"I believe in happy endings with all heart." Book Review | SilverLinings Playbook by Matthew Quick

An enchanting first novel about love, madness, and Kenny G. The Silver Linings Playbook is the riotous and poignant story of how one man regains his memory and comes to terms with the magnitude of his wife’s betrayal. During the years he spends in a neural  health facility, Pat Peoples formulates a theory about silver linings: he believes his life is a movie produced by God, his mission is to become physically fit and emotionally supportive, and his happy ending will be the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. When Pat goes to live with his parents, everything seems changed: no one will talk to him about Nikki; his old friends are saddled with families; the Philadelphia Eagles keep losing, making his father moody; and his new therapist seems to be recommending adultery as a form of therapy. When Pat meets the tragically widowed and clinically depressed Tiffany, she offers to act as a liaison between him and his wife, if only he will give up watching football, agree to perform in this year’s Dance Away Depression competition, and promise not to tell anyone about their “contract.” All the while, Pat keeps searching for his silver lining. In this brilliantly written debut novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat’s mind, deftly showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. The result is a touching and funny story that helps us look at both depression and love in a wonderfully refreshing way.

-Amazon 

Dear Blue,

I hope this letter finds you most ecstatically happy!

You know those people in your circle who maintain an almost ridiculous sense of optimism? A kind that almost makes you cringe, but once you’re alone, you almost admire them for their bravery when it all looks to be a waste? That, my friend, is who you’ll meet in Pat, the guy Matthew Quick wraps and packages for you in Silver Linings Playbook.

In the novel, Pat’s come home from a mental health facility, with one mission: to win his wife, Nikki, back by a series of exercises, book lists, and good deeds. He has such a childlike assurance that there is a set time where seeming bad luck fades away, leaving only the precious silver lining. Matthew Quick paints a true to life scenario of what it must feel like to live with bipolar disorder on a daily basis, which I found really touching. How brave is it to deal with a life that triggers uncontrollable outbursts, but continue to try with all of your might to be the best you can be? That’s what I call pulling yourself up by your bootstraps (truthfully, I get this turn of phrase, but it’s also a little ridiculous…). I found Pat’s interactions with his disconnected father, overbearing yet lovable mother, spirited brother, supportive psychiatrist (Cliff is one of my favorite characters in the novel), and newfound question mark, Tiffany, to be one of a kind. Matthew Quick executes clever wit and insight in a way that will most definitely charm, and make your heart ache a little. Almost every interaction is striking, or painfully awkward in the most beautiful and unique way, I couldn't help but give him credit because oftentimes reality is 'Did I really just say that?' painful.

I watched the film before I ever knew it was an adaptation, and I approached the novel looking forward to experiencing how Matthew Quick paints the relationship between Pat and Tiffany. It was a brilliant hot mess in the film! What I discovered, however, was something very different from the film. Tiffany is still very bold, but infinitely more solemn a great deal of the novel. In fact there are huge chunks of silence in the book that really surprised me. I wanted into Tiffany's head more than we actually delve in, however, I came to realize near the end of the novel how much Pat and Nikki truly need each other. You will come to view bowls of Raisin Bran, dance competitions, and cloud formations in a different light, I'll tell you that.

That being said, you might not like this novel if you aren’t a crazed football fan. These characters chant for the Eagles more than a child for sweets. In fact, whilst reading the book, I found myself in an Inception-esque scene, when Pat, his father, and brother are going wild for the Eagles, and my father is doing the exact same thing in our living room (*looks both ways, and whispers: Run!*). I did feel the need to skim a lot of these scenes because it became a bit repetitive.

Bare in mind that this novel contains profanity, and adult content/scenarios.

Silver Linings Playbook is one I think every outsider should read…and that’s literally everyone who’s ever lived. If you ignore the football (unless you love it), and dismiss the moments where you find Pat out of his mind with childlike faith, you may come to find that by the end your own faith is growing as well. We all need good old fashioned faith, and in order to keep on living, it might as well be ridiculous.

                  

Let’s have 4 cups of tea and chat about it!

