Woman With Birthmark

Woman With Birthmark

Author: Håkan Nesser (translated from Swedish by Laurie Thompson)

Pantheon Books, 2009 (originally published in Sweden in 1996)

335 pages

Two books ago, I entered the world of Swedish mystery novels, and never quite managed to leave it. I found Woman With Birthmark while looking for books like The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on Amazon.com several weeks ago, and decided to borrow it from my local library. I was the first person to check out the brand new book, which was written by an award-winning author of several books featuring the character known as Inspector Van Veeteren. 

Van Veeteren works in a city called Maardam, which is a fictional city -- but based on the other place and character names, seems to be somewhere in The Netherlands. Nesser writes with a strong sense of place, which gives this book a very European flavor.

In the opening section of Woman With Birthmark, a young woman is dealing with her mother's last wish: the elder woman had confessed something to her daughter just before she died, and implored her to do something about it. Next comes a series of bizarre murders as three men are killed under very similar circumstances. Van Veeteren and his colleagues at the police department find a connection with the dead men, who were all in the same military unit in 1965. It becomes a question of motive: what happened in 1965 that would cause someone to murder these men thirty years later?

Nesser provides us little insights into several of the characters, including the title character and the Inspector, but also Biederman, the last of the intended victims. Biederman is a despicable character. His growing paranoia is nearly comical at times. 

Van Veeteren is a dull, middle-aged, divorced father (I forget the details, such as whether he has one or two children, but he doesn't seem like a candidate for father of the year or anything.) Don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't like him - rather, that I just didn't feel anything for him. He has a new "girlfriend" - a psychologist who, upon hearing of the murders, tells him that the murderer is a woman. Then suddenly, a witness comes forward and sure enough, the suspect is a female . . . a mysterious woman with a birthmark. To my memory, there was only one reference to the birthmark in the book . . . I could be wrong, or perhaps it was a translation thing. Or perhaps it was meant to be that way.

I didn't enjoy this book very much, yet for some reason I kept reading it. I have no idea why. It took way too long. I still have one more Swedish mystery book on my shelf, but I think I'm going to read something else next.

Rating: 3.5 stars. OK, but not impressed.

The Gargoyle

The Gargoyle

Author: Andrew Davidson

Canongate, 2009 (UK paperback version)

499 pages

After I finished reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I made several trips to Barnes & Noble, Borders, and my local library looking for my next book. While I found lots of interesting candidates, none was as interesting as a book I had just received in the mail from across the Big Pond. I got my paperback copy of The Gargoyle from Amazon.co.uk, which even with international shipping, cost me less than a hardcover, currently the only version available here at home. As soon as I opened the box (which took a mere 5 days to get to me after I placed my order), The Gargoyle called to me like a siren. I knew it would be my next book.

Ironically, it's not so much about gargoyles as it is . . . love. Yet it's not a Romance novel. Actually, it's quite difficult to place this book into a genre. OK, so maybe there are Romance elements, but also Historical, Contemporary, and even Fantasy. It's a magical book, featuring some of the most unlikely and yet memorable characters to come along in a really long time. The main character (now that I'm thinking back, does he even have a name? The book is told in first person. Honestly, I cannot remember if he is named) is a former porn star and producer of blue movies who, in the opening chapter, is badly burned in a car accident. The description of the accident and of the resulting burn treatment is not for the faint of heart. But hang in there, I promise . . . it will be worth it.

The story really takes off when the "other" main character is introduced. Marianne Engel is a successful sculptress (she sculpts gargoyle-like creatures) who bounces into our storyteller's hospital room one day and begins to mesmerize him with tales of their long ago life and love. Long ago, as in the fourteenth century. Of course, at the time they meet in the present day, Marianne is also a "guest" in the hospital . . . in the psych ward. But our main character is fascinated by his visitor, who tells amazing, timeless stories of her life in medieval Germany but also of other times and places: Italy, Japan, Iceland, England. How is it possible that this woman tells such realistic stories? Or that she speaks fluent German, Latin, Italian, and Japanese? Could it be that she really is seven hundred years old? (And hey, I promise you, there are no vampires in this book.)

The secondary characters are equally well-developed, like the Japanese physical therapist who works with our main character; Marianne Engel's manager; and a dog named Bougatsa (after the Greek pastry). While love is the major "theme" of the book ("Love is as strong as death, and hard as hell" graces the front cover of my paperback), there are other themes, like good vs. evil, head vs. heart, duty vs. destiny, faith vs. logic, etc. Dante's Inferno plays a role - ironic, since the main character is a burn victim. I'm sure there's lots of other stuff I could point out here, but it would be better for you to just read the book.

I enjoyed The Gargoyle so much that I read it slowly on purpose. Why? Because I didn't want it to end. And neither will you. Go get it now. 

