The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
by James McBride
I avoid looking at the reviews besides the star rating when I start reading a book. This is so I don’t have any expectations going into reading it. That being said, I am not surprised at some of the very low ratings of this book I saw (after I read it).
Don’t get me wrong, I actually really loved this book. I am a huge sucker for historical fiction, and enjoyed the many seemingly irrelevant anecdotes in this story for what they were….Reminders of everyone’s humanity and connection to each other.
A different iteration of the adage ‘love thy neighbor’, the book kicks off decades after the central plot when a skeleton is found in a well in Pottstown, PA. The plot then jumps back to the 1930s where the aforementioned stories include characters with colorful names living in a poor neighborhood and gradually revealing the mystery.
The neighborhoods in the book were mostly Jewish immigrants or black families, and the novel highlighted the dynamics between them and even within each other. Despite the differences, they are all working together for a common purpose: the greater good.
I do recommend reading this book as McBride‘s writing is absolutely beautiful. Just know that while it might take a while to get there, it has a very satisfying ending. I am grateful for McBride’s words and will be adding more of his books to my TBR!
Piranesi
By Susanna Clarke
I began reading this book not knowing what to expect, and I can say with absolute conviction I will be recommending this to everyone!
The novel first introduces us to the main character’s life. He methodically explores a marvelous house; it is a labyrinth full of statues- all exquisite in their own right- varying in size, subject matter, and gravitas. The imagery of the sculptures and world-building of the labyrinth blew me away.
The narrator journals all details and information of the house with purpose- which he himself does not know what it is. He reports his discoveries to the mysterious “Other” person, who he meets on limited occasions. This Other refers to the narrator as Piranesi. I will not add further detail to the synopsis, so as not to spoil the mystery/reveal.
The beauty of the novel is the description of the seemingly mundane events, and you slowly start to see something larger at play. That is not saying the book was slow paced- it was a good medium and it worked perfectly.
To wrap this review up: I LOVED IT. YOU SHOULD READ IT!
Lessons in Chemistry
By Bonnie Garmus
Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist in the 1950s vehemently fighting against the patriarchal norms of society.
She is determined to prove that all women, not just the science minded ones like herself, want fulfillment in life beyond home domestication. Ironically, she does this through an afternoon cooking television program.
This book was a fast paced, and I loved the way the story progressed. There were so many wonderful little moments brilliantly written… it was funny, sad, heartwarming, and inspiring.
I highly recommend!
