Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke

The Basics: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke, 2004, 1006 pages, paperback

How I found it: Random browsing in Chapters. I believe I picked it up because it sounded interesting and it was a best seller.

What's it about?: This book is historical fiction (or fictionalized history?) and deals with the return of magic to England in the 1800s. The protagonists are Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, two magicians who go from being unknown and known, to master and pupil, to sworn enemies, to... whatever it is they are the end of the book. The book is fairly long and deals with the minutia of the lives of these magicians. In addition to being about magic, this book deals with the historical events in England at the time, such as the Napoleonic wars. This novel is a bit Austen or Bronte-esque in that it is obsessed with the social engagements and standing of each of its characters.

Did I like it?: This book drove me crazy. It took me a very long time to read it - not only because the book itself is long, but because for great portions of it I was uninterested in it. The book is 1006 pages long and it is the author's first novel. She could have benefited greatly from a better editor. The book could have been perhaps a third of the length and still told the same story. Clarke seemed determined to make the reader feel as if they were reading a historical book so she added numerous and mostly irrelevant footnotes and some "ye olde english" spellings. This just drove me crazy. Large portions of the plot could have been summarized in a chapter or two, but instead they drag on for hundreds of pages. The characters of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell are not particularly likable or relatable, and the author's treatment of them leaves the reader wondering who we are supposed to root for - who is the hero and who is the villian? Overall, I was disappointed with this book and did not really enjoy reading it. Above all, I found it annoying on many levels.

Will you like it?: If you are a fan of the fantasy genre (which I am not), you may like this book. However, there are not enough battles or mystical creatures to satisfy a Lord of the Rings fan and there is too much discussion of the types of ball gowns worn and which government official has invited the magicians for tea. Apparently this book is a New York Times bestseller, so there must be lots of people out there who liked it. Sorry to say, I can't figure out who they might possibly be.

But don't take my word for it: The usual editorial and reader reviews from Amazon, a glowing review from the Washington Post, one from SF Site, another from Salon, one from scifi.com, and one from Strange Horizons.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

The Basics: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, 2007, 607 pages, hardcover

How I found it: Like everyone else, I preordered it from Chapters and waited for my Canada Post special Saturday delivery last weekend (mine arrived at 11am). I have been a fan of the Harry Potter series since the 3rd book came out and I realized it wasn't just for kids.

What's it about?: This is the culmination of the Harry Potter series where he finally faces off against Voldemort. Without giving away too many plot points, the story revolves around Harry, Ron and Hermione travelling around and camping, trying to find clues towards a mysterious quest that Dumbledore gave them at the end of the last book, and trying to avoid Voldemort's Death Eaters. There are several battles, including a grand finale battle at the end.

Did I like it?: As with all the Harry Potter books, I liked this one. However, at 607 pages, I found that it did drag a bit at times, and the plot was slow moving, especially during all the camping scenes. It does have a good ending that was a surprise to me, despite all the rumours flying around about it. I also enjoyed the epilogue as it provided a great parallel to the whole series.

Will you like it?: If you've read the other Harry Potter books, you are pretty much obligated to read this one to find out what the final outcome will be. Plus, it's just as good as most of the other Potter books. The books have grown up with their readers, and this is more teen fiction than children's lit now, which will appeal to the older reader. If you haven't read the Potter books, don't read this one - start at book one, work your way through, and say goodbye to your free time as you get sucked in.

But don't take my word for it: A huge amount of Harry Potter background and some reader reviews (some with plot spoilers) from Amazon.ca, a review from a north London blogger, one from the UK's Telegraph and the Guardian, and the wikipedia entry (with plot spoilers). These are just a few of the thousands of things written about the release of this book. It was a huge media event - do some googling if you need more.

Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey - Goran Kropp

The Basics: Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey, Goran Kropp with David Lagercrantz, 1999, 227 pages, paperback

How I found it: This book was lying around my parents house. It's likely that it belongs to my dad.

