Ms. Hen reviews The Marrow Thieves

 

The Marrow Thieves

Cherie Dimaline

Cormorant Books

2017

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel, because she read about it on the back of MOON OF THE CRUSTED SNOW, which she read recently. She is always interested in dystopian fiction, and she thinks that Native American depictions of this are especially interesting. Going back to the Native ways when the world is ending is a fascinating idea.

Francis, or Frenchie, is a teenage boy who is running from the Recruiters, people who catch Indigenous people to harvest their bone marrow to acquire their dreams. Most of the people on Earth have lost the ability to dream, since the environment has gone to ruin. He meets up with a group of people and they become a family; they run, and they hunt, and attempt to survive in the world. The elders, Miigwans and Minerva, guide the young people in the group.

The family suffers losses, but also experience happiness. Frenchie falls for Rose, a part Black Native who he thinks is beautiful. The members of the group tell their coming to stories to each other. They almost get caught several times, but make it through. They hear stories of the schools, where their dreams are harvested, and fear what will happen to them if they get caught.

This novel is like many other post-apocalyptic novels Ms. Hen has read, but with an Indigenous twist. It reminds her of THE ROAD, obviously, and also STATION ELEVEN, and MOON OF THE CRUSTED SNOW. But this is different because it has many different layers; it's about forming a family, and the importance of dreams. If people lose their dreams, they lose their ability to free their minds and truly rest in sleep.

This is a young adult novel, but Ms. Hen thinks anyone could read it. This is a great example of writing about young people: their nuances, and how they act, their exuberance and excitement at the newness of seeing the world. It's been a long time since Ms. Hen was a teenager, but she thinks that these depictions are realistic.

This novel is dark, but hopeful. Ms. Hen thinks it's important because it's a twist at looking at the post-apocalyptic world. This novel should get attention, and is has, because the future is coming, and we don't know yet what it will bring. 

Ms. Hen reviews Leading Men

 

Leading Men

Christopher Castellani

Viking

2019

Ms. Hen found this at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She has seen the author around Boston many times at events, but never got around to reading his books. She doesn't know what took her so long, but when something is meant to be, it happens.

She happened to be reading this at the same time she was watching the second season of HBO's WHITE LOTUS, which also takes place in Italy, and the two works complimented each other. Ms. Hen could smell the warmth of summer as she read this novel, and as well as the sea and the wine and marinara sauce.

This novel is about Tennessee Williams, and his lover Frank Merlo, while they stay in Italy in the 1950s. They go to a party in Portofino given by Truman Capote, and meet a Swedish mother and daughter who appear to need help. The mother, Bitte, wants to marry a rich man, and the daughter, Anja wants to be an actress. Tennessee and Frank decide to assist Anja with her career.

The narrative travels back and forth between time when Tennessee and Frank first meet Anja, to Anja in present day, and also to when Frank is sick with cancer in the hospital in New York. Anja in present time is over eighty, and becomes friends with the son of Sandro, a man she met in Italy when she was young. She tells him about Tennessee's last play that is in her possession, and he tries to convince her to produce it.

Ms. Hen adored this novel. She loves reading about writers and how quirky and unstable they are, the way they work, and their habits, and lifestyles. The world was different in Tennessee Williams' time, not better or worse, but different. Women had it worse, and were not respected, but the gay men in this novel admire straight women, and enjoy their company.

This novel gives an excellent example of writing in varying timelines. Ms. Hen got to see Anja as a young woman, then an elderly woman, and she saw how she had evolved, and the world had transformed around her. Experiencing characters at different phases of life, not gradually, but with sharp lines between the chapters is an exciting way to read. There's a lot to Anja, and the other characters, that occurs that is not mentioned, but is written between the lines. Ms. Hen likes not having the whole package handed to her neatly.

Ms. Hen read this novel slowly, because she did not want it to end. She wanted to keep living in this world, with Tennessee and Frank and Anja and Sandro, because it's a beautiful world, full of artists and the possibility of beauty. Artists create beauty, but the world around them is not always beautiful. Ms. Hen dreams of a beautiful world, and this novel helped her experience that for a little while.

Ms. Hen reviews Virginia

 

Virginia

Edna O'Brien

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

1981

Ms. Hen stumbled upon this book in a small used bookstore in Concord, MA, called Barrow Books. She has read a lot by Edna O'Brien, and is very interested in Virginia Woolf, and she was excited to find a play about her. When she bought the book, she discovered it had been autographed, which made it even better.

This play is an autobiographical look at Virginia Woolf's life. No dates are given in the play, she exists in different time periods throughout the play. She marries her husband, and they have a difficult life, but they entertain each other. He publishes her books, and she does what she wants.

