Me and You by Niccolo Ammaniti, translated by Kylee Doust

Rating:

****

The book's description from the publisher's website:

From internationally best-selling author Niccolò Ammaniti, comes a funny, tragic, gut-punch of a novel, charting how an unlikely alliance between two outsiders blows open one family’s secrets. Lorenzo Cumi is a fourteen-year-old misfit. To quell the anxiety of his concerned, socially conscious parents, he tells them he’s been invited on an exclusive ski vacation with the popular kids. On the morning of the trip, Lorenzo demands that his mother drop him off before they arrive at the train station, insisting that his status will be compromised if he shows up accompanied by his mother. Reluctantly, she agrees, and as soon as she is safely out of the vicinity, he turns around and makes his way back to his neighborhood, to put his real plan in motion: for one blessed week, Lorenzo will retreat to a forgotten cellar in his family’s apartment building, where he will live in perfect isolation, keeping the adult world at bay. But when his estranged half-sister, Olivia, shows up in the cellar unexpectedly, his idyll is shattered, and the two become locked in a battle of wills—forced to confront the very demons they are each struggling to escape.


I seem to be on some kind of a European fiction binge right now and I'm quite enjoying it. Just as I did enjoy Me and You. I have to say I'm perplexed as to why it's getting a low rating in Goodreads. Maybe it's just the kind of fiction that doesn't appeal to everyone but when it does get your attention, it possesses it fully.

The main character, Lorenzo, is an introvert through and through and, being one myself, I identified with many feelings and thoughts of his, and most importantly didn't find it all that strange that he had closed himself off for those couple of days, just to be left alone for once. His motives were so very clear to me that I had no problems accepting the whole premise of this novel as perfectly natural. And the appearance of his half-sister, Olivia, only added more sense to the story and made it all the more believable.

Yes, Me and You is a sorrowful and a slightly dark story but because it doesn't have a 'Happily ever after' ending, it's that much closer to real life. And at least in my real life, things don't always have a happy ending, there are sadness and grief and unfulfilled promises to deal with. And it's okay, c'est la vie. And that 'la vie' as portrayed by Niccolo Ammaniti, is not a Disney World one and a lot more precious despite its fallibility.

It is a short novel but it did manage to give me fully developed characters that I couldn't help but be empathetic with. I can easily say that if it were longer (not that it needed to), I would love this pair of imperfect siblings and wouldn't want to part with them. But Me and You is the right length and as such it reminded me of the lessons life teaches us even if we are momentarily blind to them.

FTC: I received an e-galley from the publisher, Grove/ Atlantic, Inc. via NetGalley.

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset, translated by Tiina Nunnally

The book's description written by (because it seems the most accurate and no simple synopsis will suffice) Brad Leithauser in the introduction to the edition translated by Tiina Nunnally:

Kristin Lavransdatter's dense, decade-spanning plot might be summarized as the story of a daddy's girl who refuses daddy's choice of husband and marries for love, with often harrowing long range consequences. Kristin's father wishes her to marry Simon Andresson, an honorable thoughtful, devoted, and woefully unglamorous man. Kristin falls instead for Erlend Nikulausson, a proud, impulsive, fearless young knight who seems constitutionally unable to steer clear of scandal (...)

When you enter Kristin Lavransdatter, you enter a marriage, a contract expansively unfolding through time. Disturbingly, fascinatingly, it's a union of two people who share a proud, combative stubbornnes that ultimately undoes them. (p.XI)

I have so many thoughts about this most wonderful of all epics that I don't know where to start and I am certain that no matter what I write, will it do Kristin Lavransdatter enough justice. I'll write what I can and you decide for yourself whether you want to enter or, should I say, let the world of 14th century Norway enter your life. Sigrid Undset cetainly wrote about the country and the time, and the people in a way that will never let me forget this diamond of a novel.

