The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Socially awkward and super intelligent, geneticist Don decides that he needs a wife. Rejecting the scattershot approach of normal dating, he creates a rigorous, scientific survey to find the perfect woman. In the middle of the Wife Project, he is distracted by a young woman named Rosie who asks him to help find her biological father. In The Rosie Project by debut author Graeme Simsion, Don's logical, orderly life is thrown into chaos as Rosie shows him that not all problems can be solved with science.

Don is a fascinating protagonist, and looking at the world from his coldly logical perspective is in turns illuminating, sad, and funny. As this is a romantic comedy, some of the situations that the characters get in are almost too cute -  Don doesn't wear a dinner jacket to a fancy restaurant and has to use martial arts to defend himself from the bouncers, and Rosie has keep him from getting arrested. In addition, Don's progression to less unemotional and logical is believable, yet I never felt in touch with his feelings, though this may be because Don was never in touch with his feelings. Simsion's first novel is a great light read for anyone who likes romantic comedies with a scientific flair and a healthy helping of a new perspective.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

Kevin Powers, poet, author, and Iraq veteran, has written a deeply emotional and searing fictional account of the war in Iraq as narrated by a troubled young private. Switching between the battlefield and home after being discharged, The Yellow Birds is told from the perspective of Private Bartle, a man suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and the ghost of something too horrible to consciously recall.

Powers' command of language is astounding, his prose beautiful and evocative, and his descriptions poetic and lovely of even the most horrifying scenes. Through Private Bartle's perspective, he brings to light aspects of the soldier's experience that civilians may not expect: the unstoppable, unending grind of war and the PTSD that follows soldiers home. Instead of a story of a triumphant hero, the tale is tragic and its protagonist lost and alone, as things can never be the same after Private Bartle returns to the United States. One minor complaint is that Powers' sentences are often complex, but the re-read they require is rewarding and illuminating. This novel earns its comparisons to The Things They Carried and All Quiet on the Western Front and though - and perhaps because - it is a difficult, emotionally challenging book, it should be on everyone's reading list.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

The Quick by Lauren Owen

Charlotte and James Norbury grow up in a huge old mansion out in the country, playing on the overgrown pathways and in the dusty library. From reading other gothic horror novels, you would think that it would be in the mansion that the siblings would meet some eldritch abomination, but in The Quick by Lauren Owen, it is London where brother and sister are plagued by an evil they are afraid to name. When James disappears into the bowels of Victorian London, Charlotte must find him before it's too late.

You won't find it on the book jacket, but (SPOILERS, I guess) the twist is that there are vampires in London, vampires who are not glamorous and romantic but repulsive and alien. They are both disgusted and attracted to humans, which they call the Quick, and their natures cannot be controlled like in certain other vampire narratives. I thought this was an interesting take on vampires being  truly repulsive instead of perversely attractive. However, the main characters, James and Charlotte, don't have much to do and are swept along for the ride rather than directing the action. Side characters do most of the action and planning while the two Norburys follow along in their wake. However, fans of gothic horror and Anne Rice will gobble this dark, dreamlike novel right up.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

Maud's friend Elizabeth is missing, and that's the only thing she knows for sure. Everything else is a bit muddled, that's all. In Emma Healey's debut novel Elizabeth Is Missing, Maud doggedly searches for her friend Elizabeth as she battles with dementia. Compounding the problem, Maud's memories of her sister Sukey who disappeared when she was a girl intertwine with her need to search for Elizabeth, which makes finding the truth that much harder.

Healey's debut is a haunting depiction of a character with dementia, as the reader is drawn inexorably into Maud's downward spiral as her disease worsens. Though Maud doesn't remember what happened a few pages ago, the reader remembers, and it is truly heart-wrenching when she doesn't recognize her own daughter. The historical touches from the post-WWII era and the twin mysteries add layers of realism and suspense, but the true star of the novel is Maud's dementia. For a debut author to create such a convincing, sympathetic portrayal of a dementia patient while intertwining two different, intricate mysteries is an impressive literary achievement.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Terms and Conditions by Robert Glancy

When Frank wakes up in a hospital bed with quite a few broken bones, he can't remember how he got there. In fact, he can't remember who he is. His wife and brother mention a "little episode" he had, but won't give him any other details. Amnesiac Frank eventually learns that he is a contract lawyer specializing in the small print that no one reads. In Terms and Conditions by Robert Glancy, Frank struggles through the journey back to himself as he observes the world and himself with biting wit.

