Reading My Way Towards the End of the Year

There are still 11 days left before the end of the year, so these are not the last books I'll read in 2024. But because I read four of them this week, I thought they deserved a post of their own.

My Last Name was a pleasant, three star short story that I won from goodreads. The author tells the story of Lottie, 95 years old, infirm, and living in a care facility. She struggles with her memory, understanding exactly where she is, and who is with her, but she still clearly recalls important moments in her life. A longer book would have enabled me to better understand Lottie and her life, and while I found it a bit too religious, it was still a sweet end-of-life story. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how delightful the four stories in The Mistletoe Murder were (well, as "delightful" as murder can be). The prose was descriptive and made the settings easy to picture, and although each of the stories featured a murder, there wasn't any blood or gore. Dorothy Sayers wrote, "Death seems to provide the minds of the Anglo-Saxon race with a greater fund of innocent amusement than any other single subject." James was a master of this amusement and this Christmas-adjacent collection of stories is four-star evidence of her mastery. 

Our Wives Under the Sea is a quirky and original novel that for me was mainly about the process of grieving, even if the person we are missing may not actually be dead. Miri and Leah are married, and Leah finally returns several months after a deep sea mission that was thought to have been lost. Leah is present in physical form but it becomes clear that she is not the same person. In alternating chapters, Miri and Leah talk about their lives now and how it no longer resembles anything like what they had before. If you like clearcut details and endings in your novels, this book may not be for you as it's all quite confusing and uncertain. I'm not sure I would call the book enjoyable, but I have found myself thinking about it. It reminded me of the long, sad months that my mother was dying of breast cancer. I found myself grieving the mother I had known even as she was still lying quietly and uncommunicative but still breathing in the rented hospital bed, just as Miri had to grieve for Leah. Three and a half stars rounded up.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks is a beautifully written historical novel that masterfully weaves together themes of art, science, history, and race, all through the lens of an extraordinary race horse. Brooks uses this horse as a central figure around which she explores various narratives across time, blending the past with the present in a way that is both captivating and poignant.

The novel spans several timelines: the 19th century, during the time of the horse’s racing career; the early 20th century, when a painting becomes a symbol of race and power; and the modern-day search for the horse's origins. Brooks does an exceptional job of bringing these periods to life, making the historical aspects feel incredibly vivid and alive. Each timeline also explores deeper themes, from the complexities of slavery and racism to the enduring human obsession with beauty and mastery in both the artistic and sporting worlds.

What stands out most in Horse is the careful, nuanced exploration of race and its intersections with power. The narrative provides a vehicle for discussing the often painful history of slavery in America and the ways that race has shaped both history and culture. Brooks doesn't shy away from these uncomfortable truths, and her characters are rich, multifaceted, and deeply human in their struggles with identity, belonging, and ambition.

In terms of pacing, the book takes its time, which may not appeal to all readers, but it allows for a deep dive into both the historical and emotional elements of the story. The novel is meticulously researched, and it’s clear that Brooks has a deep respect for the story she’s telling. The prose is elegant and evocative, making it a pleasure to read even as the subject matter delves into difficult areas. While the novel is rich in detail, the multiple timelines occasionally felt a bit disjointed. This made the overall flow of the narrative feel uneven at times. But Horse is a remarkable work that offers so much more than a typical historical novel. It’s an insightful exploration of the ways that art, history, and race intersect as I think only Geraldine Brooks is capable of. It's even more extraordinary to realize that Brooks completed this book in the time after her husband Tony Horwitz died. Four and a half stars rounded up. 

 

What have you been reading lately?