Staff Blog – Page 15 – Lemuria Books

Tag: Staff Blog (Page 15 of 20)

By Katie Magee

Human Acts by Han Kang absolutely broke me and put the pieces right back together, just like one of her previous books I read, The Vegetarian, had. Human Acts is about the Gwangju Uprising which took place in South Korea in 1980. This Uprising lasted for a little over a week, resulting in nearly 600 deaths.

This book is the story of a boy, Dong-ho, who loses his life in the Uprising. Dong-ho is a middle-schooler who works in the Provincial Office during the uprising. His job is to take care of the corpses that are brought there, help families and friends identify their missing loved ones, and try to keep a log of the corpses that are brought in.

Each chapter of this story has a different narrator, all of whom have in common some type of connection to Dong-Ho. Each narrator is also directly or indirectly involved with the Uprising and many of them pass away during it just like Dong-Ho.

Han Kang was born in Gwangju and spent a good bit of her childhood there. She grew up in the aftermath of the Uprising, still witnessing its consequences and how it affected people in that area. Han Kang does a wonderful job of telling this tragic story in a beautiful way, refusing to water down anything and loading it with raw emotion.

“Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? Is the experience of cruelty the only thing we share as a species? Is the dignity that we cling to nothing but self-delusion, masking from ourselves the single truth: that each one of us is capable of being reduced to an insect, a ravening beast, a lump of meat? To be degraded, slaughtered–is this the essential of humankind, one which history has confirmed as inevitable?” –Han Kang, Human Acts

Thor’s-day Thursday: Neil Gaiman’s ‘Norse Mythology’

By Hunter

On March 2, 2017

In Fantasy, Mythology

Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology is a welcome addition to the list of works contributing to popular culture’s growing fascination with Norse myth. Gaiman’s work, however, goes a lot farther than any super hero franchise. It’s a topic that many have difficulty reading about outside of the realms of academia, but the author’s own love of the source material shines through as Gaiman gives us a wonderful medium through which to learn about Viking deities. The book starts out very analytical, with a few textbook-esque chapters that introduce the reader to the world and the characters that Gaiman will describe in coming chapters, but this section is short and necessary, as immediately after, he jumps right into a series of mythic stories of action, drama, and a bit of comedy. The humor that Gaiman adds to the tales is not out-of-place, but instead is a bit of modern wit that feels strangely at home in this world; with moments like Thor explaining “when something goes wrong, the first thing I always think is, it is Loki’s fault. It saves a lot of time.” Funny moments like this are the hidden virtue of the book, in my opinion.

Gaiman reintroduces readers to Odin, the “All-Father;” Thor, the hammer-wielding God of Thunder; and Loki, the God of chaos–among many others. The second story in the book (not counting the few introductory chapters) called “The Treasures of the Gods”, is probably my favorite. Loki shaves Thor’s wife’s head while they sleep, and Thor forces Loki to attempt to restore it. The result is one of the more humorous stories in the book that culminates (SPOILERS) in Thor getting his signature hammer, something that Gaiman describes as also “Loki’s fault”. The stories cover the entire range of the mythology, thor beginning with basic origin stories and culminating in the final chapter with the story of Ragnarok, the Norse doomsday prophecy. Gaiman takes these classic tales and puts his own twist in them, writing them as if they were brand-new inventions of his mind. Norse Mythology is fantastic and, at the very least, an extremely fun read that anyone who loves fantasy of mythology (or even someone who doesn’t) should pick up and give a shot.