The most striking stylistic choice in Glancy's novel is that it is presented as a series of contracts, with Frank's fine print (numerous, hilarious footnotes) adding insight the narrative. Frank is an everyman, someone who could be one of your coworkers or acquaintances, which makes him extremely sympathetic and relatable as a character. However, what Frank hates about himself is what many of us dislike about ourselves: cowardice, passivity, and total lack of ambition. The novel is about how memory shapes who we are and whether one can be a better person if they forget who they are and start over. At the same time, it is a searing portrait of a marriage falling apart and of a couple growing into different people than when they met. Glancy's debut novel will appeal to anyone who likes insightful, funny novels, or who found the movie Office Space hauntingly true-to-life.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

The Bees by Laline Paull

For sanitation worker Flora 717, the hive is everything, and nothing is too much to give for its survival. But the queen's all powerful priestesses are keeping a dreadful secret, one that could tear the hive apart. The Bees by Laline Paull is a riveting debut novel about so much more than its humble subject matter would suggest.

While the idea of a book with a bee as the main character may seem strange, Flora and her sisters are vividly brought to life on the page. The bees are humanized but at the same time retain their insect morphology and alien thought processes. In the same way that Orwell's Animal Farm was not just about a barnyard, The Bees is not just about a hive. Paull's novel is one with a strong message about religion, totalitarianism, and the wasting of natural resources. Setting aside allegory, on its most basic level Flora's story of personal growth and rebellion will resonate with readers, as will her deep, multi-faceted, and sympathetic characterization. From someone who used to hate bees, take this from me: read this book. You'll be glad you did.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bualwayo

In a tiny village in Zimbabwe, ten-year-old Darling lives in a hut made of corrugated tin, although before the revolution she had a big house with a swimming pool. One day she will go to the United States to live with her Auntie, but for now she plays games with her friends, such as stealing guavas from the rich people and getting the baby out of her friend Chipo's belly. With humor and honesty, NoViolet Bulawayo tells the story of Darling in We Need New Names, the 2013 debut novel that won the prestigious Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award.

For the character of Darling, Bulawayo writes in a childlike, authentic voice. Darling is not simpering, cute, or simplistic, and her thought process is believable, if disconcerting. In reading the novel, I learned about the history of Zimbabwe, a time and place I had never known about, and while the author does not go into the gory details, (as Darling is too young to know of them) there is an uneasy feeling permeating the novel that something is wrong. Once Darling moves to the United States to live with her aunt, Bulawayo perfectly captures the voice of the immigrant from the perspective of someone who is grateful for and at the same time resents her move to the United States. In this coming of age story, Darling sacrifices so much to be caught between a land that she feels will never accept her and a home that will never take her back. Fans of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah will devour this one whole.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Recently laid off from his job at a San Francisco start-up, Clay searches everywhere for employment. He walks into Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, where the proprietor hires him after asking Clay what his favorite book is. Clay likes his job, but he can't understand how the store stays open - often there are no customers at all, and the ones that do come in borrow from a lending library in the back. There is more to the 24-Hour Bookstore than meets the eye, and Clay sets out to solve the mystery with the help of his friends. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan is a novel that blends genres easily, with elements of mystery, literary fiction, romance, and fantasy in the mix.

I was drawn in from the first chapter of this beautifully-written love letter to books.  But the author's love does not only extend to old things and books - it also embraces fancy new technology. Somehow Sloan creates a curious melding of old and new, where books and technology exist mostly in harmony (much like a library!). His beautiful prose and arresting metaphors captured my imagination. However, the dialogue can sometimes be hard to understand since Sloan does not always put everything in quotes and the characters sometimes come off as flat. While the novel has its flaws, it is still a fast-paced, innovative, intriguing mystery that will be hard to put down.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Let's Talk About... Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Want to relax amid the bustle of preparing for the holidays?  Join us for a discussion of Helen Simonson's Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, the sweet, romantic story of an old widower living in a small village in the English countryside. This last book club meeting of 2013 will be on Thursday, December 5 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Junior Home room at Tiffin-Seneca Public Library. Light refreshments will be provided.

Major Pettigrew is a proper English gentleman who strikes up a friendship with the lovely Pakistani shopkeeper, Mrs. Ali, from down the road. They bond over the loss of their spouses and eventually their friendship begins to turn to romance. However, their blossoming love hits a snag when the others in the village find out and disapprove of the romance between a local and a foreigner.

