Ms. Hen reviews Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Gail Honeyman

Viking

2017

Ms. Hen first became aware of this novel a few years ago while she was working in a doctor's office. A patient left this book in the waiting room, and Ms. Hen picked it up, read the back, and thought it sounded like something she would like to read. She wanted to take it home, but the patient called asking if the book was there. She said she would come back for it. Ms. Hen didn't know how long this person had to travel back for this book, but Ms. Hen thinks it's a book worth a trip back to the doctor's office.

She wanted to read the book, but she never got around to it until now. She found it at a Little Free Library near her house. When she learned about this novel, she thought it fell into the category of "sad woman books," and that's true, but that's not all it is.

This novel is about Eleanor Oliphant, a thirty-year-old woman who is alone in the world. She has a full-time job, but does not have any family or friends. Throughout the course of the novel, she makes friends, and tries to have a better life. She is a little bit touched, in a way that she is not exposed to a lot of society, and the way that people interact with each other. She becomes obsessed with a local musician, and drinks vodka by herself, and makes friends with one of her co-workers when they rescue a man who passed out on the sidewalk.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a typical woman's novel without the Cinderella ending, which she does not enjoy. It reminds her of novels by Elinor Lipman and Suzanne Strempek Shea that she has read and liked years ago. Ms. Hen has gotten away from reading women's fiction, because she thinks some of it is trite and tedious. But this novel is different.

This novel is a great example of first person narrative by an unreliable narrator. Eleanor is quirky to the extreme; since she is so isolated, she doesn't know how to handle herself in most situations. She thinks she is the butt of jokes at work, and she doesn't care about the ordinary aspects of life that most people do, such as Christmas parties or clothes. Ms. Hen was expecting that Eleanor imagines a part of her life, and she does. Ms. Hen feels sorry for Eleanor, but she knows that she will be okay.

This novel takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, and it took a few pages for Ms. Hen to figure that out. The characters call Eleanor "hen" sometimes, and Ms. Hen wasn't sure why. She did some research, and discovered that in Glasgow "hen" is slang for honey or sweetheart that people say in other places. Ms. Hen had never heard this before, but she likes it! She doesn't like when people call her honey, especially strangers, but she would like to go to Glasgow so people would call her hen.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a wonderful book to end her year. Eleanor Oliphant surprised her, because she didn't think she would like this book as much as she did. She laughed, and almost cried, but it was like reading about someone's tragic life that she would be acquainted with. She is glad she spend time getting to know Eleanor, because Ms. Hen likes quirky characters, since she considers herself one as well.

 

Ms. Hen reviews Noor

 

Noor

Nnedi Okofafor

Daw Books, Inc

2021

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she read about it in an article about science fiction for the holidays, so she decided to get it from her library. When she went to pick up the book, the library was closed for an election, but she went back on a day she did not have to go to the city to retrieve this book. She thinks it was worth the extra trip.

This novel is Africanfuturist, or science fiction about Africans or African Americans. Ms. Hen does not remember reading another book like this before. 

This is about a woman who calls herself AO, or Artificial Organism, who is mostly robotic. She was deformed when she was born, but her parents decided to have her augmented. When she was fourteen, she was in a car accident, and was injured further. She has two artificial legs, an artificial arm, lung, and neural implants.

The novel starts when AO is in the market in her town in Nigeria, buying items to make soup because she's depressed her boyfriend broke up with her. A man comes up to her and says, "What kind of woman are you?" And she goes berserk and kills the men around her. She leaves the city because she is afraid.

She meets a herdsman in the north named DNA who tells her a story of how part of his tribe was killed. They travel together to find out what happened. A company named Ultimate Corp, which Ms. Hen thinks is similar to another company that's around that starts with an "A", controls all of the commerce in Africa and beyond. AO finds out the secret of her origins and is angry. She finds she has power that she doesn't know she has.

This novel is many faceted. It's a female power novel, about a woman who has been wronged, but finds she has the strength to take control of her life. It's also about the prejudice against a woman who is mostly machine. AO can't help what she is, but people are afraid of her. It's also a love story, and about dysfunctional families. Mostly, it's an adventure tale.

This novel reminds Ms. Hen of THE ODYSSEY by Homer in the way that it's about a quest to find a place in the world. It's also similar to THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ because it's about traveling on a journey, and finding friends, and discovering a peaceful place in the middle of a maelstrom.

There are some chickens in this novel, which doesn't surprise Ms. Hen, because chickens spice everything up. There's a part when AO mentions hens, "Something similar happened again with hens last year. I'd been walking home with two friends, and we'd cut through someone's yard. There were five chickens there and they'd blocked my way to the point that my friends both started laughing." The hens knew that AO was special.

Ms. Hen thinks this is an important novel, and one that everyone should read, but she doesn't think that it is everyone's cup of tea. It's about a company that dominates commerce, and ruling people's lives, and one woman who suffers the consequences. It's also about taking power over your own life, and finding personal strength which is what AO does. 

Ms. Hen reviews The Fifth Child

 

The Fifth Child

Doris Lessing

Grafton Books

1989

Ms. Hen picked up this book at a Little Free Library near where she lives, because she had read another book that the author had written, THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK. She read the back of the book, and it seemed familiar to her, but she wasn't sure if she had read it. She decided to take it because she is running low on books to read.

This novel is about a couple who initially want to have a big family. They are old-fashioned for the Sixties, and they purchase a large house to fill it with children. They have four children, and every Christmas, Easter, and during summer, their family and friends come to visit, and have fun. Then their fifth child is born.

There's something wrong with Ben from the time he is in his mother's womb. He is born, and he's not like the other children. He's violent, and kills a cat and a dog, and the other children are afraid of him. The couple sends Ben away to an institution, but the mother goes to rescue him because she feels guilty. She thinks that Ben is like a goblin or a troll, but there is no explanation why he is this way.

Ms. Hen found it difficult to figure out the point of this book, even though she liked it. It's about a couple that wants to be happy, but their happiness is sidetracked by their unusual child. There might be a moral to the story, that you shouldn't want to be too happy because it's selfish, or that family life isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Ms. Hen thinks Ben might have been autistic, but that is not explained in the book.

Ms. Hen thought she had read this book before, but it reminded her of a book called THE TIME IS NOON by Pearl S. Buck, which she read many years ago. Even though Ms. Hen liked THE FIFTH CHILD, she thinks it's strange, and difficult to figure out. This book teaches that you can't always have what you want, and if you get what you want, you might realize that you didn't want it in the first place.

Ms. Hen reviews Waiting for the Barbarians

Waiting for the Barbarians

J. M. Coetzee

Penguin Books 

1980

Ms. Hen decided to read this book, because she had read it when she was an undergrad hen, and the last book she read reminded her of this. She had to read it twice when she was in college, and she did not remember loving the book, and even though it's brief, it's heavy. When she read it this time, she discovered she didn't remember it well.