Check Out Anytime You Like, But You Can Never Leave: ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles

By Aimee

On February 27, 2017

In Fiction

It’s so easy to take our freedom of speech for granted. In A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov has committed a crime and is now sentenced to live the rest of his life in the world famous Metropol Hotel in Moscow, Russia. If he dares to step outside, he will be shot on sight. What was his crime? He wrote a poem–a political, divisive poem that he wrote as young man in 1913, but now, in 1922, has to answer for. And so, he has to live out his days wandering the halls of the Metropol. The beginning of the book is slowly paced, as the Count acclimates himself to his new life. He is often bored, counting down the minutes to his weekly appointment with the hotel’s barber. A young girl who also lives her life in the hotel shows him all the best hiding spots to spy on people in exchange for the Count telling her how to be a princess. As time goes on, the Count becomes intertwined with old friends, an actress, and a deadly plot against him.

count peeking The way Towles writes his descriptions is playful and witty. The Count himself is the charming gentleman we’d like to imagine the aristocracy to be. There’s often little asides in the book that explain certain things in further detail, one of my favorites being a footnote that spans almost two pages. In one spot, Towles tells us to forget about a character, but to be on the lookout for another character that’s going to make a brief appearance in the next chapter. Occasionally Towles will go ahead and tell the reader what’s going to happen even further down the timeline.

Actual video of Towles' writing process

Amor Towles

Lemuria recently had an event where Towles came and signed books and then spoke about A Gentleman in Moscow. Let me tell you: he was riveting. Towles spoke about the research he did in writing this book, about the Bolsheviks that didn’t like the poem the Count had written, about how Lenin had his photos altered to erase people that fell out of favor with him (when I went home afterwards, I immediately started doing my own research on these early “Photoshopping” jobs. It’s fascinating.) Towles is charming and witty in person, so it’s no wonder that his books translate the same charm and wit.

If you’re still on the fence about reading this delightful book, I implore you to watch the book trailer right here.

Showing some love for ‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas

By Former Lemurians

On February 24, 2017

In African-American, OZ: Young Adult Fiction

by Andrew Hedglin

Cards on the table: Angie Thomas is an acquaintance of mine from college–one of those right here in Jackson. I followed her nascent writing career on social media, and as things started to take off for her, I was rooting for her success, even before I saw any of her writing. The hype train for her first book, The Hate U Give, suddenly began to roll, in a big way. But when I finally got an advance copy in my hands, I started to worry: what if I didn’t like it?

hate u give w/border Well, I am happy to report that I liked it–a lot. Writing a novel about a topical political issue seems ambitious, especially for a first novel. But that is a strength of what Thomas does here with The Hate U Give: she takes the political and makes it personal.

The Hate U Give is the story of 16 year-old Starr Carter, who is hitching a ride home with her childhood friend, Khalil, after a party, when they are pulled over by a police officer. Starr’s family has taught her to be cautious in this situation, but Khalil acts casually–which causes him to become a casualty.

When we hear about a police officer shooting a black person–often male, often young–we may recognize it as a shame for the names I hope we remember, but this tells the story of the ones left behind–of Starr, as the witness to Khalil’s killing, but also of their whole community of Garden Heights.

tupac thug life The title of the book is a take on an acronym, or a backronym, of a tattoo that Tupac Shakur had: THUG LIFE–The Hate U Give Little Infants F***s Everybody. The racism that white people give to black people hurts black people, of course, but it’s also bad for everybody, including those who give it. This hate is poison. The acronym takes a term of derision, thug, and turns it around as a warning against this hate.

Ironically, though, if Starr, as a black person, is hurt by this hatred from other people, she also derives her strength from other people, as well. Her father gives her his principles, her friend Kenya reminds here where she’s from, her Uncle Carlos gives her strength, and her (white) boyfriend Chris supports and adores her. And that’s just a sample; part of what’s so great about this YA novel is its depiction of black family and community. One of the most well-defined characters is her father, Maverick Carter, a former gangbanger who is now a proud business owner of a store in the Heights.

Rich characterization is found everywhere from both Starr’s black world (the Heights) to her white one (where she goes to school at predominantly white Williamson Prep, and where her police officer Uncle Carlos lives). Starr explores her identity as a black person, but also as a female, and as a teenager. And as a teenager, she grows throughout the course of the book, from fear to courage, from passivity to action.

The Hate U Give is a well-told, engaging, often fun, sometimes harrowing young adult novel about black community, and the effects of police violence against black lives. It shows accessible humanity on the side of the story not often seen. It is a tremendous first novel that is enjoyable for both teenagers and adults, and I implore you to give The Hate U Give a chance.