Though I do not normally read romances, I enjoyed this novel for a lighter look at some deeper themes such as racism, dealing with adult children, and love after the death of a spouse. The characters also turned out to be deeper than I had initially assumed, and the Major especially grows over the course of the novel. In addition, the slow-burning romance between Mrs. Ali and the Major is heart-warming to observe as they bond over their losses and love of reading.

Here are some things to think about to get your brain working before the book club meeting:

• Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali have known one another for a time. What is it about this one moment, when he opens the door to her at the story's onset, that makes him fall in love with her?*
• How are outsiders treated in this village...and who are considered outsiders?*

Please join us to discuss this sweet English romance. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

*Discussion questions courtesy of Litlovers.com.

The Night Guest

My love for debut novels can be a blessing and a curse.  I recently had someone ask if I tend to read the follow-up to an author's debut.  When I responded with a "pfft", I realized I may have a problem.  However, it can certainly be a great thing when I find one of those under-the-radar titles that winds up being amazing.  Fiona McFarlane's debut, The Night Guest, is one of those titles that reminds me why I love reading debuts.

Ruth is a widow living in a beach house on the coast of Australia.  Her husband, Harry, passed away a year ago and, while Ruth gets along fine for the most part, something is certainly missing from her life now.  Enter Frida, a guest who arrives one night claiming to be a helper from the government.  She cleans, cooks, and even makes conversation with Ruth, getting to know her.  But where did Frida really come from?  And is she a good influence upon Ruth's life or is she too much of an influence?  As Ruth begins piecing together Frida's past, she finds herself wondering about her guest's intentions.

I love books that I have trouble classifying.  This is certainly one of them.  Mystery?  Literary Fiction?  Suspense?  Romance?  Psychological Fiction? All of the above applies here.  The writing style is magnificent and very lyrical.  If that doesn't pique your interest, did I mention the tiger Ruth occasionally hears in her home at night? 

Chris May- Adult Services Manager

Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin by Nicole Hardy

I usually don't read memoirs (or much nonfiction), but a friend recommended this to me and I thought it looked interesting. It turned out to be a touching and evocative account of a life lived out of sync with what her community expects. Confessions of a Latter-day Virgin: a Memoir by Nicole Hardy is a memoir of a young, single Mormon woman struggling with the clash between what her church expects of her and what she wants out of life. The church wants her to practice abstinence, marry early, and give up her career for motherhood. Nicole is fiercely independent and wants to become a writer, travel the world, and not have children.

The memoir explores the loneliness and isolation of not being able to connect with the opposite sex inside or outside her church. Mormon men think she is too independent and those outside the church are confused by her faith and subsequent virginity. Hardy tells of her struggle between her own sexuality and her commitment to celibacy with poetic prose. She touches on universal doubts and troubles that I think we all share, such as the search for identity and the need to please one's parents. Check out Hardy's memoir for an inside look at the Mormon faith, or for a young woman's struggle to be true to who she is.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Join the discussion next Thursday for The Dog Stars!

Spice up your Thursday morning with a fun, energetic discussion of The Dog Stars by Peter Heller on November 7. The "Let's Talk" book club will meet at 10:30 a.m.  in the Junior Home room at T-SPL.

After the end of the world, all Hig wants to do is fish for trout. But the trout are all gone, along with much of the weaker flora and fauna of the world, including most of the humans. Hig now lives at an abandoned airport with his dog Jasper and another survivor named Bangley. One day Hig receives a radio transmission and flies to meet it in his plane. His destination is past the point of no return, so Hig must take a leap into the unknown to find what he is searching for.

To get your brain buzzing, here are a couple things to think about:

• The prose style of The Dog Stars is clipped, terse, often fragmented. Why would Heller choose this way of writing this particular story? In what ways is it fitting?
• What does the novel imply about human nature, after the constraints of civilization have been removed? What does it suggest about the possible consequences of the way we are living now?

Join us for light refreshments and fun discussion - we'd love to see you there!


Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Have You Missed Coffee By the Book?

Coffee By the Book, started last year as a joint venture between the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library and Bailiwicks Coffee Company, has been a rousing success throughout its first year of existence.  This is not your normal book group.  First, there's obviously coffee.  How can you go wrong there?  Second, the book selections may surprise you.  The focus is on debut novels, often quirky, that may have slipped under your radar.  Finally, there is the group itself.  We have a very good group who are energetic and love talking about books.