This novel is about a Magistrate who lives in a village that is an outpost of a kingdom. He lives a comfortable life, until a barbarian girl comes into his acquaintance, and he invites her to his room. She has been beaten, and is mostly blind; her father was killed in front of her, and she has suffered. The Magistrate takes pity on her, and washes her feet, and pampers her in his room, but at first does not take her for his lover. There is much gossip about her staying in his room, but he ignores it, which ends up being to his detriment.

He decides the girl should be back with her people, so he travels with her and a group of men to take her home. They travel through the mountains in the springtime. The men who accompany them don't understand the purpose of their journey at first, but they find out. When they return to the village after returning the girl to her people, the Magistrate gets in trouble, and is sent to jail. He suffers because he wanted to do the right thing.

When Ms. Hen was in school, a lot of the students and the professor spent time trying to figure out where this novel takes place, because that is not stated in the text. They decided it could have been Asia, or Africa or North America, but Ms. Hen thought it was Afghanistan. She realizes after reading it again, that the setting is irrelevant, what is important is that it's a story about power, and men with power doing what they want to enjoy it, flaunt it, and keep it at all costs. Other men with power want to take power away from men with more power, and it is a vicious cycle.

This novel is also about love. It's about a man who loves a woman, and who would do anything to make her life better, and he pays the price for it. The Magistrate was a philanderer, but he loved the girl, and even though she most likely never knew, he sacrificed his career and his livelihood for his love.

Ms. Hen thinks this novel is a slow read, but it's worth it. The world can be dysfunctional, and it can seem to get worse as life goes on, but people have to learn how to do the right thing at any cost. This novel is like a brick in the throat, but that's the way life can be sometimes. 

Ms. Hen reviews A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns 

Khaled Hoseini

Riverhead Books

2007

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because she found it at a Little Free Library near where she lives, and she had heard of the author. It took her a long time to get around to reading this; she's not sure why, but when she read it, she was glad she finally did. It's worth waiting for.

This novel is about two women in Afghanistan, and thirty years that pass in that country. Mariam is a young girl who lives with her mother, and is an illegitimate child of a rich man. Her father comes to visit her every week, and gives them a little money. She abandons her mother one day to see her father, and her mother ends up committing suicide. Her father gives her away to a man who is in his forties who lives far away in Kabul. She is happy for a brief time, that ends when she does not have children.

Laila is a young girl who lives in the same neighborhood as Miriam, but initially they do not communicate. She has a friend, Tariq, with one leg, who she falls in love with. Her father used to be a teacher, and he teaches her to appreciate beauty and literature. Her family dies in a bombing, and she ends up homeless. Rasheed, Mariam's husband, finds her and takes her in, and asks her to marry him. She does not want to, but she is pregnant with Tariq's child, and she knows she won't be safe on her own. Mariam hates her at first, but they become friends.

Ms. Hen was horrified at the conditions in which these women live. They have no rights, and no education, and have no choices at all. Mariam makes the ultimate sacrifice with her life, which should not have happened. Ms. Hen doesn't remember the last time she burst out crying when she read a novel. This novel made her cry.

Ms. Hen could say, "I'm glad I don't live in Afghanistan," but that's not enough because there are people who live there, and they suffer. She doesn't understand how men can be such animals, but she knows that it's true. A little power can go to someone's head, and make them do crazy things.

Lots of chickens appear in this novel, which always pleases Ms. Hen. Laila and Mariam are at an orphanage to find someone to take care of Aziza, Laila's daughter, because they don't have enough money for food, when the man who runs the center says, " 'Ah, there, I've made you laugh little hamshira. That's usually the hard part. I was worried there for a while. I thought I'd have to cluck like a chicken or bray like a donkey. But, there you are. And so lovely you are.' " Laila is troubled that she has to put Aziza in an orphanage, but she finds a way to laugh.

Ms. Hen thinks this is an important novel because it portrays the friendship of two women in an unlikely situation. It comes to Mariam when she is about to die that her life has not been wasted because she loved Laila and Aziza, and that is where Ms. Hen got emotional. The world can be messed up, but if people find love, their lives are worthwhile. It can be any type of love. Ms. Hen loves this book, among other things, and she appreciates what she has.
 

Ms. Hen reviews Spindle Splintered

 Spindle Splintered

Alix E. Harrow

Tordotcom

2021

Ms. Hen decided to read this book because she read about it on her library's email newsletter about science fiction books. She got the book from the library; it took a little while for it to come when she ordered it, since it is so popular right now. She understands why there is a waiting list for this short book.

This novel is a reimagining of SLEEPING BEAUTY, the main character, Zinnia Gray, is a twenty-one year old woman with a fatal disease, and does not have long to live. She has been obsessed with SLEEPING BEAUTY since she was young, and she studied folklore in college. Her best friend, Charm, throws a birthday party for her in an abandoned prison tower, and Zin gets whisked away to a fairy tale land, after she pricks her finger on a spindle that Charm brought to the party.

Zin finds herself magically transported to the setting of SLEEPING BEAUTY, and she rescues Princess Primrose from having to marry the prince she isn't interested in. They go to the forest to find the fairy that cursed Primrose, and discover the truth about the curse. Zin and Primrose travel back to the castle, only to find they cannot end the curse. Zin comes up with a plan, and they might live happily ever after.

This is a SLEEPING BEAUTY story with many twists. It's very contemporary, and the characters are queer. Zin's friend Charm is gay, and Zin claims she leans toward that way a little. This novel takes SLEEPING BEAUTY and turns it on its head, there is the fear of death, and the desire for love, and the quest for love and justice. 

This novel is very short and Ms. Hen read it fast. It's a perfect book to cheer someone up, by letting them slip into a fairy tale world. This is a strange book, but that's okay, because Ms. Hen likes strange things. The stranger the better is what she says. She doesn't really say that, but she wishes she did.

Ms. Hen reviews The Bookshop

 

The Bookshop

Penelope Fitzgerald

HarperCollins

1978

Ms. Hen picked this book up at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She had read other books by this author, and she remembers enjoying them. She also liked the title, because she thinks it is intriguing.

This novel is about a woman who opens a bookshop in a town that doesn't want one. Hardborough is a seaside town in England, with not a lot happening; the town needs other businesses, but it does not need a bookshop. Florence struggles to keep her shop afloat. She hires a ten-year old girl as an assistant, and prominently displays the novel LOLITA, which she understand is a new classic. This novel takes place in 1959.