Love, Britta

P.S.- If you're wondering who on earth Blue is, click here for an introduction to my renewed way of writing reviews, and thanks so much for reading.

"Never ask for what ought to be offered." Book Review | Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

Ree Dolly's father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. With two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost. -Amazon

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell is a complete departure from novels that would normally draw me in, but, I made it my business to deliberately gain a new perspective this year. I think I've discovered a new favorite writer.

In this mysterious Southern Noir, Daniel Woodrell tells the story of a seventeen year old girl named Ree Dolly, who is tasked with the great challenge of finding her father before his court date, or else she, her mentally challenged mother, and two brothers will lose their home in the wild and rocky Ozarks. Winter's Bone will not coddle you with heartwarming sentiments, and promises of unity, no; but it will dig deep into you, revealing a protagonist with more heart and spirit than has been seen for a long while. Daniel Woodrell's protrayal of Ree Dolly is inspired with her unwavering strength and determination to take care of her family against her distant relatives who would seem to rather see them homeless in blistery winter, than break their stubborn pride and unspoken rules.

This is definitely a difficult story to read, and I admit that if it weren't for Daniel Woodrell's beautiful writing, and ability to create heartfelt layers with subtlety, I may have put the book down. But Ree Dolly's journey amazed me, showing a true example of what one can achieve when put in position to have to stand. The abuse she endures at the hands of her own family, both distant and close, could have broken anyone, let alone a teenaged girl with ambitious hopes to join the army and travel the world. Tender moments with Ree teaching her brothers to cook, hunt, and take care of themselves, further twisted my heart for their situation. I loved the dynamic between Ree and her Uncle Teardrop. Teardrop is such a layered and intriguing character who is often forceful, but seems motivated by his desire to protect Ree and his family. I see the same conflict within many characters in the novel, somehow ensnared by their desire to keep the unspoken rules of their family sacred, and yet remain humane to those around them.

What really caught me off guard was Daniel Woodrell's writing. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but not the lyrical, picturesque poetry that captured perfectly the beautiful, untamed, and often treacherous landscape (and people) of the Ozarks. I loved that the family Woodrell portrays carries historical ties to the land, and has their own mythology about their beginnings. In the past, I haven't taken very well to dialect, but Woodrell captures a wonderfully melodic voice that does not distract, but further enhances the world of Winter's Bone. I'm not sure why Daniel Woodrell does not garner more acclaim and popularity than he does. He's fantastic.

Bare in mind: Winter's Bone contains profanity, violence, sensuality, and disturbing scenarios.

Whether you're a Southern Gothic Lit fan, or looking to read a thrilling, and complex story that will grab hold of your heart, I can't recommend Winter's Bone more.  It's like a writers dream.

 

I give Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell five out of five cups of Irish Breakfast.

P.S- Don't forget to enter my giveaway for JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman! I can't believe in a few short weeks, I'll have a copy in my hands!

A Word on the Film Adaptation

Initially, watching the film led me to the book, as I found myself transfixed by it's beautiful cinematography, and scenic views (blame tumblr for my newfound love of the great outdoors). As with most film adaptations, certain elements are changed, but not enough to change the actual story. Jennifer Lawrence is absolutely brilliant as Ree Dolly, capturing her strength and determination. I have heard around that the film changed her siblings to a brother and sister after having found two children who lived where they filmed. This was a beautiful choice. It seems as if the kids aren't even acting, but living their lives. They were adorable.

The movie is a bit of a bummer to watch with the subject matter and all, but I recommend it. That being said, I do feel like the book lends a more personal experience, but I'm guessing this is the case with all books.

                   

I give the film adaptation 4 out of 5 cups of Irish Breakfast.

Book Review | The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain

 “A beautiful portrait of being in Paris in the glittering 1920s—as a wife and as one’s own woman.”—Entertainment Weekly A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures the love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley. Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Though deeply in love, the Hemingway's are ill prepared for the hard-drinking, fast-living, and free-loving life of Jazz Age Paris. As Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history and pours himself into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises, Hadley strives to hold on to her sense of self as her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Eventually they find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for. A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER—BEST HISTORICAL FICTION—

GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY People • Chicago Tribune • NPR • The Philadelphia Inquirer • Kirkus Reviews • The Toronto Sun • BookPage Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more. 