Rating: 5 stars  . . . YES! 5 stars!!! 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Translated from Swedish by: Reg Keeland

Maclehose Press, 2005 (English translation 2008)

533 pages

This could very well be the greatest mystery novel ever written. Did that get your attention? I hope so, because I want everyone I know to read this amazing book. It's so . . . different . . . and extremely well-written. [To get an idea of what some "real" critics think, check out this short video from Amazon.com.]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a multi-layered, formula-busting motorcycle ride of a book that was given to me by my Swedish friend "K" last summer on my last working day in Vienna. (I had not heard of the book or the author at the time, but "K" told me that it was a phenomenal success in Sweden, but had only recently been translated into English.) Released in the USA in late September of last year, it became an immediate bestseller here and even today is #250 on the Amazon.com bestseller list. Not bad at all for a Swedish mystery novel - especially considering it's been on the list for seven months now!

In Sweden, the title of the book was "Men Who Hate Women" . . . I really don't want to give too many spoilers out, but yes, there are a couple of those in this book. Fortunately, the book isn't so much about them as it is the other characters: Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist who was recently convicted of libel against a billionaire businessman. Lisbeth Salander is a top-notch investigator with some strange behaviors and several secrets. Mikael and Lisbeth make quite a team, but there are several interesting secondary characters, as well, such as Henrik Vanger, the octogenarian CEO of a prominent Swedish corporation, who longs to know the truth behind the disappearance of his favorite niece back in 1966. And that is the biggest mystery to be solved in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Or is it?

Things started out kind of slow, but for some reason I hung in there, and I'm really glad I did. There were so many twists and turns, so many interesting characters. There is definitely something very European - maybe Swedish, specifically - about the book. Certainly there is an aspect of the characters, the settings and locales that's very different from the usual "American" mystery novel. Some people call it "Scandinavian noir." 

Larsson's frequent references to other mystery writers (including Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, and Sara Parestky) and formulae ("locked-room mystery") reveals him to be one who read his share of mystery novels. I say "read" in past-tense because sadly (and also ironically), Larsson died not long after delivering the manuscripts of this book and two others to his publisher. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (or "Men Who Hate Women") was supposed to be the first of up to ten books in a series. Three books were complete. The second book, The Girl Who Played with Fire is not yet available in the USA, but can be ordered from Amazon.co.uk - it's supposed to be even better than The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - I've already ordered it. 

I have to warn you that there are a couple of violent scenes. OK, you were warned. Now, go read the book. If you are over 21. 

Rating: 4.75 stars.

Made from Scratch

Made from Scratch

Author: Jenna Woginrich

Storey Publishing, 2008

184 pages

This cute little book is part memoir, part advice on being more self-sufficient through farming, or as the subtitle states: Discovering the pleasures of a handmade life. Hey, I like that, even though I typically choose to spend my "free" time doing other things - like reading. Yet, this book was worth my time. I was entertained, inspired, and I even learned some stuff. 

You might wonder why I would even read a book like this to start with. Well, I read an article in Mother Earth News magazine by the author, who happens to be a young graphic designer by day and homesteader/blogger by night and weekend. Cold Antler Farm blog is as adorable as it is informative. But wait, this is supposed to be about the book.

Truth is, I haven't read all of it yet. But I'm reviewing it now, because this one is a keeper that I want to savor and re-read. That's right, folks, this one is going back to the library, but will be replaced with a permanent version for my library. I'll read Jenna's tales of chickens and dogs and Angora rabbits; her advice on country cooking and country living; and peruse the resources in the aptly-named Research, Son! section. Jenna just makes farming seem so cool.

Rating: 4.5 stars, so far. 

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper

Author: Jodi Picoult

Hodder and Stoughton (UK), 2004

407 pages

First of all, it's great to be reading again. April has been way busier than I ever expected, and my reading suffered. Actually, it was me who suffered, due to lack of reading. Thankfully, I chose a really awesome book to get me back into the swing of things.

I bought My Sister's Keeper somewhere in Europe last year, but I don't remember where. I know I bought it in Europe, though, because it still has the price sticker on it, in Euros. Also, the cover looks different than the U.S. version - because what I have is the British version. But I didn't buy it in the UK or otherwise the price would have been in pounds. (LOL, I digress.)

Whatever. The fact is, I've been seeing some stories on those entertainment shows lately about My Sister's Keeper the movie, which will be released in the U.S. in June and stars Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, Abigail Breslin from Little Miss Sunshine, Jason Patric, and Sofia Vassilieva (the adorable girl who plays the oldest daughter on the TV show Medium), and others. Anyway, just by reading about the movie on the Internet Movie Database, I can already tell it will not be exactly like the book. But then the movie never is, is it? In the book, the character played by Alec Baldwin is 32 years old, for example. And there is no Aunt Kelly (but there is an Aunt Zanne).