Ms. Gamart, one of the richest people in town, wants to buy the property that Florence bought for the bookshop, called The Old House, because she thinks it would be a wonderful arts centre. Florence does not want to sell her property and close the bookshop, even though business is flailing, and the building is haunted.

In this novel, the characters and situations are described in a very particular way. Everyone is strange, and the author portrays them that way. A small town is always full of quirky people, most of whom are somewhat provincial. The citizens don't want a bookshop because they don't want to read to enlighten themselves and broaden their horizons. An arts centre would most likely not be well received either, but the novel doesn't get that far.

The protagonist encounters a hen, "Florence put her hands lightly on the slumbering mass of feathers. The old fowl sunk into a soft tawny heap, scarcely opening her slit-like eyes. Her whole energy was absorbed in producing warmth. The basket itself throbbed with a slow and purposeful rhythm." The hen is broody, and is about to lay eggs. Florence lays a figurative egg with her bookshop, so she relates to the hen.

Ms. Hen enjoyed this novel. She read it very quickly, mostly on Thanksgiving Day. She is thankful that she has the whole weekend off for Thanksgiving including Friday, and she left work early on Wednesday. She is thankful that she has enough books to read, a job, and food to eat. Ms. Hen is thankful that she found this book, even though it is very sad. But sometimes life can be sad.

Ms. Hen reviews Set Me Free

 

Set Me Free

Ann Clare LeZotte

Scholastic Press

2021

Ms. Hen picked this book up at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She knew nothing about the book or the author, but she liked the cover, and she read the back, and it sounded interesting to her. She discovered that the author is Deaf, and Ms. Hen does not remember reading a novel by a Deaf author before. She's not sure why, but there aren't many Deaf authors.

This novel is a sequel to another one by the same author, entitled SHOW ME A SIGN. This book is a stand alone, and can be read without having read the previous one. SHOW ME A SIGN is about a man who kidnaps a Deaf girl, Mary Lambert, from Martha's vineyard in the early nineteenth century, and does experiments on her.

In SET ME FREE, Mary is still in the process of recovering from her ordeal. She wants to be a teacher, even though she is Deaf, and her teacher she had in school helps her. She lives on Martha's Vineyard in a deaf community. Lots of Deaf people were born on Martha's Vineyard, and an explanation why this occurs is not known. Mary receives a letter from her friend Nora, who is living in a house in Waltham as a maid, and Nora tells her that a young girl who is considered a savage lives in the house.

Nora thinks that the girl is deaf, and Mary could be her teacher. Mary gains employment, and she travels to the house. The girl is chained to a bed, and the servants treat her like an animal; she lives in her filth, and does not know how to communicate with anyone other than grunting. Mary becomes frustrated, but she tries to help the girl, and to teach her to use sign language. The household participates in the girl's captivity.

When Ms. Hen read this, she immediately thought of the story of Helen Keller, THE MIRACLE WORKER, and how her teacher had to tame Helen when she was young in order to teach her. This book was inspired by that. Ms. Hen also was reminded of JANE EYRE, with the madwoman locked in the attic. This novel is like a combination of those two novels.

Ms. Hen isn't sure if she liked this novel. She understand that it's a children's book, even though adult problems are discussed. She thinks the voice of the narrative might be stilted, and she imagines it might be because the author was trying to write in the style of the early nineteenth century, but she also imagines that a Deaf author has a difficult time finding musicality in language. Ms. Hen likes to listen to the music in words, and she believes that a Deaf author might have a hard time with that. She doesn't think there's anything wrong with writing as a Deaf person, but Ms. Hen was cognizant of this as she read.

Ms. Hen doesn't think this novel is bad, but it's not the best book she has read lately. She did find the story interesting, and she read it fast. She doesn't think she'll read the first book, but she knows it's out there somewhere. Ms. Hen thinks that some people would love this book, but she's not the one.

Ms. Hen reviews Toastmasters

 Toastmasters 

https://www.toastmasters.org/

Many years ago, someone suggested to Ms. Hen that she join Toastmasters to help get over her fear of public speaking. She had never heard of the organization, but she learned about it, and joined a club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at MIT, to help her when she finished graduate school. She didn't last long at the club at MIT, because she was still afraid of public speaking, and the other people in the club were incredibly talented public speakers, and she was a little intimidated. 

Years later, she started working at Massachusetts General Hospital, and she decided to join the Toastmasters club there, because she wanted to learn to be a better public speaker to help her writing career. She became more consistent going to this club, and she was offered to take over an officer role when someone dropped out. She said yes, and she has helped the club since.

A lot of people don't know how to explain Toastmasters, and some might think it's a cult, or it's for people who have social anxiety, but it's not. The purpose of Toastmasters is to help people become better communicators and leaders. There are prepared speeches at every meeting, that are usually five to seven minutes long. There is also a Table Topics section that helps with impromptu speaking. Members can take different roles at a meeting such as the Toastmaster, who runs the meeting, the Grammarian, who comes up with a Word of the Day, that people are encouraged to use, and who also keeps track of filler words such as um and uh, and a Timer who keeps track of the time of everyone's speeches and the meeting. And of course, there are the evaluators who critique the speeches, which is important, because people want feedback.

Ms. Hen was discouraged when her Toastmasters club had to have meetings on Zoom last year. She didn't think doing a speech on a computer had the same effect as in person. She initially thought there would be something lost, but people can learn how to speak effectively on Zoom, and meetings are run the same way.

Ms. Hen decided to do a speech for Toastmasters last year about Amelia Earhart, in costume, and in character, because she has had the costume for a long time. The members of her club were so impressed, that she was encouraged to do a series of speeches on the same subject. This gave Ms. Hen something on which to focus her attention during the dark days of the Covid pandemic, and it brought her joy, and she made herself laugh. She learned a lot about Amelia Earhart, and found her way back to being a performer again.

The President and the Vice-President of Education were so impressed by her speeches about Amelia Earhart, and her also her work as Vice-President of Public Relations, that she was encouraged to become the President of Toastmasters General. At first, Ms. Hen was reluctant, because she never thought of herself as very presidential, but she said yes, and she is the current president. She was given the gavel to preside over meetings by the last President, and the club is running well.

A lot of members have other things happening in their lives, because most people work at the hospital, and are stressed out, since the world is strange right now. Ms. Hen benefits from Toastmasters, and it has helped her to be a better communicator and leader. Ms. Hen knows that Toastmasters can change people's lives, but it's a process and it takes work, like most things that are worthwhile. She is a hen who is willing to work to be better at what she does, and Toastmasters helps her on her journey.

Ms. Hen reviews The Humans

 

The Humans

Matt Haig

Simon & Schuster

2013

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she saw it at a Little Free Library near where she lives, and she grabbed it. She read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by the same author earlier this year, and she loved it. She loved this book, too.

