Barker House is a fictional work of interconnected short stories that follow the lives of nine Corrections Officers in New Hampshire. These are not short stories about a Corrections Unit; each story is about a moment in the life of a Corrections Officer.
All of the nine characters tell a solemn story; their unifying trait deriving from their job as a corrections officer. The reader is invited to briefly observe the officers and their day from a distance, since the stories are short and only go so far. Though each character works as an officer at Barker House, not all stories take place there. For example, one story takes place at a strip club.
This was an okay read. Most of the stories I thought were okay, though a few of them I thought were good. Overall, I felt like the novel was missing something that would bring it home.
Barker House is David Moloney’s debut novel. Visit his website.
“The union is not a political organization. We just want our rights. We don’t care who is in the government.”
Yunus is a fourty-four year old bus driver in Tehran. Gathered at a bus drivers strike, things quickly intensify and chaos ensues. Violence breaks out and one thing leads to another. Yunus is arrested and sent to Evin Prison where he fights to hold onto the truth. The corruption of the justice system is exposed during his time in prison and later when he goes to trial.
“As soon as politics touches you, you are contaminated for good. It’s a virus that never gets cured.”
After he is arrested, stories alternate between interrogations and flashbacks. The flashbacks occur during the 1970’s-2005 for Yunus. Most flashbacks focus on his relationships. Though there are flashbacks, the majority of the book takes place in Evin prison.
His time in prison when he was alone without his interrogator made me slightly bored. For example, there were pages about his turd, masturbation, and another about a string. (Though very well-written pages about his turd.) At these moments, it felt like it was taking a long time to reach the resolution. The character Yunus is not a very interesting character. It’s hard to really make a strong connection with him because he is such an unremarkable guy. The political situation surrounding him keeps it interesting.
The prose is beyond beautiful. It is the star of the book and caused me to look forward to reading more. I loved Amir Arian’s use of language and will be looking for his next book.
Then The Fish Swallowed Him is Amir Arian’s first English novel. Read more about it here.
Read or listen to NPR’s interview with Amir Arian about this novel.
Then The Fish Swallowed Him made Book Riot’s list for the top 20 books to read in 2020.
“My opinion, the only good cage is an empty cage.”
Anse runs a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Sapelo Island, Georgia. He considers the sanctuary animals like family. But after his prized lioness Henrietta attacks him and is shot in order to save his life, Anse’s world is turned upside down and he is questioned by all those around him. Anse seeks to replace his lioness by rescuing other exotic wildlife that are in danger or being abused nearby. How far will Anse go to save the abused and caged? Is risking his friends lives worth saving the life of an animal?
Chapters alternate without pattern between characters and animals. The prose is rich in figurative language and the premise is original.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It has a strong premise. The foundation of the novel lays concretely in animal rights and measures the value of animals. But, to me there was nothing beyond that. Although I thought Anse was interesting, I didn’t feel connected to him or the rest of the characters. The storyline skipped around and I was confused about several scenes; I found myself re-reading quite often in order to grasp some sort of understanding of what exactly was happening. Had the storyline been stronger, I would have enjoyed it more because I did like the dialogue concerning the unfortunate realities that animals face. The ending left me feeling underwhelmed.
“They don’t know the depths of this mother’s love.”
Does forgiveness come with limitations or should it be unconditional? Should mitigating factors be considered when speculating harmful behavior? The story starts out with Rose picking up her mom, Patty, from prison. Patty, imprisoned for aggravated child abuse of Rose, has caused a strain on their relationship and Rose’s future to be thwarted. But, is Patty the only one to blame? Where do they go from here now that she is out from prison? And, is Rose willing to look past the years of abuse her from mother…?
I really loved this one! I found both narrators so hard to trust, and as lies began to unfold the thrill of what was to come had me rapidly turning the pages. Nearly every chapter revealed a new lie or added a new element to one of the characters that seemed to put a twist on things.
The relationship between Rose and Patty is emotionally draining at times. Both characters are messy, and their story is not one that I would describe as a happy one. Rose’s life in particular unveils the superficial mask that society often has, and we see her frequently hurt by others around her. Patty’s background comes in bits and pieces, but also demonstrates a past reflecting a lifetime of pain.
I am not an expert on Munchausens syndrome, so I can’t attest to the validity of this illness as it is presented in one of the characters. If you work in the medical field, you might find fault within this presentation and might take this into consideration.
