JANUARY 2023 READING LIST
Charles Melville Dewey. The Close of Day, n.d. Smithsonian American Art Museum
KLARA AND THE SUN BY KAZUO ISHIGURO
Klara, located inside the store, is an Artificial Friend with remarkable observational abilities. She attentively watches the actions of customers browsing inside and passersby outside. While she hopes a customer will select her soon, she is advised not to rely too heavily on human promises, as her circumstances could change drastically. Kazuo Ishiguro examines our swiftly evolving modern world through the eyes of a memorable narrator, posing a key question: what does love truly mean?
I really enjoyed Klara and the Sun, much like I enjoyed Never Let Me Go. Ishiguro does such a wonderful job of creating a dystopian world that is both and isn’t created by some cataclysmic event. In this book, it is perfectly normal to cause kids to be “lifted” and for people to adopt AI machines for their children. Not only is it normal, but it is also believable. Ishiguro also makes Klara, an AI, exhibit human qualities, prompting the reader to empathize with a non-human entity. The mother's frailty was believable and made me think about my own challenges as a mother.
Mary Devens. The Ferry, Concarneau, July 1904. The Minneapolis Institute of Art
ONCE UPON A RIVER BY DIANE SETTERFIELD
While regulars of an ancient inn by the Thames are swapping stories, a stranger steps inside carrying the lifeless body of a child. Later, the girl breathes, moves, and comes back to life. Is magic at work? Is it a miracle? Can science explain it? The possible answers are numerous, and some are dark and despairing. A wonderful tale blending folklore, science, magic, and myth. Thrilling, romantic, and richly detailed, the book draws you through realms both real and imagined towards a delightful ending.
I recently reread The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and finally decided to try reading one of her other books. At first, Once Upon a River was a little too eerie for me to read at night, so I began reading it during the day until I understood the story's creepy elements better. I greatly enjoyed this book as it had that cozy, elegant flow that Setterfield does so well, and I enjoy books that use different chapters to share different character storylines and perspectives. I despise books that are easy to predict, and thankfully, Once was not as predictable as I thought it would be. By the third act, I was completely drawn in and found the end far more satisfying than I had given the book credit for.
Frederick Stuart Church. The Black Orchid, 1907. Smithsonian American Art Museum
THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA
Carlota Moreau is a young woman raised on a secluded, lush estate, far from the conflict and upheaval of the Yucatán peninsula. She is the only child of either a brilliant mind or a madman. Montgomery Laughton is a sorrowful overseer with a tragic past and a fondness for alcohol, who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of grand haciendas and vast wealth. The hybrids are the products of the Doctor’s experiments, meant to obey their creator blindly and stay in the shadows—a diverse group of creatures that are part human, part animal.
I listened to The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and can attest that Gisela Chípe's narration is extraordinary. Her ability to maintain distinct male and female voices, as well as Mexican, French, and English accents, elevated the story. The book itself was interesting because the setting in the Yucatan was different from that in other books. I thought TDODM was good, but toward the middle and end of the book, it felt a bit soap-opera-ish. Carlota gives herself so freely to Eduardo, but then turns on him just as quickly. I do like SMG’s writing and will continue to read her books.
John Henry Twachtman. Icebound, c. 1889. The Art Institute of Chicago
ETHAN FROME BY EDITH WHARTON
Ethan Frome faces challenges with his unprofitable farm and tries to manage his difficult, suspicious, and hypochondriacal wife, Zeena. The arrival of Zeena's lively cousin, hired as a girl, sparks Ethan's fascination with her and the possibility of happiness. Themes of despair, forbidden desires, and sexual tension set within the bleak landscape of New England fill the pages of his classic novel.
I have wanted to read a book by Edith Wharton for a long time, but when I do, I hardly get started and then lose interest. I tried to read Ethan Frome again because it is fairly short (less than 200 pages) and the storyline intrigued me. I am working on a project in which, in a similar vein, the protagonist regrets a major life decision that affects his whole family. I listened to this book, and it was a good start to reading Wharton's works.
François-Louis Français. Shores of the Nile, 19th century. Harvard Art Museums
The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog by Elizabeth peters
Leaving their delightful but terribly precocious son, Ramses, back in England, Amelia and her husband Radcliffe Emerson are returning to the remote site where they first fell in love: Amarna, the holy city of Akhenaton and his beautiful queen, Nefertiti. But instead of a romantic trip to bring back some excitement to their marriage, they find their lives are in peril. An old enemy, cunning and elusive, desires to know the Emerson’s most guarded secret: navigation to an oasis, though to be lost and settled by a race of people ornamented with gold.
I think this is the third time I have read The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters. I first read the Amelia Peabody series in 2018, and I felt like I had stumbled into a diamond mine. I love the fusion of Egyptology, murder mystery, and period pieces, with a strong female protagonist at the forefront, beautifully intertwined. I listen to the books narrated by the brilliant Barbara Rosenblat, who distinguishes each character even as they age. It amazes me every time I listen to her that she is the only person narrating! This particular book is number seven out of twenty, and although it is not one of the top books from this series for me, it is still an enjoyable read, and I never tire of listening to the descriptions of the Egyptian sunset.
Other Books that I Read/Listened to:
THE GOLDEN TRESSES OF THE DEAD BY ALAN BRADLEY