Ordinary Reader

"A Man Called Ove"

A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman

Ove is just about the grumpiest old man you would ever want to meet, the type of person who intimidates the heck out of me. I like to stay as far away as I can from all that bitterness. When I was about a quarter of the way into this book I began to think I wasn't going to like it; Ove didn't appear to have many redeeming qualities. I made myself stick with it, mostly because I wasn't keen on starting the new year by quitting the first book I picked up and I'm glad I did because in the end I like it.

I still think Ove is harder to get along with than he needs to be, though I realize some of his peevishness is meant to inject humour. He's been through a lot. His wife of many years, the only person who ever really understood him, has died of cancer after a series of other tragedies and he can't find a reason to get through the days now. It all seems pointless. Deciding he's had enough, he makes a plan to end his own life and join her. Using a variety of methods he tries, several times, but each time something happens to distract him and direct his attention elsewhere. As these things happen he slowly begins to open up to other people and, in his own bah-humbug way, he begins to care about them and they about him.

By the time I reached the mid-point of the book I found myself enjoying it. The writing improved as the plot advanced, except for an excessive use of similes. I just went back to check and found the phrase "as if" used at least 12 times in a 4 page span. I don't know if it's a problem with the writing or the translation (from Swedish) but I found it irritating. Why doesn't editing do something about this kind of thing? Other than that, I enjoyed the writing, especially toward the end as it seemed to tighten up a bit.

In the end I liked it, somewhat for the characters but mainly for the overall philosophy. There's something inspirational about neighbours getting involved in each other's lives and learning to care for and help one another. And it was nice to read an "inspirational" story that didn't come with the usual amount of sap. I have a low sap tolerance.

It struck me that this book would make a good movie, maybe with with Tommy Lee Jones in the role of Ove. He's the perfect grump in the Men In Black movies because you can see there's a heart in there somewhere but he doesn't wear it on his sleeve. I wonder if the book will ever be popular enough for anyone to make a film. Whether it does or not, I think the story will stick with me for some time.

For those who care, I'll warn you that there is some cursing. It isn't excessive, but I think the book would have been just as effective without it. Ove certainly didn't have to swear to make it clear that he was angry almost all the time. Still, it was a good story.

"Playing Sarah Bernhardt" and "The House at Tyneford"

Playing Sarah Bernhardt by Joan Givner

Harriet is an aging actress who is famous for playing Sarah Bernhardt. Her career goes downhill fast when memory loss leaves her forgetting her lines. After losing that role, she accepts the role of Mazo de la Roche in a small town production and begins a new life in Saskatchewan. As she is drawn into the lives of the other cast and crew members it becomes clear to her that she was hired for this particular role for a reason. In her own past lies the key to a secret about Mazo's life.

While this will never be a favourite of mine, it was good. The writing is solid and the characters are believable. What I enjoyed most was the unusual plot line. It was different from the usual story line of boy meets girl, etc, etc. It was interesting to look at the ups and downs of an actress's life and the logistics of a theater production. It seems like every novel ends up being all about the romance, so I found this one refreshing.

The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

This was one of those lovely serendipitous moments when I happen across just the right book for my reading mood. I wanted a novel to get lost in for awhile, something light but not fluffy, something I wouldn't have to think about very much but it had to have writing and characters that wouldn't have me rolling my eyes before the end of the first chapter. I'm finding it harder and harder to find books like that. There are lots of light reads out there but they're too light - cotton candy light, completely lacking substance. I'm utterly sick of those books but this one, ah this one was just about perfect. The characters were quite well-rounded, the story was interesting and the writing was good. Best of all for me was the setting of an old English manor house. I don't know what it is, but I adore books in which the house is almost the main character. There's something about the connection that people form with their homes that gets to me every time.

Elise is 19 years old and living in Vienna in 1939. When Austria becomes too dangerous for Jewish people she leaves her family and their upper class life to become a parlour maid in England. The family she works for has a son so you can guess where that's going, though it's best not to take too much for granted as this isn't just a romance. With Elise's parents still in danger in Vienna and England on the brink of war, life gets complicated for everyone involved and the plot doesn't always go in the direction you're expecting. That makes it worth reading.