Darling Rose Gold is author Stephanie Wrobel’s debut novel. Visit Stephanie Wrobel’s website to learn more.
“In death, the women are still dressed to walk the streets. To attract clients with a slice of leg, cleavage. To mime desire with a cant of the hips, a toss of their hair. Dressed to be undressed.”
Missing posters are hung around Atlantic city for a missing girl. Clara, a psychic, sees the missing girls face and feels as if she can help find her. Clara meets Lily while she working and begs her to help. But Lily has her own dark past. Will they find the missing girl or become victims themselves?
“It seems both cheap and dear, the price of freedom- twenty minutes with a man.”
Chapters alternate between two main characters, Clara and Lily. Occasionally, a chapter will be from one of the bodies of the murdered victims (Jane Doe’s). The writing style is opulent and the setting is well-developed because of the overgrown writing.
The story is heartbreaking. The victims voices are strong and reflect an image of their whole person as they lay dead in swamp blanketed in their afflictions.
If you like slower paced mysteries, then I recommend this book for you because the progression is slow. I would read a bit and then put it down. It took a while to get from point A to point B; the goal being to find the missing women. For example, the evolution of Lily and Clara’s relationship took center stage at one point for an extended period of time. If you like your mysteries fast paced, then this probably isn’t for you. If you like thought-provoking dialogue and contemplative situations, then you will probably enjoy this.
Something you might or might not be into: One of the main characters, Clara, sees visions throughout the novel. Her visions are a common occurrence and help piece together what happened to the women who were murdered.
There are several triggers in this novel including sexual torture, rape, and drug use.
“They seemed the most unlikely of friends, even beyond the obvious, one being Israeli, the other Palestinian.”
Rami and Bassam’s story is humbling. Centered around the Israeli-Palestine conflict, Rami and Bassam relive the day that each of their daughters died at the hands of a oppressive barrier that has effected more than just a perimeter. After each lose a daughter to violence, they learn to find solace in their grief and overcome the boundaries defined by their government.
“…everyone knew at least one child who was killed, and most of us knew several. You get used to it, sometimes you think it’s normal.”
It is a somber read with graphic gory scenes from beginning to end. Rami and Bassam’s recollections and revelations were heartbreaking. Just when I thought my heart couldn’t break anymore, it did. But the power and value behind the words is undeniable. (The speeches they gave on pages 217-240 were unequivocal and would provide great dialogue for panel discussions and Socratic Seminars.)
There are only sections; most sections are about a paragraph in length, some sections are one sentence, some might be a small photo, though other sections are the length of a regular chapter. With a total of 1,001 sections, there are no chapters or parts.
It is a blend of fiction and nonfiction. For example: the story will be describing the anniversary of the time of deaths for the girls, so the very next section then discusses how the Greeks measured time in antiquity. Or, another example: there is a flashback when Salwa and her daughter are watching Arabian horses, so the next section goes into facts about Arabian horses. The fiction and nonfiction weave back and forth relying on each other. It jigsaws, using the previous section to build on the next section.The sequence is ornamental but blends cohesively.
I loved the book. It changed the way I think. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. It had a profound impact on me.
“Truth is, you can’t have a humane occupation. It just doesn’t exist. It can’t. It’s about control.”
“A legal is just someone who is unwanted in the same way everyone else is.”
Danny, a young adult in his twenties from Sri Lanka, has been living in Australia illegally for four years as a cleaner. Soon into the novel, one of the residents that he cleaned for is killed. Danny might have an idea of what could have happened, but he internally struggles with the responsibility of this knowledge since the decision to help with the murder case could get him deported. The novel takes place throughout this one day in Danny’s life.
“But whoever did it, and for whatever reason, one thing was almost certain. The killer was a citizen.”
The story pays homage to the thoughts and difficult decisions that immigrants, specifically illegals, make throughout the day. It highlights questions of accountability and examines the echelons of humanity. Danny’s flashbacks and encounters throughout the day also illuminate his own prejudice towards legal immigrants and citizens.
“Rich Asians and poor Asians don’t seem to talk to each other, and that’s how Australians make most of their money.”
The writing was disjointed and made it hard for me to read. I found myself rereading sentences often to make sure I read them correctly. Sometimes that made it hard to process different things that were occurring, which took away from the enjoyment. It is written in an unusual way and Danny was a peculiar character who had eccentric qualities.
Most of the story moves to a steady beat. Not fast-paced, just moderately balanced. But then the end just hits you, and the emotions pour.
