The Covenant of Water ~ Abraham Verghese

 

***

Long winded, meandering, lacking a climax

Aquarium ~ David Vann

** OK **

Annihilation ~ Jeff Vandermeer

 X NO X
2015 TOURNAMENT OF BOOKS

Breathy, superficial, first-person narrative.
Full of vagaries - just fill in the blanks.

"Surreal" would be a better title as it has the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream ... and don't you just hate it when someone goes on and on about their weird adventures while asleep ... wake me up when it is over!!

The (nameless) characters are exploring (the almost nameless) Area X.  When exploring a "tower" (no, it is not a tunnel!) and follow a gibberish set of words they meet up with an amorphous, mucilaginous Thing.

In fact, it is not just the "thing" that is amorphous and mucilaginous.  The plot is without clear definition - can something be dry and viscous at the same time?  Characterisation is minimal, without substance or credibility.

If I remember correctly the term "annihilation" was the hypnotic trigger to commit suicide ... and this book did just that!

Caribou Island ~ David Vann

* LIKE *

A bit of a morbid/depressing read!
Bleak House being built in a Bleak Place by Bleak People

Had read reviews of this book on SF Gate but resisted ... gave in to this resistance after his guest appearance on “First Tuesday Book Club”. He was very eloquent, well read and interesting ... and this book was the same (eloquent, well expressed, easy read but with depth)

The book was short and rather brutal about human relationships. The setting was as stark as the characters. Set in Alaska and it didn’t gussy it up as an idyllic escape but maybe more as a frontier for those with a set of problems.

The husband-wife relationship was a bit on the scary side. Other relationships weren’t quite as as well developed. While I found their interpersonal relationships believable, I thought the ending rushed itself.

Unfamiliar Fishes ~ Sarah Vowell

* LIKE *

Non Fiction from New York Time Best Sellers List
A “history” of Hawaii

This is a rambling, highly opinionated history of the early days of the colonisation by sailors, clergy and canegrowers and how Hawaii was stolen from the Hawaiians and handed over as the 50th state. It covers topics with a rather broad brushstroke but each stroke is coloured by religion.

The author is unstintingly and unceasingly anti-Christian ... but many interesting facts come from her biased observations.

Cutting For Stone ~ Abraham Verghese

** RECOMMEND **

A coming of age story set mostly in Ethiopia
Wide ranging read that pulls you along.

The story follows twin brothers from their birth under strange circumstances. The medical background of the narrative provides interesting insights into Ethiopian history, the revolution and the cruelty of life.

The main character moves to New York but his fate is still hunted by the albatross of his long-held love ... and it doesn’t matter how much you shout at the book, his is so blinded by lost love that he screws his life.