We discussed The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman at our last meeting.  This heartbreaking novel follows a young man who becomes a lighthouse keeper on a small island off the coast of Australia.  He meets a young woman while on shore leave and they soon get married.  After several failed attempts at starting a family, they find a boat that has washed up on the island.  The boat contains a man who has passed away and a healthy baby. The decision they make ends up haunting them for a long time.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, November 21 from 6:00 to 7:00 at Bailiwicks.  Herman Koch's The Dinner is our next book.  Koch looks at two brothers who share a dark family secret.  The entire story takes place during a single dinner which gets more and more hostile.  Our discussion should be interesting since the meeting is one week before Thanksgiving!  Copies of the book are now available at the Information Desk. 

Chris May- Adult Services Manager

The Past CAN Come Back

Everyone deserves a second chance, right?  We all make mistakes, especially in our younger years, and can make up for those mistakes.  But sometimes it's not quite that easy.  Alex Marwood shows this in his debut novel, Wicked Girls.

A series of murders in a seaside town in the UK becomes the hot news story for Kirsty, who arrives from one of the larger UK newspapers.  The latest victim, a young girl, is found by Amber, a worker at the local amusement park.  We soon find out that Kirsty and Amber know each other...as Bel and Jade.  The story moves back and forth between present day and the fateful day 25 years earlier in which Bel and Jade became involved in a horrible criminal act.  Their chance meeting during a murdering spree threatens to tear apart everything they have built in their quest for normal lives.

I really enjoyed the fact that this thriller was more about the characters.  Each is developed well and the reader really understands the struggle they go through.  Kirsty and Amber each have their own motivations for not getting involved with the other, but other reasons for finding out what the other knows.  The psychological struggle in this novel makes it one not to be missed!

Chris May- Adult Services Manager

Venice Thriller Debut by Jonathan Holt

In Venice, someone wearing priest's robes is found floating on the front steps of the Santa Maria della Salute, one of the city's most famous landmarks. The body turns out to be that of a woman shot in the head. By wearing sacred vestments, she has committed a grievous desecration in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Kat Tapo, a female Italian police captain, is tasked with solving the case. Meanwhile, Holly Boland, an American soldier from the military base in Venice, is given a Freedom of Information request dealing with a war lord in Bosnia, and what she finds may be a conspiracy decades old. The Abomination by Jonathan Holt is a tightly plotted, suspense-filled ride through the seedy underbelly of Venice.

The novel deals with themes of feminism, war crimes, loyalty, and internet privacy, so it is quite topical in terms of the recent NSA controversy. Holt shifts between a number of viewpoints during the course of the book, including Kat, Holly, and a hacker genius named Daniele Barbo, but the three viewpoints never become jumbled and are weaved together with skill. Holt also does a wonderful job of creating two strong female characters with dynamic personalities, which can be difficult for a male author. Fans of Stieg Larrson's Millennium series trilogy will be drawn in by this fast-paced, complex mystery, which is the first in a planned trilogy.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

Historical Ninja Mystery

In 16th century Japan, a ninja named Hiro (more properly called a shinobi) is tasked with protecting Father Mateo, one of the first and only foreigners allowed to live and work in Kyoto. When one of Father Mateo's converts, a beautiful young entertainer named Sayuri, is accused of the murder of one of her patrons, the priest puts his own life on the line to buy time to prove her innocence. Hiro and Father Mateo must find the killer in two days, or else both the priest and Sayuri will be executed. The excellent debut novel The Claws of the Cat by Susan Spann is where mysteries and ancient Japan collide.

Spann's novel is an excellent mystery as well as a skillful introduction to 16th century Japanese culture. It refrains from passing judgement but details such traditions as the bushido code of the samurai and the rigid class system. Characters are rich and full of life, even secondary ones, and the bond between Hiro and Mateo is especially deep. The most singular aspect of this novel, however, is that it is a mystery set in the 16th century - no CSI fingerprinting and blood-spatter analysis here. Hiro uses clues such as the shape of footprints in blood, the potential motive of the killer, and his shinobi skills to solve the murder. It was intriguing to read a story where the detective was both a ninja and had to solve the mystery by using relatively simple (to modern readers) means. If you want to know more about Japanese culture and love an old-fashioned whodunit, you will enjoy this gripping mystery.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

So Your Best Friend is a Kraken

Lilly is the daughter of a rich merchant, but the birthmark on her face marks her as a witch to the townsfolk.  Isolated from other people, she strikes up a friendship with a young kraken that she names Octavius. Yes, you read that right - a kraken. Sea Change, S. M. Wheeler's debut novel, is a dizzying journey through a fantasy world with a cast of strange, mythical characters. When Octavius is kidnapped and sold to the circus, Lilly sets out to rescue him and along the way meets trolls, mermaids, witches, and other mysterious monsters. In order to save her friend, she must make sacrifices that she never knew were possible.