What's it about?: Kropp was a mountaineer from Sweden who decided to climb Everest in a manner that he felt was the "purest" way to do it. This involved biking from Sweden to base camp with all of the gear and food he would need on the climb. He then attempted to climb the mountain using only his own gear, and food, using no fixed ropes or porters, and no bottled oxygen. Kropp climbed in 1996, the famous disaster year chronicled most famously in Krakauer's Into Thin Air, and several other books (I've read pretty much all of them). His climb ended up getting put on hold as the crisis unfolded.

Did I like it?: I've read a lot of mountaineering books and there are really two kinds of mountaineers: the normal ones and the crazy ones. Kropp was a crazy one. His dedication to his training was fanatical. He seems to have been quick tempered. But his journey is an interesting read as he has his own insight into the 1996 Everest season and other general mountaineering topics. In general, this was a fairly average read for a mountaineering book and not particularly great. However, it is by no means bad.

Will you like it?: There are much better mountaineering books, and even much better Everest books than this one. However, the "pure" way in which Kropp chose to climb is vaguely intriguing. Kropp also had aspirations to be a full time adventurer on the scale of Colin Angus. After his trip to Everest and back, he skiied to the north pole and had plans to sail to Antarctica from Sweden, ski to the pole, then sail back. However, Kropp died in a rock climbing accident in 2002 so this book is the only documentation of an adventuring career that never got off the ground.

But don't take my word for it: The usual reader reviews from and publishers blurbs Amazon, a review from the Denver Post, and one from the New York Times are all I could find.

Video Night in Kathmandu and Other Reports from the Not-So-Far East - Pico Iyer

The Basics: Video Night in Kathmandu and Other Reports from the Not-So-Far East, Pico Iyer, 1988, 382 pages, soft cover.

How I found it: Random browsing in the travel writing section of Chapters. Plus, I had already read some of Iyer's work and knew I liked it.

What's it about?: Iyer took a series of trips to Asia in the mid-80s while most countries there were in the middle of becoming more and more Westernized. He writes a chapter on each of the countries he visited, Bali, Tibet, Nepal, China, The Philippines, Burma, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and Japan. For each chapter he focuses on the ways each country and its people are taking on Western influences, and the ways in which they are making them their own.

Did I like it?: Iyer is an excellent travel writer. He includes enough of himself in his writing to make the reader understand who he is and how he feels about the experiences he is having, but he doesn't include so much that his experience overshadows what the place is really about. Iyer also attempts to really engage the locals, understand their view and their life, and tell the reader a bit of their story as well as his own. Iyer's book is also a bit of a time capsule - it was written in the late 80s, almost 20 years ago, and presumably, a lot has changed. The edition I have contains a new afterword which was written in 2000. In the afterward Iyer comments that much has changed in Asia, in terms of the effects of globalization and technology, but that much as remained the same. I think that must be even more true now.

Will you like it?: If you are interested in travel writing, Iyer's is among some of the best and this is a great book to check out. Iyer manages to really personalize Asia, while at the same time illustrating how global culture is becoming. Great writing and some great stories.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of publishers blurbs and reader reviews from Amazon, a review from the blog of professional traveler and author Rolf Potts, vagablogging, a recent interview with Iyer, and a not as recent interview.

Sweetness in the Belly - Camilla Gibb

The Basics: Sweetness in the Belly, Camilla Gibb, 2005, 415 pages, paperback, shortlisted for the Giller, winner of Ontario's Prix Trillim Book Award.

How I found it: Random browsing at Chapters.

What's it about?: The life story of Lilly, a white woman who grew up as a Muslim in Morocco and Ethiopia. The story is told in bits and pieces, jumping from her present as an immigrant to the U.K., back to her early days in Harar.

Did I like it?: I loved this book. Lilly is such a strong character, even when she feels she is weak. Her story was very compelling and unlike any I had read before. Camilla Gibb actually did at Ph.D. in social anthropology at Oxford with field work in Ethiopia, so her book is meticulous well-research and to me seems exceptionally authentic. Gibb writes very well and explains the cultural aspects of the book very well without detracting from the narrative. The love stories were also especially poignant.