-Amazon

I walked past The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain in Posman Bookshop sometime ago remembering the tremendous praise that this novel has been receiving, and I have to affirm that praise. I absolutely adored this novel. It's filled with a bibliophile's/romantics treasure trove of locations, writing wisdom, and heartbreaking intrigue. This is also the first novel I've read that attempts to capture the lives of classic people in fiction. It's a pretty cool way to catch a glimpse of such legendary artists.

Hadley is a wonderful character to experience, and I found I could really relate to her journey. She is immediately beguiled by the young Ernest Hemingway, whom I must say is so easy to become infatuated with. He is, at first, charismatic and full of life with his overconfidence, and sympathetically bashful attitude towards his writing. But Hadley's seeming simplistic dream of growing old with Hemingway, watching their child grow, and living a happy life is no match for Hemingway's explosive vision for his life. I couldn't help but sympathize for Hemingway's desire to become a brilliant writer, but it seems this becomes gnarled by an obsession of risk-taking and death, along with his need to out-best every person around him.

Paula Mclain is a beautiful writer who pens the semi-biographical life of Hadley and Hemingway thoughtfully and realistically. Hadley's voice is soft and poetic, and sucked me in from the first sentence. I loved that Hadley is slightly out of step with this new set of players that flock towards them in Paris, and the questions that arise such as the pros and cons of being content vs. ambition, and the parts of oneself that are often lost in pursuit of fame. Even as Hadley falls head over heels for Hemingway, she also questions her own purpose in the world outside of him...I admired this, and it's showcasing of the treatment of women who had their own dreams in the 20s. Regarding Hemingway's portrayal, I wasn't very fond of him. Before reading The Paris Wife, I didn't really know how to perceive him, as his reputation precedes him, but after reading the novel (as well as Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald), I honestly can't stomach reading his work. I know a lot of Hemingway enthusiasts will frown upon this, and I'm not discrediting his writing, but as a person he seems a bit abominable. I'm sure that Hadley wasn't entirely perfect on her own, but in any account of her that I've read she seemed sweet, and believably naive. His treatment of her is horrible! There were moments where I literally wanted to face-palm him, and ask him why he bothered to get married. That said, I admire Mclain's ability to paint him both abhorrently and also show the internal conflict he seems to face in lieu of his changing perception.

Along with this heartbreaking set, I also enjoyed getting to experience other writers and artists that Hadley and Hemingway associate with in the novel. It's so surreal, but wonderful to experience Paris in the twenties, with all of its excitement and intrigue.

Bare in Mind: The Paris Wife contains slight adult content, profanity, and disturbing scenarios.

The Paris Wife is a beautifully executed novel of Hadley and Hemingway's love and inevitable loss.

I give The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain 5 out of 5 cups of Irish Breakfast.

P.S. I would love to experience this novel as a film!

Book Review | Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

I wish I could tell everyone who thinks we’re ruined, Look closer…and you’ll see something extraordinary, mystifying, something real and true. We have never been what we seemed. When beautiful, reckless Southern belle Zelda Sayre meets F. Scott Fitzgerald at a country club dance in 1918, she is seventeen years old and he is a young army lieutenant stationed in Alabama. Before long, the “ungettable” Zelda has fallen for him despite his unsuitability: Scott isn’t wealthy or prominent or even a Southerner, and keeps insisting, absurdly, that his writing will bring him both fortune and fame. Her father is deeply unimpressed. But after Scott sells his first novel, This Side of Paradise, to Scribner’s, Zelda optimistically boards a train north, to marry him in the vestry of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and take the rest as it comes. What comes, here at the dawn of the Jazz Age, is unimagined attention and success and celebrity that will make Scott and Zelda legends in their own time. Everyone wants to meet the dashing young author of the scandalous novel—and his witty, perhaps even more scandalous wife. Zelda bobs her hair, adopts daring new fashions, and revels in this wild new world. Each place they go becomes a playground: New York City, Long Island, Hollywood, Paris, and the French Riviera—where they join the endless party of the glamorous, sometimes doomed Lost Generation that includes Ernest Hemingway, Sara and Gerald Murphy, and Gertrude Stein. Everything seems new and possible. Troubles, at first, seem to fade like morning mist. But not even Jay Gatsby’s parties go on forever. Who is Zelda, other than the wife of a famous—sometimes infamous—husband? How can she forge her own identity while fighting her demons and Scott’s, too? With brilliant insight and imagination, Therese Anne Fowler brings us Zelda’s irresistible story as she herself might have told it.

