Pappalardo took on quite a project in trying to tell the story of Borger’s hectic year, particularly his dedication to weaving together so many threads rather than focusing on a single character or sector.
Tag Archives: Would talk about at a party
‘Japanese Gothic’ Bloody and Tender
Baker’s pacing is quick enough, and the story compelling enough to keep the violence and characters’ hopelessness from bleeding too heavily into the reader.
The Past Feels Too Familiar in ‘Fear’
The ideas that led to the shooting and Goetz’s subsequent exoneration are still alive and well, and while it may not be easy, it’s crucial to understand and confront them.
Sherlock More Than a Role in ‘Final Problem’
In glamorous 1960 Europe, a chance encounter between those on both sides of the second world war, and Hollywood’s golden-age camera, makes for a deadly combination. That’s the setup in The Final Problem, the latest from Spanish writer Arturo Perez-Reverte, now translated into English by Frances Riddle. Ormond Basil, a one-time movie star now flirting withContinue reading “Sherlock More Than a Role in ‘Final Problem’”
In ‘Infamous,’ Minutiae Gives Meaning to Family Life
The Gilberts and Thornwalk are fictional, but the equivalents in our own homes and families and lives aren’t. These bits and bobbles, these trinkets and signs of wear that mean nothing to anyone else and might not even mean a thing to ourselves but nevertheless bear aching witness to, well, life.
‘Captain’s Dinner’ Focuses on Legal Drama, Not Cannibalism
There’s a delicacy in writing about history. For one thing, having the benefit of knowing the end of a series of events from the beginning makes it easy for us to criticize the actions of those who lived it. It can be tricky, too, to not overlay the norms and expectations of today to thoseContinue reading “‘Captain’s Dinner’ Focuses on Legal Drama, Not Cannibalism”
‘Heat’ Examines Food in Multifaceted Way
Food is nutritional, but it’s also cultural, spiritual, creative, historical, and meaningful in a hundred different ways. Geraldine DeRuiter reminds us with humor and heart that the way we interact with it is just as varied and meaningful, too.
‘Orchard’ a Twisty Mystery in Small-Town Appalachia
Annie is a delight of a modern-day PI, with all the crustiness and baggage of any private dick in the genre, though Sullivan manages to make her feel more human than trope.
‘Ghost Fish’ a Slim Novel with a Punch
Opening up this slim novel gives the feeling of unknowingly sinking into cool, deep water; closing brings you back to the surface, gasping for air.
Moreno-Garcia’s Latest a ‘Bewitching’ Tale
The Bewitching expertly weaves the supernatural and the pedestrian together across generations into something rich and haunting in all the best ways.
Ring Reads 