Will you like it?: This is a great book as it is well written, has a great strong female protagonist and a great plot. There is nothing to dislike about this book. As with many that I read, it is more of a woman's book, but it is far from chick-lit. A good choice for book clubs.

But don't take my word for it: The usual stuff and reader reviews from amazon.ca, a review from Hour.ca, one from curledup.com, another from The Guardian, and a collection of reviews from Camilla Gibbs' website.

The 100 Mile Diet - Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

The Basics: The 100-Mile Diet, Alisa Smith and J.B. (James) MacKinnon, 2007, 266 pages, hardcover, published under the title Plenty in the USA (apparently so it doesn't get stuck in the diet book section along with all the Atkins and Weight Watchers books).

How I found it: This book has been heavily hyped in the alternative media that I frequent, including The Tyee, Canadian Geographic, Grist.org, Treehugger, and Kootenay Co-op Radio's Deconstructing Dinner.

What's it about?: Alisa and James are two Vancouver-ites who decide to eat only food from 100-Miles of their home for a year. Although Vancouver is in the fertile Fraser River valley and there are lots of farms around, their experiment proved much harder than they thought it would. The book is about their struggle to find local food, the adventures they had tracking down necessities like sugar (from honey) and flour (from an experimental Vancouver Island wheat farmer). They also meet lots of great farm people and rediscover their relationship with each other.

Did I like it?: I loved this book. I think it took me less than 24 hours to read. James and Alisa are very endearing people, and in a lot of ways they reminded me of myself and my life. The bravery they showed in taking on this experiment is commendable. I was also really impressed with how well they were able to write about their experience without sounding holier-than-thou or having to justify themselves. Those were main complaints about Judith Levine's Year Without Shopping, and by the end of her book I couldn't stand her. By the end of reading The 100-Mile Diet, I felt as if they were long lost friends and that I should call them up to go to the Halifax farmer's market with me, then come over for an awesome dinner.

Will you like it?: This is a good book for people interested in food politics, environmentalism, etc. But, it is not a sky-is-falling type book. It is about real people, real farms, and real food. It is about getting to know the region around you and what you can get from the earth. It is a book that makes you want to plant a garden in containers in your balcony and bike to Richmond or Delta for farm-fresh produce on the weekends. It is inspiring.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of literary and reader reviews from Amazon, some from the blogs Lectio and Green LA Girl, another from Treehugger, one from The Tyee, and the official 100 Mile Diet website.

The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

The Basics: The Inheritance of Loss, Kiran Desai, 2006, 324 pages, paperback, winner of the 2006 Man Booker Prize.

How I found it: Random browsing at Chapters.

What's it about?: A retired judge and his granddaughter living in the Himalaya during a Nepali insurgency. Although the judge, his granddaughter, and most of the their friends are Indians, they still feel very connected to colonial British customs and disconnected to the new idea of a multi-ethnic India where Nepalis can demand rights. The book is very character focused and the building insurgency only occurs in the background.

Did I like it?: I found this book really, really slow. I did not relate to any of the characters and found a few of them quite tedious. Sadly, there wasn't much I liked about this book at all, despite the fact that it was written well.

Will you like it?: Well, it won the Booker prize, which means that some people liked it, and it is good literature, but in this case, I don't think it makes for a good read.

But don't take my word for it: The usual professional and reader reviews from amazon, one from the New York Times, another from the BBC, one from The Hindu (an national Indian newspaper), one from the online DesiLit Daily, and finally one from the Accidental Blogger.

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures - Vincent Lam

The Basics: Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures, Vincent Lam, 2005, 353 pages, paperback, winner of the Giller prize.

How I found it: My mom read it for her book club and when I arrived to stay with her I found it waiting on my bedside table.

What's it about?: This is a collection of short stories about becoming and being a doctor. It is also about relationships evolving over time, coming of age, and related themes. Lam also tackles the stereotyped issue of Asian immigrant parents and their expectations for their children and the SARS epidemic in Toronto.

