Synopsis for End of the Ocean taken from Goodreads:
Mostly, I was bored. There was good descriptive writing, but it lacked an engaging storyline. It covers the timely issue of climate change, but overall the story lacked a concrete direction and was tediously executed.
The story is told in two time periods. Signe’s narrative is told in 2017. Signe, a seventy year old woman in Norway, mostly recalls flashbacks from her childhood throughout her young adult life; her memories reflect the growing climate change and the power of water. David’s narrative is told in 2041 in France, a time when water is scarce and refuge camps account for the majority of the land.
I enjoyed David’s chapters more and felt the desolate atmosphere was adequately mirrored, but the story for David ultimately went nowhere. I liked learning about the importance of water in our climate through Signe’s chapter, but (again) the direction for her chapters were ambiguous. The setting was there but the story was not.
There are sex scenes and the topic of abortion is explored.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are my own
Maja Lunde is an author based in Norway. Visit her website to learn more.
Maja Lunde’s novel The History of Bees was a best seller about climate change. Watch the book trailer below.
I went into this novel not knowing much about it except having read the basic description of the book, and I recommend doing the same…knowing little as possible!!! I really loved it and couldn’t put it down. It is very character driven and the dialogue is sharp.
Thirty-four year old Morgan begins to see her life as predictable and struggles with her identity as a housewife. Her teenage daughter, Clara, feels like she is treated with too many rules but respects her parents wishes. That is, until an unexpected event occurs leaving their family in shock. How can they be honest with each other when the trust has already been broken? Can they find redemption and heal their relationship?
Chapters alternate between the mother, Morgan, and her her daughter, Clara. It starts off at Morgans high school graduation party and reveals Morgan’s realization that she is pregnant. After this first chapter, everything takes place during Morgan’s life as 34 year-old -mother and Clara’s life as a 16 year-old on the brink of 17 years old.
Topics include- underage drinking, marijuana usage, teen pregnancy, teen sex
Molly first struggles to become an actress, but then battles more obstacles while navigating her life both outside of films and while on set. She adjusts and develops according to what is needed for her next career advancement, but is it what is best for her relationships and vitality? What will she do to achieve stardom on the big screen?
The novel is broken into three parts “Life”, “Death”, and “Afterlife” following Molly throughout these different stages in her career between the years 1993-2014. Narrated in third person, it is mostly told through the eyes of Molly but sometimes switches to other characters.
The story is disjointed and plot weak which made it was hard to finish. There is little character development and I was not satisfied with the ending. After finishing, I was left scratching my head as to why some chapters and characters were included. The only character I found interesting was Roger who is only detailed for about 22 pages of the entire book. Without Roger, this probably would have been one star. Overall, this was not an interesting nor a compelling book for me.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are my own.
With an excellent premise and various great messages, I enjoyed the novel. The characters are an expression of redemption, new starts, and self-acceptance.
The main characters, Tom and Nick, battle their past missteps and the consequences they have rendered. Together, the men excavate the memories of their major fault in order to find the road to atonement. They explore how their past will fit into their future while trying to reclaim their present.
“The ultimate competition in life is with yourself…”
Nick and Tom’s story that caused their major downfall is tragic and completely conceivable. I liked both of the characters, but felt little depth related to my connection with them because of the narration style. The story is told in first person, but reads like it is told in third person. The main characters are telling the story, but I felt like I was watching the story rather than being there in the story with them in their heads. Because of this, I felt like I could relate to the characters but I didn’t feel a personal connection with the characters that deeply resonated with me.
There were several stories within the stories. The subplots caused the novel to jump around a lot. I felt like I was a school bus on my way home from school–excited to get home, but there are a lot of stops you have to make before you get there.
For an independent book, it was quite good. I really enjoyed the message about the consequences of our actions on social media. I would describe the main message as thought-provoking and relevant to our current society. With editing, it could have easily been a book that I really enjoyed and loved.
I read this with Mitchell who really enjoyed it! I will say, it did make an excellent buddy read and naturally prompted great discussions. This book provides a lot of topics for a group or book club read.