-Amazon

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler marks my introduction to the enigmatic literary starlet. I admit that I was struck by the cover alone. Just her name evokes in me a desire to discover more of how she beguiled a generation of people. As this is a fictitious work, I'm sure that I'll need to do further research, nevertheless, Z is an excellent introduction to the woman herself! This novel has fueled my desire to read Zelda's writings.

I'll admit that I didn't immediately connect to Fowler's portrayal of Zelda Fitzgerald's voice, but, as the novel progressed, I couldn't help but love her agency and spunk. I adored that she is an unabashed Southern gal who sparks amidst the oftentimes, stuffy atmosphere that surrounds her. Zelda and Scott meet as two kids full of brave, ecstatic dreams. Zelda takes on this new phase in her life with high hopes, to the chagrin of her parents, however, there is only a matter of time before the golden couple that they become, fades into a gilded nightmare. 

The infamous Scott Fitzgerald was a bit hard for me to stomach. Though this novel seems to plant itself firmly at Zelda's side, it seems Scott has plenty of moments to redeem himself, and he seems to grow progressively worse. In this novel, Scott is portrayed as a real life version of his golden boy Gatsby, though a less charismatic one. His love for Zelda is admirable, but flawed, as it is always at war with his desire for the grandiose excess that mystified him during his time in university...the same glitz that seems to hypnotize an entire generation of people. I found myself sympathetic towards his dreams of becoming the great American writer, but his descent into desperation is glaring and heartbreaking. 

The ups and downs of Zelda and Scott's relationship are engrossing as they are startling to behold. Yet, it seems an enduring love that fused them together. Zelda is an example of, perhaps, the many women of the time who wanted more for themselves, but who's voices were manipulated, if not completely silenced. In Zelda's case, it becomes even more psychological, as she is often pushed by Scott to become a caricature of his created femme fatales to please the public eye. I cheered for her so badly as I read. I admired that even in the midst of her depression, there was an unquenchable spirit about her that simply refused to be broken.

Therese Fowler effectively captures the alluring fantasy that the roaring twenties sheathed itself in, while also capturing the reality that the over ecstatic, driven roar of the bright young things has no choice but to crash.

Bare in Mind: This novel contains some adult content, alcoholism, and disturbing mental scenarios.

                   

I give Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler 4 out of 5 cups of sparkling champagne (in moderation of course). 

P.S. - I recommend reading this and The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (review to come), in sequence, as the plots seem to intertwine before long.

P.S.S- Isn't it something that Zelda only wanted to have her voice heard apart from Scott Fitzgerald's, and this year, there are two other novels inspired by her life that seem to have eclipsed the anticipated release of The Great Gatsby?

Autumn Top 12

There are simply too many novels I would love to read by the end of the year, but I've narrowed my Fall/Winter List down to my Top 12.

This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz: Drown was one of the best short story collections I've ever read, so I flipped when I discovered that Diaz is coming out with a new collection.

Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin: I thoroughly enjoyed All These Things I've Done, and this next installment promises more surprises, mob family drama, and illegal chocolate. What more can I ask for?

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama: Mermaids. Crazy ones. I'm intrigued by mermaid folklore, and I love them more when they are depicted in a raw sense, instead of the Walt Disney singsong version. That being said, I also have to finish The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova.