There really isn't much I can do about it but mostly it's feelings and emotions that come to my mind when thinking of this masterpiece. There's no need to bother my head with proper character development, exceptional historical detail, the flow of the plot, etc. It's all there, yes, all in proper condition as even the most demanding would seek, but that's not what you pay attention to when reading about Kristin, about wild Erlend, about noble, goodhearted Simon, about the beautiful Norway with traditions and culture long gone (although hopefully not forgotten). You, instead, focus on the life itself, its trials and tribulations, tragedies and sadness, intermingled with happiness, joy and miracles it brings.

Kristin Lavransdatter is the ultimate coming-of-age story following the young girl from the days of her sweet, innocent childhood all through the end of her life ravished with sorrows, misfortunes, but also blessed with many good things that were not given to others. Even Kristin herself ruminates later in her life on how she lost sight of all the good things she'd been granted in life, because she could only think about the next tragedy to come along as a result of her wantonness.

If you're looking for the novel of motherhood, look no more. If you want a romance, this is a story that aces all other romances. and finally, if it's historical fiction you're after, you'll find Kristin Lavransdatter to be the one all other HF novels will be judged upon.

Kristin Lavransdatter is the masterpiece of literature. It's sublime. Just the thought that I've already finished it tightens my throat and almost makes me cry (I kid you not). I miss it, I'm nostalgic and I want to go back to it.

A word on translation: Tiina Nunnally is fantastic and she did a beautiful job, showing the full extent of Sigrid Undset's writing genius. For more in depth information, I'm directing you to the article about Nunnally's translation of Kristin Lavransdatter on Norway, the Official Site in the United States.

P.S.
Try to look for it at library sales or other used book's sales sites. Chances are you won't find it. At least I couldn't. And I visit tons of sales. That's because most people who've read Kristin Lavransdatter, do not want to part with it. Ever.

FTC: I bought this book.

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, translated by Lisa Hartford

Rating:

*****

The book's synopsis from the publisher's website:

The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first installment of Adler- Olsen's Department Q series, features the deeply flawed chief detective Carl MØrck, who used to be a good homicide detective-one of Copenhagen's best. Then a bullet almost took his life. Two of his colleagues weren't so lucky, and Carl, who didn't draw his weapon, blames himself.
So a promotion is the last thing Carl expects.
But it all becomes clear when he sees his new office in the basement. Carl's been selected to run Department Q, a new special investigations division that turns out to be a department of one. With a stack of Copenhagen's coldest cases to keep him company, Carl's been put out to pasture. So he's as surprised as anyone when a case actually captures his interest. A missing politician vanished without a trace five years earlier. The world assumes she's dead. His colleagues snicker about the time he's wasting. But Carl may have the last laugh, and redeem himself in the process.
Because she isn't dead . . . yet.

  I really, really enjoyed this crime novel. One of the best I've read (European and otherwise) in a long time. Everything just clicked for me; the pace, the characters, the suspense and the setting worked beautifully and made up for a memorable read in the mysteries department. I absolutely loved Assad, the assistant to Carl, the head of the Department Q (that makes up all of two members of the said department). He is the strongest character in the novel and his interactions with Carl caused me to chuckle quite a few times and helped me enjoy the whole story all the more. 

Call me slow-witted but, contrary to other reviewers, it wasn't obvious to me who the 'perpetrator' was from early on in the novel at all. Which wouldn't have made all that much difference in the end anyway because The Keeper of Lost Causes is a lot more than just a simple 'whodunit' book. I'm very glad it's the beginning of the series and will be jumping on the next installment when it hits American market. 

Let's not forget about the translator, Lisa Hartford. A lot of credit goes to her for doing a wonderful job giving us this Danish crime novel without a blemish and translated it so that an American reader can easily transport him/herself into the world of contemporary Denmark and to the streets of Copenhagen.

FTC: I received an e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

Best Kept Secret by Amy Hatvany

Rating:
*****

Book synopsis from the publisher's website:

Cadence didn’t sit down one night and decide that downing two bottles of wine was a brilliant idea.
Her drinking snuck up on her - as a way to sleep, to help her relax after a long day, to relieve some of the stress of the painful divorce that’s left her struggling to make ends meet with her five-year old son, Charlie.

