway) so I asked to join the TLC Tour. I plan on making The Cove my last tour book as I've decided to unschedule myself and work harder at reading titles I already own.

Quick summary: Laurel and Hank live in a dark, dreary stretch of Appalachian land known as the cove, thanks to the fact that their father was snookered into buying cheap farm land, not realizing how poorly it would produce. WWI is on. Hank is home from the war, where he lost a hand. Both parents are now dead. Laurel is lonely because a visible birthmark and a string of familial bad luck have convinced the superstitious town folk that she's a witch. And, a mute stranger with a secret has shown up in the cove. Secrets, lies, wimpy rich boy out to prove himself, love, beauty, jealousy, suspicion, murder . . . it's all there in some form.

What I liked about The Cove:

The atmosphere, the love story, the strength of Laurel and Hank, and the hint of mystery kept me going.

What I disliked about The Cove:

The beginning and the end. In the middle of the book, I was very much caught up in the narrative and enjoying myself. The setting was definitely gloomy ("gloamy" -- which I think means "dusky," as in the half-light of dusk, is a word that was repeatedly used to describe the cove) but I appreciated it for its realism and atmosphere. The ending was just too tragic for me.

In a comment to my dismayed question about whether Ron Rash routinely writes tragedy, BermudaOnion said, "Ron Rash doesn't see his stories as depressing - he thinks his characters are doing the best they can in less than ideal circumstances and he thinks there's hope in that."

I don't disagree with that comment and I didn't, in fact, find the story depressing. It is definitely atmospheric, dark and moody, and I do enjoy the occasional creepy read. I liked Laurel's fortitude, Hank's determination to function one-handed, the farmer just outside of the cove who was nonjudgmental, and the stranger, Walter. What I disliked was the ending. You could definitely say it is "tragic but hopeful". However, it didn't end with the bright ray of light I like in an ending. The tragedy was too tragic, the hope too thin.

In other words:

My distaste for this particular book is obviously a very personal thing. From a technical viewpoint, I think the writing is solid. I don't know the Appalachian dialect, but I read up a little on Ron Rash and found that he has Appalachian ancestry that goes back centuries and that people from the area find his writing authentic. I did feel like the wimpy rich guy out to prove himself, Chauncey, had the ring of "device" about him. Although I found most of the characters realistic and three-dimensional, Chauncey struck me as an archetype plunked into the tale specifically to alter events.

Which reminds me . . . the ending definitely did surprise me. It just wasn't a surprise I liked. I read up a little on Ron Rash's other titles and am pretty much convinced he's just not the author for me. I'd recommend The Cove to people who like a suspenseful, atmospheric read with just a hint of mystery. There is some brief, intense violence.

Fun of the week:

A Carolina wren (lower left) takes the family out for flying practice (the youngsters are at upper right -- hope you can enlarge this one).

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.