BookBrowse Editorial Review
Lanny by Max Porter
(7/10/2019)
Porter creates an imaginative tapestry of narratives. It reads like a modern-day fairy tale, with heroes who revere and protect nature, modern-day villains who refuse to see anything outside of their smart phones, and a whole cast of townsfolk who fall somewhere in between. A highly engaging and mysteriously vivid world that you'll want to return to again and again.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
(6/19/2019)
Adding in color and texture through her own imagining, Orringer makes her lead character come to life; he is sometimes funny, sometimes serious, sometimes impetuous and sometimes deeply thoughtful. He is full of quirks and shortcomings, yet he is also entirely sympathetic. If you are looking to get lost in a vivid, deeply feeling work of fiction, look no further. The Flight Portfolio will take you on a journey. It will make you think, make you wonder, fill you with joy.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
The Parisian by Isabella Hammad
(4/17/2019)
Thought-provoking, beautifully rendered, and rife with emotion, The Parisian is a gorgeous, lengthy read. Hammad has achieved something quite impressive with this glowing debut.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Black Leopard, Red Wolf: The Dark Star Trilogy
by Marlon James
(3/20/2019)
It would be safe to say that Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a most unique novel. Challenging and rewarding, beautiful and grotesque, expansive and deeply personal, this story is a work of high talent. Marlon James has brought us a world unlike any we have ever seen. If you are a reader of literary fantasy, an aficionado of the horror genre, or someone who does not shy away from a difficult read, this book will really hit the spot.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Trinity by Louisa Hall
(11/14/2018)
Trinity by Louise Hall is that rare book that delivers on expectations. It is innovative and intricate, full of detail and depth. Lyrical, sad and absolutely engrossing.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Little: A Novel
by Edward Carey
(10/17/2018)
This is a rare gem of a book, lacking absolutely nothing. Beautifully written, fully realized and truly engrossing, Little can be read again and again.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
(10/3/2018)
Beyond her strong characterization, Edugyan just plain writes well. Her story is bright and fresh, avoiding common clichés and building anticipation for the next bend in the story's road. Her descriptions of the Arctic cold and the dry heat of the desert are palpably real. What's more, she makes Washington's interests our own – many readers will likely spend some time exploring the marine life he studies or the aeronautic devices of the 19th century with which he comes i
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood
(9/19/2018)
Highly readable and tightly plotted, T. Greenwood's Rust and Stardust achieves the perfect balance between fact and fiction. The story is meticulously researched, yet it never lets its grip on the reader go, never falls so deeply into factual detail that it loses momentum.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Calypso by David Sedaris
(6/20/2018)
David Sedaris' Calypso is every bit as hilarious and irreverent, as clever and incisive, as brilliant and entertaining as he has ever been. Whether you're a long-time resident or a brand new visitor to the land of Sedaris, you are sure to enjoy the ride.
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Woman of the Ashes: A Sands of the Emperor Novel
by Mia Couto
(5/16/2018)
If you are someone who needs a strong plot to enjoy a novel, this particular story may not be for you. However, if you are comfortable with a slow build, deep and intimate characterization and many conflicting viewpoints, Woman of the Ashes will deliver. While not without some faults, Couto creates an interesting snapshot of Mozambique under Portuguese rule. He paints the various cultural and social crises that this situation presents, placing them in a larger historical context. This is
BookBrowse Editorial Review
A Death of No Importance: A Mystery
by Mariah Fredericks
(4/18/2018)
A Death of No Importance is a simple, clean-cut mystery that yields easily to anyone in search of a satisfying read. A shrewd and exacting reader may find "holes" in the plot – for example, the facility with which everyone seems to open up, or the level of access a lady's maid seems to have to everyone and everything she seeks – but for those willing to suspend disbelief, this is a great way to spend a few hours and maybe even learn something about the New York of a differe
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Fisherman's Blues: A West African Community at Sea
by Anna Badkhen
(3/21/2018)
[Badkhen] shines a spotlight on a community that is not often featured in the news or on screen, and for that she must be commended. Although it may seem like these lives are somehow simple and serene, she shows that they are plagued with the same worries that keep all of us up at night - the safety and well-being of our families, the desire for self-fulfillment and, on a larger scale, the impact we have on our environment...Further, Badkhen is fully willing to do hard work - she blisters her ha
BookBrowse Editorial Review
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
(2/7/2018)
Nunez achieves a beautiful feat – she tells a rich and satisfying story through short vignettes, each seemingly about a very small topic. As a whole, they make up an intricate tapestry of a complicated inner life, but break them apart and you have many fully formed narratives, each with a heart of its own. Put down the book after finishing a short, page-long piece and you will have enough to think about for the rest of the day. How many books can say the same?
BookBrowse Editorial Review
Immune: How Your Body Defends and Protects You
by Catherine Carver
(1/24/2018)
Even if you are a science "nerd," scientific non-fiction can be difficult to embrace. Not many scientists have the gift of translating their incredibly vast knowledge into something that an average reader, without the benefit of a PhD, can understand. Catherine Carver is in the elite minority who can. Immune is an absolute gem. If you have an interest in science, want to know more about the intricacies of the human body, or simply enjoy having a ready arsenal of fascinating tales to share
BookBrowse Editorial Review
In the Midst of Winter by Isabel Allende
(11/1/2017)
Unlike Allende's previous works, this is not a story of magic realism or a glittering multi-generational saga. In the Midst of Winter has a much smaller scope and a much simpler plot line. Although they are interesting, the characters are uncomplicated; each has a maximum of two main objectives at a time. This is a classic "beach" read, despite being set in January. Read it to get swept away for a few hours, read it to learn something about Latin American history, for a touch of romance a