Thank you Michael Bowe for the copy! I have a lot of notes and highlights throughout this one. Opinions are my own and unbiased.
The Weight of a Moment is Michael Bowe’s second novel. His first novel is Skyscraper of a Man was published in 2017.
Followers is a timely debut novel about the power of social media, the internet, and technology. It demonstrates the effect it has on our relationships and the damage that can be caused because of its influence. Have our friendships and family dynamics changed because of the prominence of social media? How has the internet changed us? What is the purpose of social media, and who is accountable for what is promoted on our pages/feeds: society or individuals? In Followers, a dystopian atmosphere is painted to show different outcomes that could occur if balance is not reached.
Chapters alternate between Marlow and Orla:
Is privacy only an illusion? In Marlow’s world, in 2051, her life almost seems to be choreographed in order to keep her followers online. But, can likes replace loneliness? Marlow’s world consists of pleasing a tyrannical pharmaceutical company, Hysteryl, who helped create her brand. Marlow starts to question the difference between friends and online followers. How can her life feel so empty when she has millions who watch her every move? When asked to take the next big step in her life in order to pacify the public, Marlow realizes that she amounts to more than publicists, branding, and marketing. How will she escape when the program can track her, bots can automatically identify anyone in passing, and everyone recognizes her from the media?
“You may not know them like you know your mom and dad,” she breathed, “but your followers are your friends- your very special friends. The happier and brighter you act, the more special friends you’ll get- and the more special friends you get, the happier and brighter your life will be.”
Orla, a struggling writer in 2015, lives in an age promoting endless distractions. Until she creates a name for herself, she feels that she must rely on trends and the rich and famous to maintain a prolific workflow in New York as a budding blogger. Meanwhile, her new roommate looks for fame and wants to market herself on social media as a career. Constantly buried in their devices, how different are they really? What is the value of their work, and how does it influence their relationship and those around them?
“Did she ever think that maybe they’d all be better off off-line? Without any internet, period?”
I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction. My only complaints about this novel is that there were several subplots that caused the intensity of story line to subside. Also, in the end, there was a big moment where I had to suspend belief regarding a city in the future called Atlantis, especially concerning the economics involved. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
This contains one short story that made sense and had a purpose. Mostly they are incoherent and have no end goal. There is a lot of babble. There is a two page story about him jumping rope, the end. A few stories reminded me of people talking about what happened at a party the night before or what happened at work earlier that day. For example, the opening story is the narrator and two others in the alley drinking, smoking, and chatting it up while watching a rat scurry about.
I recommend this book to no one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
Told in first person, our main character and narrator Lillian travels to see her friend, Madison, who has a job offer for her. It isn’t until after she accepts the job as governess to Madison’s step-children that Madison tells her the kids burst into flames when they feel angry or frustrated.
The fire children do not make an appearance until 26% (on a Kindle). The first 1-7% is the foundation of Lillian and Madison’s relationship. This includes how the met, their school-girl-days, and their current status. The story of their girlhood makes you feel emphatic towards Lillian and resentful towards Madison. From 7-26% it is Madison preparing Lillian for the children, and Lillian adjusting to her new rich life at her friends mansion house since Madison married a wealthy Senator. From 26%-until the end is the adventure of Lillian with the flammable twins.
Lillian’s voice and POV is what makes the story so comical. Her comparisons, overemphasis, self-deprecation, and sarcasm created lots of laughable moments. While the beginning starts off hilarious, the story itself that revolves around the relationship of the main character and the two children who are combustible is starkly serious. Though obviously cynical, I felt the twins ability to burst into flames an affect of both satire and analogy. The embedded theme for their paranormal state of combustion seems to mirror the treatment of children who have behavioral challenges that might just be misunderstood or have yet to receive proper coping skills. Does love have its limits? The flammable twins struggle to feel love from their father because of their flaw and ultimately want to feel accepted by their family.
“They didn’t want to set the world on fire. They just wanted to be less alone in it.“
Family dynamics, parental love, and acceptance is a focus in this funny but short tale that includes wearing inflammable clothes and applying noncombustible stuntman gel to those around. How will Lillian learn to handle the children when they “burst into flames”?