Just About Enough of This Ship: ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware

By Former Lemurians

On February 17, 2017

In Mystery

Continuing on with my mystery trend as of late, I want to tell everyone about Ruth Ware’s latest book The Woman In Cabin 10. Since this recent obsession of mine was kicked off with Ware’s first novel, In a Dark, Dark Wood, I figured why not try the one that people have been buying like crazy since it came out.

The main character is a travel journalist named Lo Blacklock, who has worked at the same magazine for awhile and gets an exciting assignment because her boss is on maternity leave. Lo is eager to go on this assignment and make a good impression on her boss, because she would love to keep getting assignments such as this. titanic ballroom Richard Bullmer, the multi-millionaire businessman who married a noblewoman from the Netherlands, has built a state-of-the-art luxury cruise liner named the Aurora and is about to take its maiden voyage to the North Sea. The ship is said to the be the height of luxury and opulence, so obviously Lo is very excited to cover the maiden voyage and profile some of the super A-list guests.

A few days before Lo is set to leave on her trip, she is a victim of a home invasion and is extremely shaken. Lo is determined to not let this unfortunate event keep her from her work. On the day of departure, Lo boards the ship and is immediately impressed with the ship and the staff. Her cabin is like nothing she has ever slept in, and she settles right in. On the first night is a formal welcome party, complete with evening gowns and tuxedos. When Lo was getting ready, she met the girl in cabin 10, which is beside her cabin; however she does not see her at the the welcome dinner. Lo wonders if she is being hidden there by another passenger because she doesn’t look like the kind of person who would be on this ship. Richard Bullmer is handsome and extremely charming and his wife is exquisitely dressed, but extremely frail due to the treatment for aggressive breast cancer she has been diagnosed with and battling with for a year.

overboard Later that night, Lo is woken by a noise next door and then hears what she believes to be a body splashing in the water. To say that Lo has a proper freakout about this would be an understatement, and rightly so. She gets the head of security involved and demands to meet all of the staff to see if the girl in cabin 10 is among them or if anyone notices her missing. So what seemed like it was going to be a very pleasurable assignment soon becomes a real-life nightmare. Lo is nervous about the confined spaces, jumpy from her home invasion, and rather unnerved because no one believes her suspicions about what has happened to the girl next door. Lo discovers that all the passengers and staff members remain accounted for, which makes it especially hard to prove that there was a person murdered if no one even knows about the person. Much to Lo’s dismay the cruise continues on as if nothing is wrong. This does not dissuade Lo in her hunt for answers.

There is a crazy twist in this book that I didn’t see coming at all. Mrs. Ware really set the mood of this book in her writing. There were times that I found myself struggling with the small spaces that the character was put in and just her general mood of desperation. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone needing a thriller in their life.

Take a literary road trip with Margaret Eby’s ‘South Toward Home’

By Former Lemurians

On February 13, 2017

In Southern Fiction

by Abbie Walker

One of my favorite areas of the Lemuria store is the Southern fiction section. Nestled in a corner of the fiction room behind a bust of Eudora Welty, this part of the store is one I love to explore. From Rick Bass to Alice Walker, and everyone in between, the shelves are filled with some of the best writers that speak to my southern spirit. So when I came across Margaret Eby’s South Toward Home, I was instantly intrigued.

South Toward Home, whose title is a play off Willie Morris’ North Toward Home, is a literary road map of the South. From Oxford and Jackson to New Orleans and Gainesville, Eby takes you on a tour of some sites with famous southern author connections. Eudora Welty’s garden, William Faulkner’s liquor cabinet, and John Kennedy Toole’s hot-dog carts are just a few of the places covered. Eby does an excellent job of describing each setting, drawing upon text from the authors’ works to show if and how their surroundings influenced their writing.

I love how Eby was able to tie her personal travel journey into her literary discoveries. She expertly planted me in a place by describing how it looked in the present, while also weaving in quotes from the author to create a rich history of the landmark. I enjoyed getting to travel to places near and far with Eby, in particular, Eudora Welty’s garden. I loved hearing Eby’s take on this local treasure. I learned more about the authors I’ve read and got to know the ones I’m not that familiar with. Eby’s research, as well as her own reading experiences, made me want to read more of not just the authors she mentioned, but also more southern writers in general.