THE HUMANS is about an alien who comes down to Earth, and takes over the body of a mathematician, Professor Andrew Martin, because this person solved the Reimann problem, which is about the pattern in prime numbers. The alien is sent to earth to stop Andrew from publicizing his findings, because the society from which he comes believes that if Earth has this answer, they will enter into a new age, and the Universe is not ready for that.

The alien in Andrew's body is sent to Earth to kill the people that know about his discovery. But the alien is fascinated by the imperfections and messiness of humanity, he finds that music, poetry and peanut butter sandwiches are things humanity should be proud of. The alien comes from a planet where there is no strife, pain or death, and everything that exists is perfect because of mathematics. He calls TV The War and Money show, because that's what he believes is the highlight of the news. He learns about love, however, and that changes his mind about humans.

Ms. Hen is fascinated by this character. He comes from a world completely different from Earth, and he doesn't come in a ship. She thinks this is more of a novel about philosophy than science fiction. She thinks this is an important book because it looks at humans as if from an outside point of view, what would aliens think of Earth? This is an honest depiction of what an outsider would think.

Ms. Hen loves the description of the alien's home planet. Ms. Hen has been watching a lot of STAR TREK lately, and the description of this planet is the opposite of anything on STAR TREK. In this novel, the beings live in peace, and they don't have to worry about anything. In STAR TREK, the universe is full of humanoids who fight with each other like humans fight on Earth. If the aliens in this novel absorbed STAR TREK, they would think it's ridiculous that humans believe that the universe is full of creatures like them.

The alien does not eat meat, and is disgusted when his wife is making a stir fry with chicken, "The breast of a chicken. The breast of a chicken. 'That looks like meat,' I said. 'I'm going to make a stir fry.' 'With that?' 'Yes.' 'The breast of a chicken.' 'Yes, Andrew, are you a vegetarian now?' The alien could not bring himself to eat meat, and Ms. Hen admires this.

This is a novel that could change the way humans see themselves. Ms. Hen doesn't think that this book could be a film, but it's possible. Anything is possible, including aliens living amongst us, watching us, and judging us, and possibly falling in love with humanity, imperfect as it is.

Ms. Hen reviews Passing

 

Passing

Directed by Rebecca Hall

2021

Ms. Hen decided to watch this film because she saw the preview, and she thought it looked interesting. She was mesmerized by the artistry of the film, and the visual aspects of the film were lush, and they drew her in. But that's not what the film means to do. It's about a woman who becomes reacquainted with an old friend who is passing as white.

The film takes places in the 1920s in New York. Irene is shopping and is passing as white uptown in New York. She goes to a hotel, and she runs into a friend from her youth and her husband, who is white. The women go to Clare's hotel room, and she shares with Irene that her husband doesn't know she's Black. Irene, horrified and disgusted when she meets Clare's husband; he insults her without knowing.

Clare comes back into Irene (or Rene's) life. Rene has a respectable position as a doctor's wife in Harlem. She thinks it's dangerous for Clare to come to visit her, but Clare says she wants to be around people like her again. Tension mounts, and Rene and Clare don't see eye to eye on some matters.

This is a film that doesn't answer any questions, it just asks them. The questions it asks are, is it okay for a Black person to pass as white? Do they need to? Would their lives be better because society sees them as white? Why does Clare think she needs to pass to get by in the world? This film took place one hundred years ago, and the questions people ask are different now, and the way Black people move in the world is different. There is no answer to these questions, but society is still dysfunctional, though great strides have been made.

Ms. Hen thought PASSING was beautifully made, the filming and the costumes and the lighting made her feel like she was in the 1920s. People moved differently then, and the actors captured that. 

Ms. Hen also enjoyed that Rene mentioned that the family was having chicken for dinner. She told the housekeeper to "save the chicken for tomorrow," because she bought yams. Ms. Hen likes chicken and yams alike.

This is an important film, and Ms. Hen thinks that it will be nominated for several awards. It's an escape to a time that doesn't exist anymore, thank goodness, but we're not finished yet, and Ms. Hen knows we still have more work to do.

Ms. Hen reviews The Cat Who Saved Books

The Cat Who Saved Books

Soske Natsukawa

HarperVia

2021

Translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai

Ms. Hen happened to find this book at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She read the back, and when she realized that it is translated from Japanese, and it about a talking cat, she knew she was meant to read this, and she took the book home. She didn't realize at first that the book is an uncorrected proof, and it is not available in bookstores yet. She isn't sure who would put a book like this for anyone to take, but she's happy this person did.

This novel is like a children's book, or a fairy tale. It's about a teenage boy named Rintaro whose grandfather dies suddenly. His grandfather owned a bookstore, and Rintaro spent all his time with his grandfather there. Rintaro gets depressed after his grandfather dies, and is visited by a cat who talks, who tells the boy that they have to save books. 

They go on adventures through the wall in the bookstore that only appears when the cat is there. They save books from being destroyed or abused in different ways. Sometimes the cat and Rintaro are joined by Sayo, his class rep who brings him his homework because he is not going to school. The cats saves books, but also saves Rintaro.

This book reminds Ms. Hen of Haruki Murakami in the way that it is strange, and a talking cat appears. The story is very simple, and is like a quest story, such as THE WIZARD OF OZ, or THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. Ms. Hen is not sure if this is meant for young adults, but she thinks it could be read by anyone.

This novel is about the love of books, and why they should be saved. Rinato explains to the woman he meets in the empty bookstore, " 'I think the power of books is that - they teach us to care about others. It's a power that gives people courage and also supports them in turn.' " Ms. Hen has known this fact for a long time.

Ms. Hen enjoyed this book, but she thinks it might not be for everyone. It's a little preachy, and is meant to teach readers the importance of books. Ms. Hen is not a hen that needs to be taught this, for she knows this is true.

 

Ms. Hen reviews Song of Achilles

 

Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller

Harper Collins

2012

Ms. Hen decided to read this book, because she was chatting with her hen coworker, and Ms. Hen told her she had read another book by this author, CIRCE. Ms. Hen's hen coworker lent her the book, and they talked about it a little bit when she started it. They both agreed that the beginning was slow, but then it gets juicy.

This novel is about Patroclus, a companion of Achilles. Patroclus is an odd child when he is young, whose mother is simple, and his father sends him into exile when he accidentally kills a boy because the boy wanted to steal his dice. Patroclus is sent to the home of Peleus, who adopted boys in order to build his army. Patroclus befriends Achilles, and they become companions. The boys are sent to stay with the Centaur Chiron in the forest where they are supposed to learn fighting and medicine. 

