Far Far Away

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mcnealbooks.com

Far Far Away
Tom McNeal
2013

The Summary
"What follows is the strange and fateful tale of a boy, a girl, and a ghost.  The boy possessed uncommon qualities, the girl was winsome and daring, and the ancient ghost...well, let it only be said that his intentions were good."

Far Far Away begins with the story of Jeremy Johnson Johnson and Ginger Boultinghouse, as told by their ghostly friend, Jacob Grimm - as in the other half of the Brothers Grimm - while they navigate life in the tiny town of Never Better and steer clear of the Finder of Occasions.

The Good
Far Far Away is a unique and exceptional story.  Filled with wonderful characters - endearing characters who will win you over with their eccentric personalities and human compassion - and brimming with one enchanting and amazing fairy-tale of a story, Tom McNeal's book is, in one word, fantastic.

In particular, I loved how Jacob Grimm served as the narrator.  He's not omniscient, so he cannot keep track of everything going on, but he can observe so much in the small village of Never Better and, more importantly, offer commentary.

He's precise and descriptive, but his narration is also laced with a thread of emotion.  You'll find yourself enjoying his digressions as he recounts scenes from his past, both his regrets and his accomplishments; however, it's even more satisfying to read about his growing relationship with Jeremy as he not only helps the boy navigate his scholarship but protects him from the diabolical Finder of Occasions.

The Bad
The waiting is the worst part:  waiting to see what happens with the Finder of Occasions, waiting to find out what has happened to the missing children of Never Better, and waiting as Jacob seeks his brother and, more importantly, his time to leave.

The Ugly
Although McNeal's novel starts out with very little information on the Finder of Occasions - he's more like a vague idea, an evil and faceless villain lurking at the edge of a story - readers gradually learn about his existence and, more importantly, his activities.

The Finder of Occasions is not who you might expect - and the twist will be utterly heart-wrenching as Jacob and Jeremy both endure what the Finder of Occasions has in store for them.

World War Z

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World War Z

Max Brooks

2006

The Summary

As the greatest conflict in human memory, the "Zombie War" changed the world and everyone in it - and one man is intent on retelling the memories of those days, preserving history that may one day be forgotten.

He starts his interviews at the beginning of "The Crisis" and follows the thread of history from one country to the next (China, America, South Africa, England, Antarctica, Israel, etc.), until the "present day" when humanity no longer faces extinction.

The Good

Max Brooks' novel is fabulous.  I personally loved the concept of reading "interviews."  Not only do readers have the opportunity to experience different stories - different characters with different experiences - we have the chance to see what happens to different parts of the world and how various countries encounter the same conflict.

It's also fascinating and inventive.  I mean, World War Z answers questions I didn't even know I had about a zombie apocalypse.  For instance, what happens to astronauts stuck on space stations?  Do zombies float - or do they sink and walk on the ocean floor?  Can a person fool a zombie?  And what happens to the global economy after everything goes kaput?

There's an amazing breadth and depth to Brooks' novel.  Although you never receive a complete explanation as to how the zombies came into being and how or where the apocalypse really beings (there's plenty of supposition between all the characters involved, so you're not completely left in the dark), it's so fully comprehensive that you never notice it lacking.

Honestly, it's enough to see what happens to the world from "Day One" to the end of the war that you're satisfied with the answers you receive.

The Bad

I don't have anything negative to say about Brooks' book.  It's intriguing and detailed and, while there are certain elements that make it difficult to read (on an emotional level), it remains one of the best books I've read.

Perhaps my only complaint was trying to recognize the different names individual characters called zombies:  the tried and true "zombie," but also Zed Heads, Gs, Zacks, etc.  But context clues basically cleared that up.

The Ugly

World War Z is a story about a zombie war, so, of course, you'll be faced with gratuitous amounts of gore and violence and bloodshed.  You'll read "reports" and "interviews" about people being eaten alive, being trapped in their cars and dying of exposure.

And, if that isn't gory and disheartening enough for you, there's stories of human desperation - murder, cannibalism, suicide, genocide - and world-changing amounts of pollution from burning cities and the living dead walking from one corner of the earth to the other.

It isn't a pretty picture.