It wasn’t always like this. Just a few years ago, Cadence seemed to have it all—a successful husband, an adorable son, and a promising career as a freelance journalist. But with the demise of her marriage, her carefully constructed life begins to spiral out of control. Suddenly she is all alone trying to juggle the demands of work and motherhood.

Logically, Cadence knows that she is drinking too much, and every day begins with renewed promises to herself that she will stop. But within a few hours, driven by something she doesn’t understand, she is reaching for the bottle - even when it means not playing with her son because she is too tired, or dropping him off at preschool late, again. And even when one calamitous night it means leaving him alone to pick up more wine at the grocery store. It’s only when her ex-husband shows up at her door to take Charlie away that Cadence realizes her best kept secret has been discovered….

I feel so, so bad. I had promised Amy this review quite some time ago and never followed up on my word. It had never happened before and that's what makes it even worse.  But Best Kept Secret is such a good book and so important that I have to write about it, regardless of how late this review comes. Cadence's pain, her struggles to keep up with being a mother, to be what other, seemingly perfect mothers were and to do it all alone while living with the fact that the husband she was once thought to be made just for her, that was meant to be with her forever, left her because he just couldn't be with her any longer, it all touched my very soul.

That's what Amy's writing is, it touches your soul. You don't have to be a single mother that just can't keep it all together, you don't have to be slipping into alcohol induced oblivion, but you will still be able to have at least a little bit of understanding of Cadence's suffering. You'd either have to be one of those 'Stepford wives' (who by the way, probably never read a page of a decent book anyway) or just feel very righteous and 'holier than thou'.

Amy Hatvany simply shows us how fragile we are, especially as mothers. She shows us that there are dangers out there than may bring on the destruction of all that's precious to us. But she also, in a very skillful and delicate way, shows us that redemption is just around the corner, if we're willing to ask and accept the help.

It's a beautiful story and also deeply personal, since Amy did go through very similar circumstances. Her suffering and her courage gives Best Kept Secret an even deeper meaning. If you decide to not read it, I think you'll be missing out big time .

---------------

FTC: I have received a free copy of this book via Shelf Awareness.

Places you can find Amy Hatvany:

Her Website

Facebook: Amy Hatvany

Great news for me and other fans of this splendid writer: Amy has written another novel, Outside the Lines, which will be released on 02/07/2012. Yay!

You can purchase both books at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

                      

Call Me Princess by Sara Blaedel - Did Not Finish

Rating: 
*
The book's description from Sara Blaedel's website:

When detective inspector Louise Rick from the Copenhagen Police Murder Squad is put on the case of a young woman who has been the victim of a date rape, she soon realises that the investigation is going to be more complex than she initially thought. The woman had met the rapist on an internet dating site and he had used a false identity.
Louise starts studying old rape case records and she soon comes across a man with a profile that fits. And then a young woman is found dead, strangled, and the similarities in the cases are horrifying: there is obviously a serial murderer out there, cold-bloodedly exploiting the steadily growing trend for online dating.
Even though Louise manages to track down a couple of the aliases the man uses, all attempts to discover his true identity fail. When her friend, journalist Camilla Lind, says that she has also been dating a man she met via the internet, Louise realises that the only way she can stop the rapist’s reign of terror is to go on the net and lure him out of anonymity.

That was a 'did-not-finish' of epic proportions. I stopped before I even got to 5% of the book. The writing is just awful. The nonsensical metaphors and unnecessary descriptions of every 'muscle twitch' and of every thought going on in the characters' minds helped me make up my mind quickly. Didn't want to bother trying to read on and give the book a chance to redeem itself. I highly doubt there's any redemption to be found in there. Call Me Princess is Sara Blædel's American debut novel and she apparently wrote it in English instead of her native Danish (I cannot find any translation info at all) and that very well may be the reason why Call Me Princess seems to me a train wreck while its author is apparently hailed as one of the most successful crime writers in Denmark. I hope next time the publishers will hire a translator instead.

FTC: I received an e-galley from Net Galley.