1. Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
The third book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series finds Mma Ramotswe investigating her own life when her fiance starts to suffer from depression. My love for this series continues strong through this third book where its message is about how hard it is to be truly moral; how being a detective is more about helping people with their lives vs. solving a traditional murder; and how delightfully different life in Botswana is from life in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2. Latitudes of Melt by Joan Clark
Oh my, Clark is one hell of a writer. The story of a young baby girl cast away on an ice floe when the Titanic sinks, her mystic life, and the wonders of a family living, loving and growing old in pre-Joey Smallwood Newfoundland is one of the best books I've read all year. Honestly and truly, I think that Clark is a hidden gem of Canadian fiction, and I can't wait to read her book coming out this summer called An Audience of Chairs. Highly, highly recommended reading, for anyone who loves a good, solid story and an even greater sense of individual and unique characters who still possess a charming sense of normality.
3. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
I picked up this book on account of the Litblog Co-op. I started it on Sunday morning and finished it by Sunday evening, with a 3 hour car ride in between...that's how easily the book sucks you in and refuses to spit you back out again. The story of a wily private detective in Cambridge (with the awesome name of Jackson Brodie) who solves three very different and, at first glance, unrelated mysteries that have taken place over the years. The characters are fresh, and even though Brodie himself could be read as the most stereotypical (divorced cop, used to be in the army, very masculine, gets into fights), each one brings something new and enlightening to the tale making it addictive as each page reveals itself to be something magical yet simple in terms of the story. All in all, a fabulous read.
Now the only question remains: what do I read next?
2 comments:
I loved Case Histories, too. Just ate it up. Piss on all the lit snobs who didn't like it.
May I make some suggestions?
Black Bird by Michel Basilières
Doctor Bloom's Story by Don Coles
Tempting Faith Di Napoli by Lisa Gabriele
All very well written, all Canadian, and all first time novels, from these very,very talented writers.
Oh! I read "Tempting Faith Di Napoli", the author actually came to my book club and talked about the novel with us -- you're right, it's a very good first book. The other two I have not read. I'll put them on my list for sure!
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