Did I like it?: Despite the gross-out factor (for me) of all the medical stuff, I really liked this book. The short stories all involve the same set of characters, and over time, I came to identify with most of them. Since all of the stories were interrelated, the book did read a bit like a novel, and as a result, I was eager to see what happened to each of the characters so I read it quite fast.

Will you like it?: This book has had a lot of critical acclaim, and rightly so. It is well written, has compelling stories and characters, and provides insight into something most of us don't know too much about - what it is really like to be a doctor. I was surprised with how much I liked it, as I had thought it wouldn't be my 'thing'.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of professional reviews and reader reviews from Amazon, one from Toronto's NOW Magazine, a review from the online January Magazine, one from the blog The Library Ladder, and the author's official website.

The Birth House - Ami McKay

The Basics: The Birth House, Ami McKay, 2006, 368 pages, paperback

How I found it: My mom read this for her book club and recommended it to me because of the Nova Scotia setting.

What's it about?: The book follows the life of Dora Rare, a misfit a small rural Nova Scotia town at the dawn of WWI. Dora is apprenticed to the local midwife, despite the fact that midwifery has fallen out of favour with the men of the community who believe they should use the modern doctors available in the nearest city. Dora perseveres and manages to stand up for women's rights in a time when it was not common to do so. The book follows her from her adolescence to her middle age, and involves her friends, marriage, and children.

Did I like it?: I liked this book, perhaps even more so since I have actually been to Scot's Bay, where the book is set (although I was there really briefly - that is where the hike to Cape Split begins). I identified with Dora and thought she was a strong and likable character. The book takes a strong stance on the promotion of midwifery, which is fairly unknown to most these days. The traditional knowledge involved in being a midwife was interesting, but I felt it sometimes took up a bit too much of the book.

Will you like it?: Unfortunately, I'll say it again - this is primarily a women's book and is good for book clubs. The midwife stuff is TMI at times, but otherwise I really liked the story and I think most people would as well.

But don't take my word for it: the usual blurbs and reader reviews from Amazon, the book's official website, one from Blogher.org, another from LiteraryMama.com, one from Toronto's Now Magazine, and finally one from the Book-a-rama blog.

The Custodian of Paradise - Wayne Johnston

The Basics: The Custodian of Paradise, Wayne Johnston, 2006, 528 pages, hardcover.

How I found it: This book got a fair amount of press when it was released last year and since I have enjoyed some of Johnston's other work, I put my name down on the waiting list at the library.

What's it about?: This is the companion book to Johnston's The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, a fictionalized biography of Joey Smallwood, Newfoundland's first premier. In that book Joey Smallwood's sometime friend and some time nemesis, Fielding, plays a fairly important role at times. This book is Fielding's story. Sheilagh Fielding is a 6'3" misfit, unsure of her heritage, and unable to live according to society's conventions. She has an acid wit and is known about St. John's for it, along with her stature and eccentricity. The book tells the story of her life and focuses on her relationship with a mysterious never seen guardian who will only identify himself as "Your Provider".

Did I like it?: I expected to really like it, but somehow was a bit disappointed. I think perhaps it was because of the length of the book... after awhile it began to drag. I enjoyed Fielding's early years, but as she became more and more obsessed with her provider, I began to lose interest. I found the storyline surrounding her provider to be a little contrived and really beyond belief. I also thought that for a book told in the first person, we didn't really learn that much about Fielding... I didn't feel as if I knew her very well after reading it. She is a very difficult character to relate to, perhaps because she is such a charicature in a lot of ways.

Will you like it?: This is an interesting read, as is usual for a Wayne Johnston book. It is also a unique look at Newfoundland when it was still a colony. However, this wasn't nearly as good as Colony of Unrequited Dreams, or even the Navigator of New York. It has been awhile since I read Colony and I think perhaps this book would be better if read directly after reading Colony.

But don't take my word for it: The usual collection of blurbs and reader reviews from amazon, a review from topix.net, one from the Tyee, one from the Chicago Sun-Times, one from the Perceptive Travel Blog, and the author's website.