I loved this book and laughed out loud! But at the end, I teared up!
Does technology benefit deep meaningful relationships, or does it strip us of that intimacy? How do we find a positive balance? In these short stories, the reader examines layers of technological advancement possibilities and the effect on family, relationships, and life’s purpose. Will technology replace parenting? Or, has that process already began? In the future, will we need an active physical military to go abroad for tours or will gamers connected to drones suffice? Should we be able to choose our emotions and our memories? Will making connections with friends depend on access to apps and immersive reality?
Universal Love is comprised of eleven short stories. Out of the eleven short stories, I found three that were very strong and completely original. The technology that had conquered the near future was believable and, in some cases, very close to situations that occur today. The themes were easy to relate to, but the characters felt out of reach. In most of the stories, it was hard to connect and invest in the characters. Two of stories that I did not enjoy at all, and one I enjoyed but did not like the ending. The rest I enjoyed.
Short stories:“The Year of Nostalgia”1-15% (holographic replacements), “Beijing”15-23% (patching memories), “Comfort Porn”23-36% (friendships vs. virtual friends), “We Only Wanted Their Happiness”36-39% (technology replaces family time), “Purple Heart”39-50% (virtual tech for war), “True Love Testimonials”50%-55%- (sex app), “Childhood”55-65% (robot children), “Sanctuary”65-71% (future border crisis), “Infinite Realities”71-83% (multiverse), “Mountain Song”83-90% (thought control), “Islanders”90-100% (flooded world)
*There are explicit sexual situations and sexual language used in a couple of these stories. * Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Alexander Weinstein for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
The main character, Olive, picks up shortly after where she left off in the previous novel, Olive Kitteridge. While this is the second novel in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone because she recaps the main events that happened in the first novel. However, I recommend reading the first novel in order to appreciate some of the returning characters.
Life’s transitions, juxtapositions, and troubles are celebrated through Olive and the other characters. I found the last half of the novel to be extremely emotional. Olive is reaching a fragile point in her life and begins to calculate its significance and purpose. What makes a full life? As Olive ages, she continues to engage in the boulevard of life while trying to amount her existence.
“But here was the world, screeching its beauty at her day after day, and she felt grateful for it.”
In Olive, Again there are thirteen short stories. Out of the 13 short stories, 5 of those are Olive’s direct story. In the remaining 8 stories, Olive makes an appearance in some shape or form. Each short story relates to the central theme of the novel to some degree and occur near or in the setting of Maine. Topics include suicide, sexual freedom, family, adultery, and aging.
I love Olive, Again and recommend to lovers of literary sagas and contemporary fiction . Thank you to Elizabeth Strout, Random House, and NetGalley for a copy. Opinions are my own.
To learn more about Elizabeth’s Strout’s book tour for Olive, Again click here.
“People mostly did not know enough when they were living life that they were living it.”
I absolutely loved this novel compromised of short stories. Taken from your normal everyday situations, the lush phrases and varied character dimensions created an emotional and heartfelt journey of small-town people experiencing small changes in life that often have the biggest impact. At times, I wanted to eat the words off the page.
An appearance from Olive Kitteridge in each short story is what makes for such an enjoyable read. Her character orbits around her strong personality and unparalleled voice. Each story begs the spirit to rekindle emotions that make us appreciate life, although most stories are sad, melancholy, or starkly realistic.
“…that one of those things getting older was knowing that so many moments weren’t just moments, they were gifts.”
It is deeply expressive to the value of life and how the beauty of the world changes as we do. Respectfully, I do feel like you must be a certain age or experienced certain things in order to truly appreciate this piece of literature to its full capacity.
I recommend this piece of literature for those who enjoy contemporary American fiction, short stories, and psychological literary fiction.
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. To read more about this, click here.
Elizbeth Strout accepting the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Olive Kitteridge.Photo taken from https://www.pulitzer.org
The book was later developed into a miniseries by HBO. A preview can be watched below.
