The latest installment in my audio book adventure was Body of Lies. The best thing I can say about this book: it passed the time while I was driving. The plot was trite and felt as though I have read it in a million other works. Admittedly, I am not terribly upset since this is the first unsatisfying audio book of the year. With a week of travel ahead of me, I’ll pick up a couple of books for the road and move right ahead.
#8: Lone Wolf (Jodi Picoult)
Once again, Jodi Picoult comes through with another amazing read! Lone Wolf is the story of a family facing a difficult decision after a car accident leaves the father in a coma. The daughter holds out hope for a full recovery; the estranged son returns from Thailand after a six year absence and fights for the right to terminate life support. Through all the twists and turns, these siblings ultimately discover that they have a lot in common with the wolf packs that their father spent his life researching — most notably that nothing is more important than family.
My only regret after finishing this novel is that I have to wait another year to read Picoult’s next finely crafted novel. While the anticipation is killing me, I look forward to it, knowing that it will be another piece to add to my “must read” list.
#7: Zero Day (David Baldacci)
Lots of driving is letting me get through some fun books at the moment! Yesterday, I finished Zero Day and had a ton of fun listening.
The novel features John Puller as its hero, a special agent in the army who is also the son of a retired general and brother to a soldier convicted of treason. Puller finds himself ordered to investigate the murder of a military officer in rural West Virginia, but the situation quickly begins to spiral out of control. Filled with unexplained deaths, a couple of swarmy residents in this dying burg, a somewhat incompetent police force, and charming characters, Zero Day is a fun read that will keep you entertained for several days.
The book jacket suggests that this is the first novel in a series featuring John Puller. I can only hope! I’m ready for another adventure already!
#6: The Descendants (Kaui Hart Hemmings)
With my busy schedule continuing, my fascination with audio books led me to The Descendants. Recommended by a great friend from college who knows that I enjoy riveting family dramas and thought I would enjoy the Hawaiian setting, the novel had great possibilities. After seeing the trailers for the George Clooney movie based on the book, however, I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy the read.
The Descendants follows a father and his two daughters as they come to terms with what life will be like without their loving mother in their life. The plot is fairly simple, but kept interesting and engaging through the constant revelations made by the colorful characters as they prepare to say goodbye.
Despite learning that Mom was less than perfect in the months leading up to her boating accident, the reader is filled with sympathy as the end of life draws near. Honestly, I had to pull off the road briefly to listen to some of the novel’s touching closing passages because my vision was distorted as my eyes welled up with tears.
Despite its depiction of marital infidelity, teen drug and alcohol abuse, and inappropriate sexuality, I found The Descendants to be a wonderful depiction of a modern family in crisis. I look forward to reading additional works by Hemmings in the future as well.
#5: The Litigators (John Grisham)
On a recent trip with the family to Louisville, I picked up an audio recording of The Litigators. Since it was written by John Grisham, an author that I don’t gravitate to naturally, I expected a light read that would keep me awake on the drive but not demand too much of my attention. I like my audio books to be something that I can easily pull myself away from without thinking about when the chapter will end. The Litigators was not such a book, much to my (pleasant) surprise.
Centering on a law firm filled with humorous attorneys and beautifully written characters, the novel pulls you into issues of morality and justice while connecting you to the lives of the individuals inhabiting Grisham’s fictional world. A high-profile mass torte case against a pharmaceutical company, quickie divorces, legal services advertised on Bingo cards, and a fearful family of immigrants combine to create one of the most engrossing tales I have experienced in quite some time.
The question that now haunts my mind is whether I have been missing the pleasure and craftsmanship of Grisham’s writing or if the work was simply a perfect fit for my drive time. Either way, I plan to take a look at another of Grisham’s lesser known works in the future and have already begun listening to another audio book. I’ll let you know what I discover……
For now, I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the opening of the bookstore tomorrow morning in order to purchase my next exciting read: Jodi Picoult’s new novel! I can’t wait!
#3: One Summer (David Baldacci)
One Summer started out as a book that grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go. The novel tells the story of a young couple with three children facing a harsh reality. The father, a veteran, has a terminal disease and is expecting to die at any moment. In a cruel turn of events, his wife is in a tragic car accident, leaving her husband and children behind.
Baldacci’s writing in the first half of the novel is splendid. The father’s struggle to accept his own approaching death, feelings of helplessness as his children are relocated with family around the country, and his triumphant return to health are powerfully crafted. Once the family is reunited and settle for the summer in South Carolina, the novel seemed to lose some of its forward momentum and drive.
What I had hoped would be an inviting, heart-felt novel turned out to be a lazy beach read. I’m no worse for the wear, but my life is no better for reading it either.
My rating: 2.5 out of 5.
#2: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (Tom Franklin)
The bar for quality reading this year has been set very high! Tom Franklin’s novel tells the story of two men, Larry and Silas, who grew up together in southeastern Mississippi. Silas is a black boy; Larry is white. As they grow, their lives take different paths.
Years ago, a young girl suddenly disappeared after going on a date with Larry. Everyone assumes that Larry was responsible for her disappearance and death, but he was never tried due to a lack of evidence. Now another girl has gone missing and Larry is the prime suspect. Silas has returned to the deep South as a police officer in the small town, investigating the kidnapping.
Is Larry a monster or a misunderstood introvert? Does Silas know more about the situation than he is telling?
The novel is a fascinating read with lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Be advised, dear reader, that the book is intended for a mature audience and includes vulgarity throughout. (If you are easily offended by language, this may not be the book for you.)
My review: 4 1/2 out of 5……incredible story, wonderful writing and engrossing.