Achilles is fated to be the greatest warrior of his generation, "The Best of the Greeks." Patroclus and he become lovers while they stay with Chiron. Achilles' mother, Thetis, does not like Patroclus. She thinks he is a danger to her son. The boys eventually go to fight in Troy to bring back the beautiful Helen to her husband. The war goes on for ten years. Achilles is a fierce warrior and nobody can beat him. Patroclus stands by him until the end.

Ms. Hen does not know that much about Greek mythology, but she did some research about Patroclus. He is a lesser known figure, some experts say that he and Achilles weren't lovers, but some newer scholars disagree. Ms. Hen thinks that Patroclus is similar to Circe, in the way that they are not as prominent, but are important in their own right.

Ms. Hen found her mind wandering while she read parts of this novel, especially at the beginning. She wondered why it took Patroclus so long to find his way to medicine while the soldiers were at Troy; she thinks he should have been working as a healer the whole time. The book did not describe in depth Chiron's surgery lessons with Patroclus and Achilles, they were more implied.

Ms. Hen thinks that Patroclus and Achilles were good people, and they wanted to do the right thing. Ms. Hen doesn't know how scholars would interpret this story, but stories are just that, stories, they can be passed down through the generations, and they can change, and become something entirely different from what they started out to be.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a lovely novel about two men who are heroes, who were in love. They fought against their enemies, even though some of the enemies were on the same side. Sometimes, people have to learn who they should trust, and it's not always obvious. Love should be able to solve everything, but it doesn't always happen that way. 

Ms. Hen reviews Rebecca

 

Rebecca 

Daphne Du Murier

Harper Collins    

1938

Ms. Hen chose to read this book, because she read recently it is a Halloween book, and she was reminded of how much she liked it. She read REBECCA years ago when she was young, and when she read it again this time, she was impressed that she could read it when she was a child. She saw the original film many years ago as well.

When Ms. Hen started to read REBECCA again, she had a feeling of deja vu. She thought it might have been because she read it before, but as she was reading, she felt as if she had lived the story before. Ms. Hen thought this was spooky.

This novel is about a young woman, who remains nameless, staying in the South of France, working as a companion to an older woman. Her employer recognizes Maxim de Winter, who lives in a grand house called Manderley, and whose wife has died, and invites him to have coffee with them. The young woman is embarrassed at first, but she becomes friends with Maxim when her employer becomes sick. The protagonist falls in love with Maxim, and they get married and leave first for their honeymoon it Italy, and then to Manderley.

They arrive at Manderley, and the young woman is immediately in awe of the house. She realizes she lives in Rebecca's shadow, Maxim's first wife who has drowned near the house. Our character thinks that everyone is looking at her and thinking that she is a pale comparison to Rebecca. She thinks Maxim is still in love with Rebecca. Ms. Danvers, who considers Rebecca the lady of the house, insults and intimidates his new wife. The new Mrs. de Winter does what she can to endure. The mystery of Rebecca's death unfolds, and our protagonist learns the truth of her husband's first marriage and grows from that knowledge.

Ms. Hen thought this was a long novel, but she found she could not put it down. The plot is gripping, the characters are well drawn, everything about the book is as it should be. Ms. Hen learned that REBECCA won an Anthony Award for the Best Novel of the Century. The Anthony Awards are for crime novels. Ms. Hen thinks REBECCA deserved that award. 

There's something about reading a scary book on a rainy, dark day. There were many of those days last week where Ms. Hen lives, so she enjoyed reading this. Today is Halloween, and Ms. Hen is excited to experience the goblins and ghouls and ghosts that might come to visit her. She has her costume, and is ready for the darkness. Happy Halloween from Ms. Hen!

Ms. Hen reviews The Lights of Prague

The Lights of Prague

Nicole Jarvis

Titan Books

2021

Ms. Hen decided to read this book, because she saw it at a bookstore, and liked the cover. She admired the bats flying around in the picture, and even though she bought it in the summer, she decided to save the book until Halloween season when she thought she would enjoy it more.

This novel is about vampires in Prague, called pijavice. A group of lamplighters defend the streets at night from the creatures of the dark. Domek Myska, a lamplighter, works to defend the citizens of Prague from the demons. He finds a wisp, or a creature in a bottle, with ultimate power, and Domek tries to utilize that power for good. 

Domek is acquainted with Ora, a wealthy lady who has secrets. He discovers that she is a pijavica. He get angry she didn't tell him. Domek doesn't know at first that Lady Ora does not want to hurt anyone, only drinks animal blood, and is older than most pijavica in Prague. Together they fight the evil ones, who have the ability to walk in the daylight, and want to take over the city.

Ms. Hen enjoyed the setting of this novel. She liked that it is set right at the end of the nineteenth century, and she could see, hear, and smell the way Prague existed at that time. She could imagine the cobblestone streets, the smell of the rain, and the lamplighters lighting the lamps for the city.

Ms. Hen thought this novel would be scarier, but she found that it wasn't. It is a novel of place and characters. Action happens in this book, but Ms. Hen didn't think that was the most dramatic part. She is fascinated by Ora and Domek, and the society in which they live. She loves the magic, but she wasn't scared by the vampires, but she found them interesting  

This is a nice vampire novel, if there can be such a thing. Ms. Hen thinks that some books are scarier than others, and she does not know what the intent of this book is supposed to be, but she believes that it is a historical novel, with some thriller aspects, and a touch of romance.

Ms. Hen would like to go to Prague someday, and she would like to see the buildings that are described in this novel. She would love to be scared a little more, but real life has been scary lately, so Ms. Hen accepts that. Gas lamps shine in a neighborhood where Ms. Hen wanders around sometimes, and she will think of this novel when she sees the lamps lit up there again.

Gas Lamps, Beacon Hill

 

Ms. Hen reviews Night of the Mannequins

 

Night of the Mannequins

Stephen Graham Jones

Tor.com Books

2020

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she wanted to read a Halloween book that she had never read before. She read about the book, and was interested in a killer mannequin. She loves horror movies and books, but she has to be in the right mood.

The novel is about a group of friends who found a mannequin a couple of years before the present time, and they had dressed it up, and had fun with it. The friends forgot about the mannequin. They decide to play a joke on Shanna, who works at a movie theater. Sawyer and the others put the mannequin in the front row, and they meant to scare the people that work there. But the prank doesn't turn out the way they plan.

Sawyer gets upset when Shanna is killed with her family. He thinks Manny, the mannequin did it, and Sawyer decides to kill his friends to protect their families. He kills Tim, and Danielle with her boyfriend Steve, and JR. This is where the book gets strange.

Ms. Hen was expecting a book about a killer mannequin that goes on a spree, murdering the town. But the story didn't turn out that way. It's about Sawyer killing his friends, and even though it's funny, it's a very, very dark type of humor. Ms. Hen prepared herself for it. This book might not be for everyone, but Ms. Hen appreciates dark humor when it's done well.