Wheeler's novel is a wildly creative, dark fairy tale in the vein of the original Brothers Grimm stories before they were watered down for Disney. There is gore, blood, horror, and cruelty, but also family, love, and friendship. The novel explores the lengths gone to for friendship and how an unwavering belief, even one with good intentions, will change the person who believes it. One downside to Wheeler's writing style is that the dialogue is somewhat stilted, and I found myself having to read some exchanges multiple times to understand what was going on. However, Wheeler makes up for this with the dark, creative horrors that leap from her mind to the page. Fans of Neil Gaiman's work, especially Neverwhere, will enjoy Wheeler's twisted, visceral fairy tale world.

Shannon Wood, Adult Services Librarian

25 Best Debuts of the 2000s

If you are familiar with my posts, you know of my love for debut novels.  There is just something about discovering a new author who not only has a terrific writing style but is also willing to try something different.  The amount of solid debuts over the past few years has been nothing short of astounding.  It looks like others are thinking the same thing. I just ran across this post from BookPage.  The publication is looking at the 25 Best Debuts of the 2000s and, I have to say, it is quite the list.

There are many here that don't surprise me at all.  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and The Help by Kathryn Stockett are all-star examples.  But there are a few titles in this list you may have missed.  American Rust by Philipp Meyer and The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff are two examples that may have flown under your radar.

But what about the 2010s?  Granted, it's only 2013, but the past couple years have produced a ton of debut novels.  Beautiful debuts like ML Stedman's The Light Between Oceans, The Dangers of Proximal Alphabets by Kathleen Alcott and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  Some have been downright uncomfortable like Still Missing by Chevy Stevens and Room by Emma Donoghue.  And, of course, some have been downright bizzare like The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson and Bed by David Whitehouse.

What are some of your favorite debut novels?

Chris May- Manager of Adult Services

From Africa to America in NoViolet Bulawayo's We Need New Names

NoViolet Bulawayo, born and raised in Zimbabwe, is making a splash with her debut novel, We Need New Names.  The work has already been included in the Man Booker Prize longlist (look for a future post on the list) , making her the only African writer up for the award this year.  Reviews of have been spectacular, so I was eagerly anticipating reading this one.

Darling begins her journey in Zimbabwe.  She spends most of her with a group of her closest friends, getting into the kind of mischief children often get into.  They steal guavas from neighboring rich areas, harass police, make fun of the adults, without missing a chance to laugh at each other.  But each is haunted by the better times that came before military forces destroyed their homes, forcing them to live a life never before imagined.  Darling soon finds herself with an out.  Her aunt, who lives in Detroit, decides to take Darling into her home and give her the opportunity to make it in America.  But Darling finds that America is not quite the America of her dreams.  She is an outsider in a strange land that does not quite live up to the expectations she had while living in Zimbabwe.

This work, at times, will make you laugh out loud.  At other times, it evokes a powerful emotional response.  Above all, it is a very moving and poignant debut novel.  I found myself re-reading sections and even having to set it down after several of the emotional moments.  Bulawayo's triumph is how she makes the reader feel not only Darling's struggle, but the struggle of those who have lost everything and find themselves in a new place. 

Chris May- Manager of Adult Services

The Measures Between Us- Connections Continued

I recently posted my review of The Illusion of Separateness and how it is a beautiful story on the effect of those seemingly minor connections between people.  Ethan Hauser does the same in his debut novel, The Measures Between Us.

There are several players in this powerful novel, but young Cynthia finds herself in the middle.  She is currently living in a mental facility, at the behest of her parents, but she has a very profound effect on others, whether directly or indirectly.  Her father, Vincent, is a high school shop teacher who struggles with the decision of what to do with his troubled daughter.  He seeks the help of pscyhologist, and former student, Henry, who is dealing with the trials of starting his own family.  Jack, Cynthia's on-again, off-again boyfriend, is interning on a project dealing with climate change and a major storm that is threatening the East Coast.  There are others involved here, but the connections between each person, which may seem minor at first, says a lot about the human experience and how we each affect one another in some way.

I really enjoyed the writing style and was not put off by the changes in narrating viewpoints.  The story flows very well, though the language is not as poetic as The Illusion of Separateness.  Still, if you are interested in how people who seem to have nothing in common are still connected, pick this one up.

Chris May- Manager of Adults Services