Brooks creates a terrifying world in his novel, a dystopian future guaranteed to give you chills.  In fact, it's the stuff of nightmares, especially when you're sitting up at midnight and reading with only a dark, creaky house for company.

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

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The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

Umberto Eco

2004

The Summary

After suffering a major stroke, Yambo is faced with a terrifying crisis:  he can't remember anything.  He can't remember who he is; he can't remember the names and faces of his children, his wife, his mother or father or sister; and he certainly can't recall his own childhood.  Yambo, however, remembers everything he ever read.

Faced with this gaping memory loss, Yambo goes in search of all the things he read as a child and all the journals he kept.  All in the hope of stirring some spark within him, some mysterious flame of recognition.

His story, now as an old man, is not a tale of self-discovery but of rediscovery as he struggles to remember who he was, who he is, and how he got there.

The Good

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana is a book full of helpful illustrations and beautiful imagery.  In this book, Umberto Eco commands a superb vocabulary (although I can likely thank the translator, Geoffrey Brock, for his contribution as well) and reveals he has a capacity for detailed description that's difficult to rival.

Additionally, Eco creates a wonderful narrator in Yambo.  He's witty and sarcastic - frequently sardonic - but he's also bright and highly aware.  Short of what he has forgotten with his stroke, Yambo doesn't miss much and he's able to express so much more.

Yambo is a fabulous narrator, because he's observant but, also, because he's able to communicate so successfully.  He can express uncertainty and fear just as well as he can express joy and happiness.  His emotions and thoughts are candid, unfiltered, which makes him accessible.  We can understand him, and he can understand us.

The Bad

At the beginning of Eco's novel, the reader learns that Yambo has survived a massive stroke and lost much of his memory.  As such, we realize that not everything Yambo does or says is clearly defined.  In fact, his thoughts can sometimes prove to be elusive and confusing when he makes sincere attempts to reclaim the scattered bits of his memory.

More to the point, Yambo's memory starts to spiral out of control at certain points.  At one point, you have a virtual "sensory overload" with all the stories, memories, songs, and images that converge all at once.  There's too much to process and too much to understand.

It's confusing and bewildering - and the slightest bit overwhelming.

The Ugly

Personally, I didn't really know what to think about detailed descriptions on preserved dog testicles or musings on defecating.

Just saying, it was a little awkward.

Can I Get an Amen?

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Can I Get an Amen?
Sarah Healy
2012

The Summary
Filled with both tragedy and comedy, Sarah Healy's novel tells the story of Ellen Carlisle - a recently divorced former career-woman struggling to get her life back on track and deal with her infertility and growing despair - and her family as they all struggle to acclimate with changing circumstances and familial rifts.

Although Can I Get an Amen? deals with the question of religion, it isn't about finding religion or becoming a born-again Christian.  It's about coming to terms with the flaws of family and the looming questions about faith, love, and life.

The Good
Ellen is a witty and charismatic narrator, a relatable character with understandable problems and conventional wisdom, but she's also damaged, flawed, and, on occasion, mistaken.  She provides Can I Get an Amen? with an emotional depth and distinctly human voice that makes Healy's novel incredibly appealing on a personal level.

In general, Healy also presents a concise and well-written story with an appropriate amount of suspense, a touch of tragedy, a helping of romance, and a cast of enjoyable characters.

Can I Get an Amen? is also a fulfilling novel.  Although we aren't exactly told what happens with the rest of Ellen's life once we reach the final chapter, it's difficult to leave Ellen's story and not feel a bit optimistic.

The Bad
In Healy's novel, you'll find some strong language and "mature themes."  Grief, infertility, and attempted suicide come to mind; teen pregnancy and abortion, too.

You'll find nothing gratuitously graphic in Can I Get an Amen?, but you'll be confronted by topics that are sometimes difficult to face.  Topics that leave Ellen wanting to run away - and, sometimes, you can't help but want to join her.

The Ugly
Perhaps one of the ugliest elements of this book is the faint traces of tragedy that link this family.  In general, it's difficult to watch these characters - these people so easy to understand and relate to - simply sweep trouble under the rug, hide from scandal at the expense of their loved ones, and, in general make the usual mistakes that human beings tend to make over the course of a lifetime.

And reconciliation may not be an option.