The Memory Thief by Rachel Keener. © 2010 Center Street. ISBN 1599951126. Drama. 384 pages. $13.99 US [ Purchase ] Source: from the publisher.

Hannah and Angel lead two completely separate lives, each dealing with her own struggles of identity and family. However as events converge, their meeting becomes inevitable.

Upon finishing the book, my first thought was that the title is misleading. It gives far too much importance to a secondary character who, yes, is pivotal to the plot, but does not deserve foremost billing.

Keener’s two main characters travel through independent timelines and lives. While I recognized her desire to keep the reader wondering what the connection was, I thought it took too long to arrive at the conclusion (although perhaps it was a sign of my own distractedness that I didn’t draw the obvious conclusion before it was stated). By having two main characters whose stories are completely separated for most of the book, it is hard for the reader to focus, and I found myself more interested in Hannah’s sections than those relating to Angel.

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. © 2009 Dial Press Trade Paperback. ISBN 0385341008. Paperback. Epistolary Fiction. 290 pages. $14.00 US. [ Purchase ] Source: bought at Target

If you’ve seen any other reviews of this book, it is not unlikely you’ve seen comparisons to 84 Charing Cross Road. It’s somewhat inevitable, given the format of this novel, presented as it is in the form of letters between the various characters. It is a leisurely and familiar way to go about telling a story, and in this case works quite effectively.

As I’m finding it hard to pinpoint what exactly prompts me to give this book 4.5, if not 5, stars out of 5, I wonder if it is the authors’ skillful ability to represent humanity not only accurately but optimistically. While the recent history of World War II casts a shadow over the lives of the characters, from the start the reader knows there is more to this story than the devastation wrought by war – there is the constant hope of deliverance and the perseverance of a people not willing to submit themselves docilely to the invaders.

Not only does the method work and the story embody reality in a touching and poignant way, the characters pull one in with their life. They truly come alive in the pages of the book, and as the book progressed I think I came to think of them less as characters in a book than relatives who had given me the joy of this window into their earlier lives. We see relationships blossom and the fruits of life-long friendships. We cheer on our favorite character and have to chuckle a little when the busybody gets her comeuppance.

Shaffer and Barrows’ writing draws the reader into the world of this small island of the English channel. It is not a difficult read, but it is sprinkled throughout with gems of wisdom and wonder. One character observes that “Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books.” And The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a good book.

Disquiet by Julia Leigh. © 2008 Penguin Books. ISBN 0-1431-1350-X. Fiction. Paperback. 112 pages. $13.00 US. [ Purchase ]

Synopsis
Olivia arrives at her mother’s chateau in rural France (the first time in more than a decade) with her two young children in tow. Soon the family is joined by Olivia’s brother Marcus and his wife Sophie, but this reunion is far from joyful.

Review
I found this to be an odd book, but that’s mainly from the character Sophie and her obsession over her dead baby, which she carries around with her to the point of decomposition. I guess I just don’t understand the hoopla and comparison of the author with greats like Ian MacEwan. Leigh’s writing style reminded me of MacEwan’s but that was about it. The book was very creepy to me in places. I sensed a weird tension between some of the family members that left me uncomfortable.