Sawyer is a strange character, and he has ideas that Manny is stealing things, " ' Mim lost a whole chicken,' my mom said then, like the most delicious neighborhood gossip, and I kind of heard it on delay, clawing up out of my own head, back to the dinner table." Ms. Hen likes that Sawyer thinks that Manny stole the chicken. Ms. Hen doesn't think mannequins eat chickens, but she does think that Sawyer imagines things.

This novel is great to read during Halloween. Even though it's not as scary as Ms. Hen would have liked, it's gross and bloody, which is almost as good. Ms. Hen enjoys some humor blended with her blood and guts, she thinks it's important to laugh as much as we can, because life is hard enough, and if we don't laugh, we could end up crying.

Ms. Hen reviews No Gods, No Monsters

 

No Gods, No Monsters

Cadwell Turnbull

Blackstone Publishing

2021

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she read THE LESSON by the same author a couple of years ago and loved it. She was haunted by the stories of aliens landing in the Virgin Islands, and she was curious to see what the next tale by this author would bring. She was not disappointed. The combination of politics and sci-fi merges well as in the previous novel.

This novel is about monsters, in various forms, in different locations. A rift occurs when they are revealed. Laina, who lives with her husband, Ridley, discovers her brother, Lincoln, has been murdered. She receives a video that shows her brother being shot, and he turns into an animal when he dies. After this happens, Laina is visited by Rebecca, who says she was a friend of Lincoln's. The video gets sent to the news, and everyone finds out about the monsters that dwell beside us.

A man who teaches about bees searches out a secret society, and regrets it. Another man in St. Thomas possesses the ability to go to other dimensions where his brother still lives. Packs of wolves prowl the streets. A protest occurs in Boston, demanding monster rights, which goes wrong. A young boy desires to be good, to right the wrongs he has done. 

This novel is about prejudice of different types, about people who are not like us, and creatures who are not people, those who possess magic. The protest at the end of the novel is similar to the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred in Boston not long ago. Ms. Hen was near the protests when they happened, but none of them were as dangerous as this. This is an important commentary about what prejudice and racism can do to a society. If there are monsters, of course people would be afraid. If anything is different, people could be scared. But it's necessary to fight the fear of difference, and embrace those who are not like us, even magical creatures.

Ms. Hen admires this novel, but it seems like too many characters live inside these pages, and sometimes it's difficult to keep track of who's who. We jump from the Boston area, to Virginia, to St. Thomas, and places where the monsters live. Ms. Hen thinks it would be best to try to read this fast, to keep track of the characters. Ms. Hen admires the diversity of the characters, and thinks more can be said about them. She understand this novel is going to be a series of books, and she's excited to read the next one.

Ms. Hen loves Halloween, and thinks this is a wonderful Halloween book to add to her favorites. It's scary enough, with monsters and excitement and danger. She likes werewolves and people who perform magic. Halloween is special to Ms. Hen, and she tries to unearth new Halloween books every year, and this year's crop is turning up as spicy as she'd hoped... 

Ms. Hen reviews Daddy

 

Daddy

Emma Cline

Random House 

2020

Ms. Hen decided to read this collection of short stories because she saw a photo of it along with another book she liked, MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION, and she had read that book and liked it, and learned this is similar. Both books are about characters on the edge, people who live in the dregs of society, those who are not quite right. Ms. Hen likes to read about characters who are messed up in some way, because it makes her feel better about her life (sometimes.) 

These stories are about characters who are twisted, and all of them have to do with fathers in one way or another. The first story, "What You Can Do with a General," is about a family getting together for Christmas, and the chaos that ensues. The story "Los Angeles," is about a young woman trying to become an actress, who decides to sell her underwear to men for extra cash, and the thrill of doing so. A young woman hides from the press after having an affair with an actor she was working for in "The Nanny."

"Northeast Regional," is a story of a man who is going to pick up his son in boarding school after the boy performs an act of violence. "Marion," is about two tween girls who take naked pictures of each other, and destroy their friendship. "A/S/L" is about two women in rehab, and their dysfunctonal situations.

Ms. Hen thinks the characters in these stories are bad, and have no redeeming qualities. She wonders what it's like to be so bad. She enjoys reading about characters like this because she doesn't think she could ever be this way. Good people are not interesting in fiction; it's the evil ones that spice things up. Not all these characters are evil, but some of them have their own agenda, and will not change.

Some chickens appear in one of the stories. In "Arcadia," a couple lives on a farm with the woman's brother. She goes to junior college, and is pregnant, "Hedy had taken his car to school, so Peter drove Otto's truck out to the trailers, the passenger seat full of cartons of eggs from the chickens." Peter is giving eggs to the workers on the farm, as a gesture of goodwill, or of appeasement. They have extra eggs.

Ms. Hen likes to read books that make her cringe sometimes, because life isn't always beautiful. People can be screwed up, but they have the option of changing, but at times they can't. Ms. Hen would like to change and become a better hen. She's not like the misfits in these stories, or so she likes to think. Some people might think otherwise, but Ms. Hen knows the truth.

Ms. Hen reviews Constance

Constance

Matthew Fitzsimmons

Planetarium Station, Inc.

2021

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because it was recommended to her. This is exactly the type of book she likes to read right now. Her taste varies, but now she is into speculative fiction about the near future.

This novel is a little different from other science fiction novels. It's sci-fi, but it's a mystery at the same time. Constance D'Arcy, or Con, is a clone that is attempting to solve her own murder. Con wakes up to find that her clone has been activated, and she has an eighteen month lag, meaning the original Con had not gone is for a refresh for that long, a refresh, meaning a consciousness upload. People who have clones have to go in to get their refresh, in case their clone is activated, they will have most of the same memories as the original.

Con wakes up, and she discovers that she should not have been activated, and people from the lab are after her. She escapes, but she struggles to find out what happened to her. She discovers that she had gotten married in the time she does not remember, and she was missing from Virginia. She goes to find herself, and is shocked by what happens.

This novel has excellent world building. It takes place in the year 2038, which is not too far in the future. Ms. Hen likes to think about what the world will be like in 17 years, but she can't imagine what will happen. Con had been in a band, and her boyfriend had been driving them around in a self-drive car, which means, the passenger drives it themselves, and they got into an accident. Older people like to cling to the old ways, like they do now. Humans can be resistant to change, and that aspect of human nature will not change soon. Even younger people want to stick with things from the past sometimes, because the future and the idea of change can be frightening.