I especially appreciated how Eby compared these landmarks. She discussed how one writer’s house may have been turned into a museum, while another was torn down. Some towns proudly use an author’s spot as a tourist attraction, while others are hesitant to acknowledge its existence. It was interesting to see how certain places have changed over the years and how the community has responded to them.

One of my favorite chapters of Eby’s journey was the one about Flannery O’Connor’s peacocks. It was entertaining to read about her house in Georgia where she raised all sorts of birds and where her peacocks still roam today. Having background information about O’Connor and the other southerners mentioned gives me a better understanding of their writing and what inspired them.

Whether you’re new to Southern fiction or a long-term reader of those below the Mason-Dixon, Eby’s road trip will inspire a literary pilgrimage of your own.

roadtrip

Lemuria also has a very limited number of signed first editions of South Toward Home available here.

Melodious McComb Mayhem: ‘Desperation Road’ by Michael Farris Smith

By Former Lemurians

On February 6, 2017

In Southern Fiction

by Andrew Hedglin

I had been looking forward to reading Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith ever since last July, when he appeared as the “opening act” at fellow Lee Boudreaux books writer John Gregory Brown’s reading for A Thousand Miles from Nowhere (an excellent read in its own right).

There was a party going on.

Smith read from the very beginning of Desperation Road that begins with a woman carrying a child, a trash bag full of their worldly possessions, and the full weight of her life decisions down a hot Interstate just across the Louisiana line. I thought of all the weird interactions I had and heard about living in Tallulah, Louisiana, for three years. Nevermind I was at the wrong part of the border (the woman turns out to be trekking to McComb), she just felt so real in my mind.

desperation road The story carries forth the story of the woman–Maben–and her daughter, Annalee, from the harshness of the sun to the darkness of the night. As a reader, you feel like you’ve experienced so much by the time the alternate protagonist, Russell Gaines, even enters the novel.

Russell, recently released from Parchman as a result of a vehicular manslaughter conviction, returns to his hometown to find so much the same, yet irrevocably lost to him. He begins to drift nihilistically. Russell doesn’t carry a heavy conscience, but he is stalked literally by the brothers of the boy he accidentally killed long ago. In the middle of his wayward skid, he finds himself suddenly entangled in Maben’s problem in a way he could have never anticipated.

There is a tension and stark beauty that pervades all pages of Smith’s novel. It delivers blunt, realistic dialogue and long, beautiful run-on sentences that never manage to trip over themselves. Smith is unquestionably a craftsman of the highest order. He managed to surprise me several times, only to have that surprise seem inevitable in retrospect.
This is the first ‘grit lit’ novel I’ve picked up and been enchanted by, so I don’t have any ready comparisons to Ron Rash or Tom Franklin for you, although they seem equally impressed by Smith to go by their blurbs on the cover of the book. I will say that this is sharp Southern fiction at its finest, and I encourage you not to miss it.

Graphic Novel Guidance: ‘Huck,’ ‘Paper Girls,’ and ‘Sex Criminals’

By Hunter

On February 2, 2017

In Graphic Novels

Graphic novels. Lemuria has them. Don’t believe me? Come by the store and find out. Don’t know what to read? Here are some recommendations for a couple of really great graphic novels from that last few years.

Huck Book 1: All-American

Huck Mark Millar, a Marvel Comics veteran, has since said that his inspiration when writing Huck was the film Man of Steel, which he felt portrayed a very depressing, serious version of the superhero-archetype. The eponymous character of Huck is his response; a simple small-town handyman with Superman-esque powers, an optimistic attitude, and a desire to help people. The result is a heartwarming adventure drawn by Eisner-nominated artist Rafael Albuquerque that is most certainly one of my absolute favorites of the last few years.