Laura Lamont's Life In Pictures by Emma Straub: There's nothing better than exploring the world of Moving Pictures in the 1920s. Such glamour, intrigue, and beauty. I discovered this via the lovely, Casee Marie at Literary Inklings.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick: More Patch. The end.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone: After reading My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares (Look for this review next Monday!), I quite love romances involving time travel! If it were possible to carry on a love from Kerouac's time, I would jump right in!

The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block: Ms. Block showed me as a senior in high school with her novel, Echo, that I wanted to write in a way that would immerse readers in a lush, magically realistic world. Can't wait to read her latest mystery!

Meant To Be by Lauren Morril: After hearing that this novel is suggested for anyone who loved Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, I had to add this to the list. There's nothing better than a great romance that can have you feeling euphoric, regardless of other opinions.

Eight Girls Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto: This novel promises an intriguing look at female artists in several vignettes around the world. I adore photography, and thought how interesting it would be to look into several photographers lives.

Out Of Reach by Carrie Arcos: I love a nice dark, and lyrical tale depicting intrigue and addiction battles. I had to include at least one angsty tale on this list.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman: This novel has been on my TBR list for a bit over a year. I've heard so many wonderful things about it, that I would love to dive into it, and it's sequel Where She Went.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler: I have been trying to read this novel all summer long! At first, I thought it would be a lighthearted read, but after hearing many raving reviews, it seems to be a balanced novel detailing what it is to grieve and move forward over the course of a summer. I love novels that take me by surprise!

What novels are you excited to read this Fall/Winter?

Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens Book Review

Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin's long, tarnished history of relationships. When Lorona's curiosity leads her to Kestrin's journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush? Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.

-Barnes & Noble

Sent from the Publisher

When I read the premise for Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens, I was very intrigued with it. I learned that it is inspired by the Greek myth Cupid and Psyche, and that made me even more excited to dig into this enchanting story. I love modern retellings because it takes an awesome writer to keep the essence of the original, while infusing it with their own fresh take.  While there were some aspects of this novel that I didn't quite connect with, as I read further, I became more and more enthralled with it. 

Moonlight and Oranges tells the story of Lorona and Kestrin. Lorona, a seeming girl next door, meets playboy Kestrin at a holloween party, where Kestrin realizes that she is the woman that he dreamed would be his wife. In a whirlwind, he proposes, and for a moment they are in a chrysalis of their own making, but soon reality, and the actions of Kestrin's conniving mother threaten to tear them apart. 

I'll admit that in the first few chapters, as much as I tried to jump in and feel excitement at the thought of Kestrin asking Lorona to marry him, I found it was a bit hard to connect with. Perhaps it's because it felt a little contrived, but what I began to love about this story is that these suspicions are answered. Stephens is not afraid to throw her characters into a starcrossed dream, and then shake them out of their own preconceived notions, as well as the opinions of other characters that try to turn Kestrin and Lorona against. It was right when the 'scent of deception' rises midway in the novel that I became enamored with the story line. Stephen's has a talent for suspense and conceiving a plot that pulses with energy, humor, and drama. 

Lorona and Kestrin's characters were interesting, and I wanted to know more about their upbringings, and beliefs. I had hoped that they would be a bit more fleshed out. Kestrin's mother, Amanda, is a wonderfully painted villain. The low that she stoups just to keep Kestrin and Lorona apart was ridiculous at times. She is the portrait of a woman you would never want to meet. I also loved Yuki and Kahlil. They were awesome best friends, and counsel for Lorona and Kestrin. I loved their interactions with each other. 

Elise Stephens has a great imagination that I felt rising from this novel. I could feel her love for the story especially as it progressed, as well as her love for the surreal. I loved that she based Lorona's name from a Mexican legend called La Llorona, because it further enhances the magical feel of this story. There are places in the novel where descriptions of setting are so beautiful, especially those beneath the moonlight. 

Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens is an interesting story with loads of page turning moments to suck you in. Although there were moments that I didn't quite connect with, I feel it is a good story, and would love to read more of her work.

I give Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens 4 out of 5 cups of mandarin orange juice under a frosty moonlit night.