This novel isn't like any other novel Ms. Hen has read. It's a sci-fi novel, and a mystery, and it has some legal shades, about a case about whether a clone is a real person. This novel is also about prejudice, and they way some people treat clones is unpleasant. Is a clone a person? Do they have rights and feelings? Are they like any other human? These questions might have to be answered in the near future.

Ms. Hen read this novel quickly because it was so good. She loved living in this world, with Con, the badass clone. This is also an adventure novel, and Ms. Hen felt herself gripping the book to find out what happened. She adores this book, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn what the future might be like, and anyone who wants to think about other types of life, such as clones, and how they might be able to exist in the world alongside humans.

 

Ms. Hen reviews An Artist of the Floating World

 

An Artist of the Floating World

Kazuo Ishiguro

Vintage International

1986

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because she read another novel by this author this year, KLARA AND THE SUN, and she really enjoyed that one. This book was nothing like the science fiction novel about a robot. This is a realistic novel about an artist in Japan around the time of World War II.

This novel is about an artist, Masuji Ono, his life, work, and family. In the present time, it is right after World War II, and he lives in a big house that used to be beautiful before the war, but is now shabby. His daughter Setsuko comes to visit with her son, and his other daughter Noriko, lives with him, and wants to get married.

In his working life, he had been an artist, and he worked with different teachers. One of his teachers taught him he should only depict art of the "floating world," the night life, and geishas, and men having fun. Ono didn't want to just create art like that, he wanted to do works that had political implication. He paid the price for this after the war when he was blamed for partly bringing the country to ruins.

This novel is written in a slow and quiet style. When it came to the part about the mentor telling of the need to paint the "floating world," Ms. Hen paid attention. She thinks this is interesting because not all artists think in the same way. Some people want to create work that is politically important, but others want to show the fun side of the world. There's no right or wrong answer, but Ono wanted to create art that's important, even though people he knew might have thought he should not have.

One aspect of this novel that Ms. Hen thinks is well-written is the depiction of Ono's grandson, Ichiro. The child is just like a real child, squirmy and indecisive, erratic and unpredictable. Children are not easy to write, possibly because they are so strange, but the author does an excellent job.

Ms. Hen liked this novel. She thinks that these characters are unique to this time period, and Japan in the past is a fascinating place. The country was on the verge of change, and anything that's changing fast is worth learning about. The Japanese might not have like the way the country was changing, but they couldn't stop it. Change can be beautiful, but terrifying at the same time. 

Ms. Hen reviews The Space Between Worlds

 

The Space Between Worlds

Micaiah Johnson

Del Ray

2020

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel, because she read about it, and she thought it sounded fascinating. She is always compelled to read new science fiction, and this book did not disappoint. She dived into the universe where interdimensional travel is possible.

This novel is about Caramenta, a young Black woman who lives on the outskirts in a place called the Rurals, who is recruited to be a traverser, since on most of the other worlds, her dop, or doppelganger, is dead. Only the minorities are hired to do this work, since most of them are dead on the other worlds. A twist occurs, and Caramenta dies, but she carries on. 

She runs into all the people that she knew on other worlds, including her sister, Esther, her boyfriend Nik Nik, and his brother Adam, who is dead on her world, or Earth Zero. Caramenta gets into trouble: when she traverses back to Earth Zero, she acquires stripes on her face, markings that she had a difficult traverse. Dell, Cara's immediate boss, is an upperclass Wileyite, that Cara has a crush on, and flirts with incessantly, but Cara doesn't know how Dell really feels. 

This novel is a style of science fiction about travel between dimensions. Ms. Hen read an amazing novel a couple of years ago called FAMOUS MEN WHO NEVER LIVED, and this novel reminds Ms. Hen of that one a lot. It's smart and complicated and passionate, just like this one.

One aspect that Ms. Hen found striking about this is that the protagonist is a Black queer woman. This is different for science fiction, because traditionally the genre is full of white men. Ms. Hen thinks it's exciting that new voices in science fiction are emerging, and the future that's being written about now is full of people who are realistic, and not simply who the white male writers want them or expect them to be.

Ms. Hen found that this novel is meant to be read in long stretches. She had to sit down and read for a long time in order to situate herself in the world in which the novel takes place. It's a different world, a violent one, full of dangers, but also full of hope, since all the other worlds exist, there could be one where you find yourself having a wonderful life. Ms. Hen likes the idea of different dimensions where she has another life, and has spent time thinking about what could have happened to her. On another world, what kind of hen would Ms. Hen be?

Ms. Hen reviews Apeirogon

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel, because she had read about it, and she thought it sounded interesting. She always wants to learn something new about a different culture, and she understood this novel is about Israel and Palestine, and the conflict. It's about that, but it's also about people, families, history, and nature.

This novel is written in vignettes, or micro fiction, and it is written very well. Each burst of writing adds to the story of two men, Rami, an Israeli, and Bassam, a Palestinian. Both men have lost young daughters in the conflict. Rami's daughter was killed when she was fourteen by a suicide bomber, and Bassam's daughter when she was ten outside her school by an Israeli soldier, while there was a conflict somewhere else; he shot without thinking.

The two men become friends, and travel around the world talking to groups of people about peace. The novel also intersperses bits about the history of the conflict, with the Holocaust, and birds that migrate to Israel and Palestine, and other characters in history. The word "Apeirogon," means many sided object, and this novel is indeed one of those, because it keeps turning and turning, and it becomes another section of the story every few pages.

Ms. Hen thinks this novel is emotional, and it is not for weak people. But she thinks the writing is some of the most beautiful she has read recently; the prose sings on the page, and even though the subject matter is depressing, the novel uplifts.

The novel starts describing one subject, then it stays on that subject for a while. It's almost like the book has a type of ADHD, it bounces around from different narrative to the main narrative, and back again. It's difficult to follow, if you're not a hen that can pay attention.

Ms. Hen likes the birds in this novel; even though there weren't any chickens or hen, she enjoys the descriptions of the various types of birds that migrate around Israel and Palestine.

Ms. Hen intensely enjoyed this novel. She thinks the novel captures the subject so well, and it describes the conflict with compassionate details. Ms. Hen took a long time to read this novel because it's dense, and she thinks it's meant to be read slowly, and digested. She recommends this to anyone who loves good writing, and also to people interested in this subject.

Ms. Hen reviews Jo's Boys

Ms. Hen breaks one of Mrs Jo's rules 

 

Jo's Boys

Louisa May Alcott

Roberts Brothers

1886

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she found it at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She had read other books by Ms. Alcott, and enjoyed them. She didn't realize that when she started reading this book, that she had not read LITTLE MEN, and that is the second book, and this is the third in the LITTLE WOMEN series.