Paper Girls 1

Paper Girls 1 For those of you who don’t know, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, or “the Eisners”, are awards given every year for achievements in comic books. The 2016 Eisner for “Best New Series” went to Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan (also the writer ofSaga, another great series.) and it doesn’t take an expert to see why. Paper Girls is a fast-paced adventure story with the backdrop of ‘80s suburbia, and a plot filled with elements of science-fiction, mystery, and nostalgia that pairs well with the art of co-creator Cliff Chiang. The story calls to mind movies and TV like E.T. or the recent Stranger Things, but there’s a slight twist in there that gives the story a bit of depth and relevance to today. I highly recommend picking up Paper Girls 1 and giving it a read, it’s a lot of fun.

Sex Criminals Volume One: One Weird Trick

Sex Criminals Okay, so this one is certainly a GRAPHIC novel; it is most definitely not for the modest reader, but if you can put aside your shame, you can enjoy what is one of the most inventive and clever stories I have ever seen in this form. Despite the negative fuss it caused in its original release (getting itself temporarily banned from Apple platforms, for one), this series also received high acclaim, winning itself an Eisner in 2014, with some lauding it as a work of comedic genius. I am one of those people. The premise of Sex Criminals is simple: two individuals discover that they have the ability to stop time, but they can only do so when they…become intimate…with themselves or each other. Hilarity ensues (sorry for the cliché, but it really does) when they decide to use these powers in a big way. The best comedy here isn’t the physical, but the subtle everyday things that writer Matt Fraction has his characters (drawn by the unflinching artistic hand of Chip Zdarsky) say and do on top of his absurd premise. It is gross, funny, brilliant, and I think that its first volume is worth reading.

Three-Book Circus: Erica Recommends 3 Fantasy Picks

By Former Lemurians

On January 30, 2017

In Fantasy, Fiction, OZ: Young Adult Fiction

Okay guys, I’ve had some books on the brain lately, and if you don’t already know about them, then you should. They are The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye, and Caraval by Stephanie Garber. If you’ve ever talked to me at Lemuria, then I have probably told you to read The Night Circusand if you took that advice, then you really need to know about The Crown’s Game and Caraval.

“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus.

You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

night circus

The Night Circus is hands down one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. With a story that travels between New York and England and everywhere in between, it twists and turns with a nonlinear time line that will keep the reader guessing about what is to come, and what is even real. There is a dark challenge that is being played out in the beautiful black and white tents of Le Cirque des Rêves, unbeknownst to the audience—and most of the cast. Celia and Marco are tangled in a game that neither of them quite knows the rules, let alone how to win. As they play this dangerous game of illustrious illusions, the web of those affected reaches further than they can possibly imagine and there will be consequences. Morgenstern spins a story of bowler hats, charmed umbrellas, boys reading in apple trees, and a garden made of ice. In this nocturnal world of black and white, you will find the most vivid and colorful characters and writing.

“For the winner of the game, there would be unimaginable power.

For the defeated, desolate oblivion.

The Crown’s Game was not one to lose.”

― Evelyn Skye, The Crown’s Game

crown's game

The Crown’s Game was pitched to me as being like The Night Circus, but initially I was skeptical. I had yet to find a book that I would have put in the same category as The Night Circus, but indeed this book is. Set in a fantastical Imperial Russia full of rich historic details (thanks to Skye’s degree in Slavic language and her love for Russian history), the book presents a dark and beautiful world. Russia is trapped between the Ottomans on one side and the Kazakhs on the other, so the tsar has only one option: to initiate the Crown’s Game, where the only two enchanters will duel for the position of Imperial Enchanter, protector and adviser to the tsar. This dangerous game traps Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha. As the story is spun, these characters must navigate tense political situations, love, loss, and betrayal with the knowledge that they will have to die if either of the others wins. Skye’s beautiful imagery and writing brings the magic right off the page. The Crown’s Game is full of sparkling magic with a healthy dose of dark Russian folklore. Read it now so that you will be ready for the sequel that comes out in May 2017.

“No one is truly honest,” Nigel answered. “Even if we don’t lie to others, we often lie to ourselves. And the word good means different things to different people.”