The use of eminent domain has been enforced on their property, and Jo, a twenty-two year old paraplegic, narrates life in small town Eden, Montana after her older brother detonates a bomb in a nearby town that injures many in response to the land acquisition. Her brother, Samuel, was known for anti-government extremism, but now Jo is left to pick up the pieces since Samuel has gone into hiding.
“Samuel told me that after our mother’s death, the women of Prospect supplied him with food for weeks. No one has brought me anything now; apparently there is no casserole that says “Sorry your brother’s a terrorist.””
The description provided for this book might make it seem like it’s centered around terrorism, extreme politics, and eminent domain; but, it’s actually about how these actions affect the main character, Jo. It is character driven. Her narration brings these effects to light because of her brother. Throughout the story, the reader sees how Jo reacts to and questions her brothers poor choices. Her growth as a character is illuminated through her decisions the days following the bombing.
“…while I might not be my brother, and might not be responsible for what he has done, he is still my brother.”
I enjoyed Pastor Asa’s character. His struggle to find meaning in the bombing where his daughter was injured was tragic. Acumen involving religion and faith were tested through Asa’s character.
“I wonder what part of him that is a pastor is at war with the part of him that is a father.”
Some other things you might want to know: There are no chapters and no “Parts”. There are only page breaks. While Jo is the narrator, occasionally Samuel will briefly interlude as if speaking to Jo; Samuel’s thoughts are in italics. There are vivid descriptions of Montana, meaning at different parts in the story there are several paragraphs devoted to describing this setting. There is a considerable amount of dialogue centered around God and theology.
A tight-nit family along with a few friends go on their annual trip to a secluded cabin that has been passed down for generations. Along the way, they swerve to miss hitting a deer. This instant changes their lives forever and their camper falls below the guardrails on the side of a mountain into the snow. Finn, a sixteen year old, is immediately dead, but does not pass through to her next world. She continues to watch her family through survival, rescue, guilt, and grief.
The chapters are short and there are a total of 94 chapters. The first 14% (ch.1-5) of the story were the days leading up to their trip before the accident occurs. When the accident hit, it really picked up. I couldn’t read fast enough. There is a huge “omg” moment that happens while they are fighting for survival. I was astounded, angry, and my jaw dropped when this happened.
At 38 % the rescue takes place but not all survive. (Meaning only 14-38% or ch. 6-35 of the novel was their survival story, the rest is what happens after they get back home.) From this point on the family is drowning in blame, grief, and hate. Guilt radiates the life and relationships of those who survived and a secret is kept about that fateful night. This is the bulk and focus of the story; so for most of the story it is not very happy.
Paranormal aspect- The narrator is dead and narrates all of the story for the family/characters. She watches them while lingering in limbo. (They cannot see her, but she talks to them in their dreams.) Towards the end this narration style got repetitive.
There is some minor mundane stuff that happens like watching baseball games, rescuing kittens…to help them with their grief. There is cussing and sex, but not the sexy details. Overall, I enjoyed it though I would definitely classify this as a young adult novel.
The ending Author’s Note is a must read which explains the real story that inspired this fictional novel.
Author Suzanne RedFearn’s has written two other novels called Hush Little Baby and No Ordinary Life.
“She was a mother of two, who wished at that moment to forget her children and live a life with this man, in his dreams, dreams she didn’t know black men even considered.” -Jasmon Drain, Stateway’s Garden
Tracey and his older brother, Jacob, know nothing other than growing up in Chicago’s housing project known as the Stateway Gardens. Surrounded by crime and poverty, Tracy holds on tight to his dreams of a bright future. While some see the building as a symbol of failure, Tracy remembers it as home.
The book is told in separate stories rather than chapters. All of the stories revolve around or are somehow related to Tracy and Jacob.
Overall: Initially, the stories were hard to get into it. I had a hard time reading the first part of this book; it felt choppy and I felt removed from the characters because of the narration style. The only story in the beginning that I liked was “Solane”. I didn’t like any stories again until after halfway. Admittedly, the last few stories were hard to put down. At that point, both Tracy and Jacob were older and no longer children. Things then began to come to life. In the end, I was all in my emotions and completely invested in the characters. I wish the entire book had been that way so I could have gotten to know them better during their childhood.
Stateway’s Garden is Jasmon Drain’s first book. Read more about it here.
More about the Stateway Gardens:
Click here to read short accounts as told by the residents who lived there.