She meets Vita Sackville-West, and they have an affair, though they are both married to men. Virginia had spent time in a psychiatric hospital, and was troubled. She is talented, but haunted. She can't handle that England has entered another war and commits suicide by walking into a river with stones in her pockets.

Ms. Hen does not know what to make of the Virginia of this play. She is almost jealous of her, because she has the freedom to do what she wants with her life, and does not have to pretend to be a normal person. Ms. Hen does not like the idea of pretending to be sane; she thinks people should be able to be themselves. But that is not possible in the real world. Virginia did not live in the same world as everyone else.

Ms. Hen enjoyed this play, and spending time with Virginia. She thinks that O'Brien did a decent job writing about her, and Ms. Hen would like to see this play. She thinks reading drama takes imagination, and Ms. Hen has plenty of that. Ms. Hen can imagine what it's like to be in Virginia's wild mind, somewhere floating into space.

Ms. Hen reviews Interior Chinatown

 

Interior Chinatown

Charles Yu

Vintage Contemporaries

2020

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel after she heard it mentioned on the podcast SFF Yeah! on the website Bookriot. She learned it is going to be a TV series. She is interested in different types of books about minorities, and also ones written in alternative styles. This novel is written partly as a film script for a TV show, but the characters live in the show.

This novel is about an actor who plays Generic Asian Man, in its variations on several different TV shows, but primarily BLACK AND WHITE, a show about a white cop and a black cop trying to solve mysteries in Chinatown. The character, whose name is Willis, has spent his entire life in Chinatown, and has not had an opportunity to leave. He thinks that if he works hard enough, he will be able to play Kung Fu Guy, and become a star.

Willis doesn't realize that he will never get the chance he wants. He doesn't know that he will always be seen as generic, and in the background. He meets a woman, and falls in love, but refuses to leave Chinatown, because he perpetually thinks his big break is around the corner.

This novel is complicated; it is about how Asian people are seen in this country, and in the media. It discusses how Asian people on TV are usually in the background, or they play specific parts, such as Delivery Guy, Pretty Oriental Flower, Asian Seductress, Wizened Chinaman, Old Asian Guy, and the list goes on. The novel is satire, and difficult subjects are talked about in a dark, humorous way.

The characters don't seem to be able to get out of their comfort zones, until Willis runs away to find his daughter, and gets in trouble. This novel is about fighting against what is expected, and finding a new path. It's difficult to start a new life, and sometimes a person needs a jumpstart, like these characters on the TV show.

This novel reminds Ms. Hen of other novels written in a film script or play form. Some novels break into a play in the middle, like ULYSSES. Ms. Hen does not read a lot of drama, because she prefers to watch a play or a movie, but she is not averse to it.

Ms. Hen thinks this novel is wonderful, difficult, and beautiful, all at the same time. The world is dysfunctional, and Hollywood is even more so, but this is the only world we have. So far.

Ms. Hen reviews All Systems Red

 

All Systems Red

Martha Wells

Tor

2017

Ms. Hen learned about this book on a podcast she listens to sometimes from the website Bookriot. She has read a few books they have recommended recently, and she has liked them all. This novel was on the Science Fiction and Fantasy comfort reads episode.

This novel is about a security robot that does not have a name, but it calls itself Murderbot. It is a SecUnit that is hired to protect scientists when they work space. This SecUnit does not like to be around humans, because it is awkward and shy, and does not know what to say around people. It prefers to watch serials, TV shows that it has stored in its memory. Murderbot is human this way.

Murderbot is guarding some people on a planet, when there is a situation where other scientist are killed in their area. The group and Murderbot go to investigate. Murderbot saves everyone, and they are all happy except Murderbot, because it just wants to be left alone.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a very strange, but interesting novel. It's very short, and can be read quickly. It's a series, and there is more to the saga of Murderbot. Ms. Hen might read the rest of the books sometime.

Ms. Hen thinks it's charming the way the robot has feelings; it is part clone, so it is part human. Ms. Hen loves the way it can't stand to be around people, because she thinks a lot of humans are this way, too, especially young people who have grown up with technology. It's difficult to talk to people if a person or even a robot does not have the skills to do so.

Ms. Hen thinks this is a great book, even though the violent parts dragged a little. It's about a robot who is like a human, but does not want to be. Sometimes in life people are things they don't want, so a lot of readers can relate to Murderbot. Murderbot is cute, and even though it has killed people, it can also earn your sympathy. You will cheer for Murderbot! Everyone deserve a chance to get what they want, even robots.