― Stephanie Garber, Caravel

caraval

Caraval, which comes out today (Tuesday, January 31) has been sitting on the advance reading copy shelf, just begging me to read it for months. So, last week as I was procrastinating reading other books, I started Caraval. I finished in less than twenty-four hours (this includes the 8 hours of work). I knew within the first 40 pages that I was going to love it. The Caraval is not only a once-a-year performance, but also a dream that Scarlett has been dreaming since her Grandmother told her and her sister, Tella, about it when they were children. Now seeing the Caraval is suddenly an option, and a dangerous one at that. Will seeing the Caraval be the escape they have been looking for from their abusive father, or will it just be giving themselves over to another dangerous and powerful man? With the help of a mysterious sailor that seems to have secret motives, Scarlett enters into the magical world of the Caraval. You can either watch or play, but remember that they will try to make you believe it is real, although it is just a game. Garber spins a story that drags you in with the first page and doesn’t let go through all the twist and turns, betrayals and alliances. You will not rest until you reach the very end. Keep your eyes out January 2017.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was Lemuria’s September 2011 First Editions Club selection. A signed first edition of the book can be found here.

Whodunit at a Hen Do: Ruth Ware’s ‘In a Dark, Dark Wood’

By Former Lemurians

On January 26, 2017

In Mystery

in a dark dark wood So, I have never been much of a mystery reader, but right now I can’t get enough of them. I credit Ruth Ware for this trend in my reading as of late. A customer came in wanting Ware’s first book, the 2015 mystery In a Dark, Dark Wood, a few months ago and the first thing I saw was Reese Witherspoon’s review on the front: “Prepare to be scared…really scared!” Well, that’s about all I needed to become very, very interested in this. Not that I am the world’s biggest Reese fan, but purely because she said I was going to be scared. Excuse my language, but frankly I love to have the ever-loving s*** scared out of me. I don’t know why I am like this, or how I got this way, but I think I just enjoy the rush of adrenaline while still lying in bed.

The main character in this book is Leonora, a.k.a. Nora. Nora lives in London and is a crime writer. Nora lives a very solitary life, basically only leaving her apartment to take a lengthy run. One day, Nora gets an email from a person she does not know and the subject of the email is “CLARE’S HEN!” scared chickens (And for those of you that don’t know what a “hen” is, that is what British people call a bachelorette party. Technically it is a “Hen Do.”)
Nora immediately thinks she does not know anyone named Clare, but suddenly she remembers the only Clare she knows is someone she hasn’t seen in 10 years. Years ago, Nora left her life behind and didn’t keep in touch with anyone but her friend Nina. Nora sees that Nina is also included in the email, so both women make a deal to go if the other one does. Leading up to the Hen, Nora cannot figure out why she would be invited to Clare’s Hen when they haven’t spoken in so long. Sure, they had been best friends since childhood, up until Nora vanished. Nora immediately thinks something is up, but can’t quite put her finger on what that is. The Hen turns out to be happening in Clare’s very strange friend Flo’s aunt’s house. Flo seems to be almost obsessed with all things Clare. Nina and Nora immediately decide she is crazy. Perhaps they are right?

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and while it didn’t scare me to death, it definitely gave me a thrill. Ruth Ware’s newest book The Woman in Cabin 10 has been a huge success and I will write about that one very soon!

Tag: Staff Blog (Page 15 of 20)

All That We Are: ‘Human Acts’ by Han Kang

Thor’s-day Thursday: Neil Gaiman’s ‘Norse Mythology’

Check Out Anytime You Like, But You Can Never Leave: ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles

Showing some love for ‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas

Just About Enough of This Ship: ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ by Ruth Ware

Take a literary road trip with Margaret Eby’s ‘South Toward Home’

Melodious McComb Mayhem: ‘Desperation Road’ by Michael Farris Smith

Graphic Novel Guidance: ‘Huck,’ ‘Paper Girls,’ and ‘Sex Criminals’

Three-Book Circus: Erica Recommends 3 Fantasy Picks

Whodunit at a Hen Do: Ruth Ware’s ‘In a Dark, Dark Wood’

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