A Few Seasonal Re-reads

There are many novels, novellas and poems I'd love to read every Christmas if only there was time. I usually pick up a couple of new Christmas stories through the year and try to squeeze them in as well, but I'm going to try to make myself not do that this year. I think I want more time for re-reading the treasures I enjoy so much.I did manage to get in three of my favourites this year:

Old Christmas by Washington Irving, A Child's Christmas In Wales by Dylan Thomas and A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg.

Old Christmas is just beautiful, full of wisdom and history and wonderfully usable quotes. My review from a previous reading is here.

A Child's Christmas in Wales is the reminiscing of a man about his boyhood Christmases. It's thoroughly enjoyable to read from beginning to end as he recalls what Christmas was like from the viewpoint of a young boy. He talks about family gatherings, his neighbours, the gifts, the food, and the weather with both humour and a touch of nostalgia. I'm sure most of you have read this at one point or another but for the few who may not have, you are missing out on a delightful reading experience. I've seen it online so you don't even have to buy it, although there's nothing quite like holding it in your hands, while you sit by the Christmas tree sipping a cup of eggnog. Treat yourself to this very special piece of literature next year.

A Cup of Christmas Tea is a sentimental poem available in a lovely hard cover book that I set out as part of my Christmas decorating. It's that pretty. The poem is about a man who doesn't want to visit his aging aunt before Christmas. He's busy and she's been ill and he doesn't want to see her as she is now. He'd rather remember her as she was when he was a child and she a younger, vibrant woman. His conscience gets the best of him and the rest of the poem describes the visit. I first read this years ago and with aging relatives of my own, found it quite moving. Now that I'm the aging, infirm aunt, I love it even more and it makes me tear up every time. Whatever your age, I think this is going to get to you. I hope it does, because there are a lot of us aging, infirm aunts out here
and we would love a visit.

I wish you contentment in the coming year.

God bless you and yours.

Dianne

"Christmas at Thompson Hall" and "The Christmas List"

Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope

This little book contains five of Anthony Trollope's Christmas stories. I enjoyed the lack of sugary sweetness usually found in Christmas stories and I find Trollope's Victorian language lovely.

The first is Christmas at Thompson Hall, a story about a husband and wife trying (well she's trying, he's fighting it) to get from France to England to join their family for Christmas.

The second is Christmas Day at Kirkby Cottage, about a young couple who are meant to be together but have trouble communicating their feelings for each other.

The third story is The Mistletoe Bough, about a young man and woman who meet again two years after her father told the young man she was too young to be thinking about marriage.

The fourth is The Two Generals in which brothers fight on opposite sides in the American Civil War. It was refreshing to read a Christmas story not focused on a romantic relationship.

The final story is Not If I Know It, about brothers-in-law whose relationship is threatened by a few hastily spoken words.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for something seasonal and easy to read in the busy month of December. It would also make a very nice Christmas gift for your favourite reader, even if your favourite reader is you!

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

This was not what I expected at all. When you talk about a "list" this time of year it usually means a list of things someone wants for Christmas but here it's a list of people the main character, James, has hurt in his work as a land development tycoon and now wants to help. This change of outlook comes after he reads his own obituary and the comments attached to it. Another man with the same name had died and somehow the reporters got the two men mixed up and reported the demise of the wrong James Kier. The eye-opening part was the glee with which people read of his death and rejoiced that the world was better off without him.

This all leads him to ask his secretary to list the people who have suffered the most from his heartless business practices and he begins his quest to make things right. Of course most of those people don't want anything to do with him so it's not as easy as he hoped it would be. He may have had an Ebenezer Scrooge-type change of heart, but some of the damage he's done in both his business and his private life cannot be undone. It is a Christmas story though so in the end things turn out as well as they can, all things considered, and some of those "things" are pretty serious.

I found the story refreshing because it was different and it wasn't a sappy perfect ending. It's written in short chapters making it easy to read in five minute segments, which is sometimes all you get this time of year. I did have a couple of free hours one evening and was able to finish it quickly. All in all it was a nice read, positive and inspiring, perfect for light, but not fluffy, holiday reading.