This novel follows the characters in the college that Jo and her husband founded with the help of Laurie's donation. The three sisters, Jo, Amy and Meg, work in the college and help the young people to find their way in the world. They all have children, and there are lots of characters in this book. There are so many that Ms. Hen got a little confused at first, but each chapter focuses on one or two characters, and she got them straight by the end.

Jo and her sisters like to preach morals to the young people, especially the boys. Ms. Hen found this kind of superior talking down to people a little annoying. She understand that Jo wants to teach the boys and girls right from wrong, but Ms. Hen doesn't think those morals transfer to to this day and age. She thinks this book is a little old-fashioned and stuffy, and is acceptable for children, but not adults. She did not feel that way when she read LITTLE WOMEN, however, and she does not like to read about people being taught morals, because they are a gray area.

Ms. Hen found herself very distracted while she was reading this book, because she has things going on in her life, and she found the book a little boring. She needs to find something exciting to read to catch her attention, and this is not the book to do that.

Ms. Hen did not like this novel as much as others by Louisa May Alcott. Ms. Hen understands this is one of the last books she published in her life, and she thinks Louisa may have gotten a little "high and mighty" in her advanced age. Nevertheless, it's a good book for children, but not grown children.

Ms. Hen reviews Fever Dream

 

Fever Dream

Samantha Schweblin

Riverhead Books

2014

Translated from the Spanish by Megan McDowell, 2017

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because it was recommended to her. She had recently read a book by the same name, but she believes it was recommended to her because she read TENDER IS THE FLESH, which is a horror novel translated from Spanish.

This novel is like a long short story. It's about a woman named Amanda who is on vacation, and meets a woman named Carla. Amanda is afraid something will happen to her daughter, Nina. Carla tells Amanda a story about her son David, and how he got sick the same way one of the horses that was on their property got sick. Carla tells Amanda about the horrible things that David did after he got infected. Amanda speaks with David simultaneously while she is talking with Carla. This book is creepy, because even though it takes place in a summer vacation town, Ms. Hen got the feeling that something horrible was going to happen, and it did.

This book is a very quick read, but Ms. Hen found herself distracted while she was reading it. Not because it isn't good, but because she had other things on her mind, and she couldn't concentrate. She didn't find that she was scared reading this, even though she should have been. Sometimes she find novels and stories about motherhood tiresome, because she cannot relate to this. Amanda is obsessed with keeping her child safe, and Ms. Hen is not interested or compelled by this subject or this state of mind.

Ms. Hen thinks that this book should be read all at once, in one gulp. She did not read it like this, and she regrets it. She thinks it would be a good book to read if you are a mother and are scared that your children would be hurt, because it would be more frightening than it was to Ms. Hen.

Ms. Hen reviews The Implacable Order of Things

The Implacable Order of Things

Jose Luis Peixoto

Anchor Books

2000

Translated from the Portuguese by Richard Zenith, 2007

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because she found it in a used bookstore, and she liked the title. She had been curious about the word implacable, and what it means. It means relentless, or unstoppable, but is usually used in a negative way.

This novel is about a village where strange things happen. A giant rapes a woman, and she becomes pregnant, has an abortion, and the entire town talks about how she was the one that had an abortion. A shepherd is mocked by the giant. The Devil works in a store, and is around the village, and performs the wedding ceremonies. A pair of conjoined twins at the pinky live there, and one of them gets married to the cook, and she makes them artistic meals, which they cannot afford.

This novel reminds Ms. Hen of a lot of other books she has read, especially Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It has a subtle kind of magic realism, one that seems like it could be real. Ms. Hen couldn't help but be amazed by the ordinary way in which amazing events occurred in this novel.

Even though she likes this novel, she thinks it is very sad. The ending didn't make her cry, but if she was having a bad day, it would make her upset. It says in the book, "I think: perhaps suffering is tossed by handfuls over the multitudes, with most of it falling on some people and little or none on others." Ms. Hen thinks that this is a true statement. Some people get all the pain, while others don't seem to suffer at all.

A lot of chickens appear in this novel, which makes Ms. Hen happy. She has noticed that chickens are in a lot in novels about rural areas. Some were here, "It was Saturday, no one would dare say it, but the sun was gentle, the chickens walked more briskly in the street, the pigeons made wider circles in the sky." In this scene, everything was calm, but there is a premonition of the doom to come.

Ms. Hen enjoyed this novel. It is beautifully written, but she thinks it should not be read when one is very sad. It is also a pleasant book to read in the summer, since it is summer throughout the book, and the characters discuss how hot they are. It could be read sitting on a bench under a tree, next to a river with geese and swans and ducks in view.

 

Ms. Hen reviews Midsummer's Mayhem

 

Midsummer's Mayhem

Rajani LaRoccca

Yellow Jacket

2019

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she saw the author talk on a Ted Talk for the hospital where Ms. Hen works. The author talked about how weird she is, and how she embraces her weirdness. She is a doctor, and became a children's book writer. Ms. Hen likes to read middle grade fantasy sometimes, so she decided to read one of the author's books. Ms. Hen is also weird.

This novel is about a young girl named Mimi, who loves to bake. She is the youngest of the children in her family, and her three older siblings are talented: her sister Riya is a dancer, her brother Henry is an actor, and her sister Jules is a soccer player. Mimi's father is a food writer, but when he comes back from a trip, he mysteriously eats everything in sight, and cannot discern tastes.

Mimi misses her friend Emma who moved to Australia, but she makes friends with a boy named Vik in the woods who plays a song on an instrument like recorder that is nostalgic to her. A cafe in their town is running a baking contest, and Mimi wants to win. The woman who runs the bakery, Mrs. T., is mysterious, and turns down Mimi's first creation, and wants her to bake from her heart. Mimi bakes honeysuckle cookies and the the teenage boys who ate them fall in love with whoever is closest to them. Jules gets upset about this, and things happen that upset people. Mimi bakes amazing sounding things, with herbs that she finds in the forest. The forest turns into a different place with a banyan tree, wild boars, and a cobra.

Ms. Hen could find the similarities between this book and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, which she has seen many times. The magic is subtle, but it's present; Mimi wants to win the contest, but she isn't aware of what it entails. She also doesn't know her powers. Ms. Hen was impressed that there were a few recipes at the end of this book. She doesn't think she'll bake them, but she wishes someone she knew would.

Ms. Hen has never been a person who bakes, but she admires people who have that passion. She doesn't normally like to spend a long time making something that is very unhealthy. However, last year, she became what she calls a "Covid baker." She baked on Saturdays, only in the winter, because she liked to eat things straight from the oven. She baked pumpkin loaf, cranberry orange loaf, and cupcakes.

Ms. Hen liked this book because it is a light read for the summer. Reading about baking made her hungry! She admires the author because she has a lot of books coming out this year. Ms. Hen thinks this book is charming, and she's happy she read it.