But this is supposed to be about the book. OK. I was sucked right in . . . the opening "chapter" is written from the perspective of ??? I was never really sure if it was Jesse, the brother, or Anna, the sister of Kate. Kate is a sixteen year old who has had leukemia since she was two years old. Turns out that Jesse was never a match in terms of being able to help her with donations, so their parents used modern science to create Anna ("test tube baby") with the idea that Anna would be able to provide umbilical cord blood to help save Kate. Over the years, though, Kate had more needs . . . platelets, bone marrow, etc. and each time, Anna donated - not through her own consent but because it was what was expected. Anna's needs, it seems, have always been neglected (as have Jesse's.) Now, Kate's disease has progressed so that she is on dialysis and needs a kidney transplant. And everyone is expecting Anna to give her sister a kidney.

Anna, age 13, sues her parents for "medical emancipation" or the right to make her own medical decisions. Enter a couple of interesting characters: Campbell, the attorney, who has a medical secret of his own; Julia, Campbell's long-ago girlfriend, who is unexpectedly reunited with Campbell when she is appointed by the court as Anna's guardian ad litem; and "Judge" - who happens to be the coolest fictional canine I've come across in quite some time.

Mix them with Anna's complicated family - her lawyer-turned-stay-at-home-Mom, Sara; her firefighter Dad, Brian; troubled brother Jesse, and of course, Kate - and you have a very interesting, thought-provoking story of family love, loss, and fate. 

I could hardly put My Sister's Keeper down. The only disappointment for me was the ending. I won't spoil, but prepare yourself for the unexpected. Not sure how the movie will deal with it, but most likely, it would be a good idea to carry some tissues.

Rating: 4.75 stars.

Snowbound

Snowbound (Kindle Edition)

Author: Janice Kay Johnson

Amazon Digital Services, 2009

288 pages

As promised, a review of a really bad book that was a free Kindle download. It didn't take me long to realize that quantity does not equal quality. Snowbound froze me over so badly, I haven't been able to read for over a week now.

Lots of people would disagree with my opinion that this is a really bad book. In fact, it has 4.5 stars on Amazon.com. I'm not sure if these are real people or friends of the author, but it doesn't matter. I think the real problem is that Romance is not my genre.

Fiona is a secondary prep school teacher who takes a wrong turn in the mountains while driving a group of students home from an academic competition. A snowstorm blows in and they become stranded at an inn up on a mountain. Guess what? A sort of hunky veteran of the war in Iraq is the reclusive innkeeper who takes them in for several days. Sparks begin to fly between the innkeeper and the teacher. It is SO predictable and boring. I don't know why I kept reading as long as I did, but I eventually quit at 68% complete because I just couldn't take it anymore.

Next time I'll just PAY for what I really want. (By the way, I've deleted all of the "free" books from my Kindle because I can't take another experience like this one!)

Rating: 1.5 stars (just for keeping me interested that long).

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Author: Junot Diaz

Riverhead, 2007 

352 pages (Kindle edition)

I bought a Kindle 2 a couple of weeks ago and this was the first book I chose to read on it. I really had no idea what to expect. I just bought it because the description sounded interesting. 

The plot centers around a young man named Oscar. He lives in New Jersey but his family connections are in the Dominican Republic. Back during the years when Rafael Trujillo ran the country, Oscar's grandfather - a prominent physician/scholar/writer - got into a bit of trouble with the dictator. Since then, the family has had an amazing streak of bad luck. This bad luck was deemed a sort of curse that had been put on the family, and considering all that Oscar's mother went through in her life, it's amazing that Oscar was even born.

All of his life, Oscar's been . . . different. He's an intellectual, a sci-fi geek, with an amazing propensity toward fantasy. He's also obese, with a perception of himself that isn't anything like how the world sees him. He reminds me of the main character in Confederacy of Dunces. I feel sorry for him until he gets on my nerves - and then I no longer feel sorry for him and want the book to end. But each time I think we're wrapping things up, the narrator takes me in a new direction. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao seems neither. But for some reason I feel guilty for feeling that way.

My review falls short of the kudos this book probably deserves. I believe it is a first novel for the author, and if that's true, it's definitely a fine debut. This is the type of book they make you read and analyze in university classes. On the whole, it's interesting (I never knew all the historical stuff about Trujillo and the DR). It took me a long time to figure out "who" was telling the story (it's not Oscar) and I also had to work my way through (or ignore) many of the Spanish phrases and DR localisms. (I found out that the Kindle 2 dictionary doesn't recognize Spanish! English only.) 

Almost everything in the book is tragic, including the end to Oscar's brief life, which is foreshadowed even in the title so you know it's going to happen. The question is why, and if you read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, you'll find out.

Rating: 3.5 stars. 

As to the Kindle, I'm finding it to be really easy to use. Just about everyday there's some type of free book to download, and I've been taking them even though they're not my usual genre. So, don't be surprised if you read some reviews of really stupid books on here soon. Oh, well.