Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy

Reviewed by: Diane Soffietti, Adult Services

Genre: Contemporary women’s relationship fiction, short stories, Irish culture at the end of the 20^th century to current times

Suggested Age: Adult

What is the book about?: As always with a Binchy book, there are a multitude of characters of different ages. Each chapter deals with their lives behind the closed doors of their homes on Chestnut Street. Different situations and problems are handled with different life skills or lack of skills.

My review: I like all of the Binchy books. Her style of short chapters that concern one of the characters is similar to short stories. Usually the cast of characters come together in the end to a happy conclusion. These books give me an idea of what life is like in Ireland. I was saddened when I learned that Maeve Binchy died last summer, and I was glad that there was another book of hers to savor. If you like learning about another culture in a short story format, please try Chestnut Street or one of Maeve Binchy’s earlier books. Some of her titles do concern the same characters or family members from previous books, but it is not necessary to read them in order to enjoy reading them.

Although the book deals with marital affairs and unwed mothers, it does not contain strong language or graphic scenes.

Rating: 4/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.  Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each Tuesday at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available.  If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently.  We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!

The Painted Table by Suzanne Field

Reviewed by:  Sylvia Shults, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Listed as Inspirational, but it’s really literary fiction.

Suggested age:  Adult

What is the book about?: This is actually the story of two women: Joann, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, and Saffee, her own daughter. Joann grew up on the frontier, and lost her mother at an early age — finding out much later that her mother died in an insane asylum. Joann, not all that stable mentally to begin with, worries at that information until it drives her completely around the bend. (From the narrative, it looks like Joann’s mother had been committed for distress at losing her youngest child, and wasn’t actually insane as we would recognize it today.) One of the defining moments of Joann’s life revolves around hiding under a dining room table. Joann later inherits the table, and projects all of her issues onto it, obsessively painting and repainting it over the course of the rest of her life. Saffee, Joann’s daughter, assumes that she is destined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become mentally ill herself. But she manages to break free of the generational curse of mental instability, and strike out on her own. She goes to college, meets a great guy, and makes a solid, stable life for herself, despite her mother’s mental issues.

My review: I really enjoyed this book. It started out rather slowly, building a life from Joann’s perspective. I found the details of Saffee’s life to be much more interesting to read … and that’s really as it should be, since the reader is supposed to cheer for Saffee and her gradually dawning realization that she is not necessarily doomed to a life of mental instability like her mother (and her unknown grandmother). Mental health issues are a very personal, important subject for me … so it was a real pleasure to read a book in which at least one of the main characters triumphed over her difficulties.

Rating: 4/5 because it does take a while to really get rolling.

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.  Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available.  If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently.  We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!

Bad Luck and Trouble, Lee Child.  Jack Reacher Series, book 11

Reviewed by: Robert Diskin, Adult Services

Genre: Fiction- Action Thriller

Suggested age: Adult

What is the book about?:  While investigating the disappearance of two of his comrades, Jack Reacher, an ex-military cop, uncovers a secret arms deal between an American weapons manufacturer and foreign terrorists.

My review:  I listened to the audio book version of this title.  The narrator’s deep tone and aloof indifference is true to the character of Jack Reacher.  And Reacher himself is fascinating- he is super strong, super tough, and stands against the unjust.  He is also very intelligent and analytical, usually uncovering the unknown through verbal and mathematical dissection.  The dialogue is very stimulating, and the plot plausible.  The storyline is easy to follow as well- it has an array of characters, locations, and plot elements, but not so many that it becomes confusing or arduous to keep track of.

Some violence, though not too graphic.

Rating: 4/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.  Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available.  If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently.  We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!

Notes from the Internet Apocalypse: A Novel by Wayne Gladstone

Reveiwed by: Genna Buhr, Public Services Manager

Genre:  Satiric sci-fi noir mystery

Suggested age:  Adult

What is the book about?: The Internet dies. Nobody knows why. Everyone is affected, some to the point of crazy compu-zombie madness. Behaviors and content easily at home on the open web are recreated in real life by those who can’t stand to do without it. Others, including Gladstone (the whiskey-drinking, fedora-wearing main character with issues of his own), Tobey (a schmoozy, once-online friend now his in-person best buddy), and Oz (a new friend from the land down under who had made her living on the Internet) take on an Internet-less New York City to solve the mystery of why the web died and who exactly killed it. Oh, and there’s a “gay, prog rock-loving, psychic, former librarian.”

My review: I was initially drawn to this book, as it’s fairly short. I was looking for a quick, light read, and the wifi-headed floating man on the cover caught my eye from our selection of new releases. I don’t usually read a lot of fiction, but I do enjoy alternative histories and creative looks at the future. I’m also a little sarcastic (sometimes), so the fact that it was authored by a writer for Cracked and McSweeney’s gave me hope that it wouldn’t be lofty, over descriptive fiction that uses 100 words where 10 would suffice. I was surprised, however, as to how fast I was drawn into this fast-paced mystery set in what I would call “a grown up, realistic dystopia.” I use the Internet a fair deal in both my professional and personal lives and consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the trends and fads of the web. Gladstone was good at explaining some of the communities behind their existence, the intent they have, and what happens when their toys are taken away. Overall, it was an eye-opening look at the “what if” of life (of others and of my own) without the Internet. This book, although fiction, makes me think saying life “after” the Internet would just revert to being like life “before” the Internet is more than an understatement. It’s just plain wrong.

Heads up. It does contain some strong language and explicit sexual content. (It’s a book exploring the effects of the ‘net, after all.)

Rating:  4/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.  Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available.  If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently.  We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!