DEVOTION a memoir by Dani Shapiro

I don't remember what initially attracted me to this book, but when it was offered by Harper Perennial for review, it somehow intrigued me and I requested it. I had not read any of Shapiro's other books, and memoirs are not my usual fare, but the spiritual quest has always been something that I've identified with, and I guess I was curious to read about another person's personal quest.

The funny thing is, I got two or three chapters in before I remembered that this was not fiction. The short chapters, which jumped around in time and place, initially put me off until I remembered that that's how my mind works, too: jumping from place to place, as thoughts lead to other thoughts, memories lead to other memories. It's how the story of life is told; not in a linear fashion, but in snippets of pertinent information that, in the end, form a whole story.

Even though I don't have much in common with the author (she's married, with a child, privileged, and Jewish), her journey is a universal one, and her questions are ones we all ask at some point in our lives. Her quest begins with a query from her son: What do we believe? She seeks answers through her yoga practice, through exploring her Judaism, from a Buddhist teacher, and from her extended family.

I found Shapiro's exploration of her relationship with her parents interesting, as well as her disconnect from her relatives and their unquestioning faith. I identified with her connection to the rituals of her youth, and how they strengthened her connection to her family despite her lack of belief.

I also identified with her initial dismissal of people who use the smorgasbord approach to spirituality as dabblers with commitment issues, but ultimately embraced the idea as valid because, for many people, it works. What brings you inner peace is what works for you.

If you are a spiritual seeker (of any stripe), I recommend this book for its honesty and insight into the psyche of a seeker.

This new trade paperback edition includes an interview with the author from ELLE magazine, and an essay about its creation by Shapiro.

$14.99 from Harper Perennial.

Book review: SIZZLING SIXTEEN by Janet Evanovich

I started reading the Stephanie Plum series at the recommendation of my mother a few years ago, and found them to be fun, quick reads. Stephanie is likable as a main character because we can relate to her: she lost her job; she has car trouble; she is attracted to men who may not be good for her, but are irresistible; her family drives her crazy, but they love each other. In other words, she's not perfect.

Stephanie ends up working as a bounty hunter for her sleazy cousin, and gets herself into all sorts of scrapes trying to do her job. Most of them are funny, but some of them are real bad guys and she gets herself into dangerous situations from which she must be rescued by either her on again-off again cop boyfriend, her mysterious but sexy coworker, or both.

She is surrounded by a cast of quirky characters, like her grandmother who goes to viewings at funeral homes for entertainment (and cookies), her coworker Lula, who is a former 'ho and is food-obsessed, and various other eccentric characters who come and go.

The problem I have with these books, and it gets worse as they go on, is that no growth or progress is ever made by either Stephanie or anyone else. The things that were funny in the first few books get annoying by the sixteenth, like the fact that Stephanie is still torn between Morelli (the cop) and Ranger (the coworker). All Lula cares about are food and shopping. Stephanie still has to get rescued because she does something impulsive and dangerous.

The jokes are getting stale, as are the characters. At this point, it's just more of the same, and it's not so entertaining anymore.

I would love to see Stephanie make a real decision instead of going with the flow. Ranger and Morelli have a fistfight. Anything to break up the monotony.

Alas, Evanovich has a cottage industry with these books, and I don't see her changing anything significant with her cash cow. That's unfortunate, because life doesn't really work that way. Stagnation is not a good thing, but apparently it's what the fans want: more of the same.

There are so many more interesting books out there, so I think I am done with Stephanie Plum.

Review: STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham

Like her previous books, BLACK SHIPS and HAND OF ISIS, STEALING FIRE takes place in the ancient world, primarily Egypt, and features historical figures. Also like those previous books, the story is told from a lesser-known, fictional character who is privy to the historical events featured.

The story this time is of the aftermath of Alexander the Great's reign, told by Lydias, a slave turned stableboy turned soldier and Companion of Alexander. Lydias accompanies Ptolemy to Egypt after the death of Alexander, and helps him establish his reign in the new city of Alexandria while fending off his rivals for Alexander's kingship.

Most stories about this time in history focus on Alexander's life and exploits, so it was interesting to read about what happened after his death. What also makes it different is Graham's understanding of the ancients' relationships with their gods, and their everyday interactions with them.

There are also a lot more battle scenes in this story, and they are well-written and easy to follow. I have found battle scenes to be confusing and scattered in other works, but these showed an understanding of tactics and the emotions of people in the thick of them.

Of course, the real heart of any story is its characters, and I found Lydias to be intelligent, compelling, and human. His relationships with Ptolemy and Bagoas, Alexander's favorite eunuch, are especially poignant. Graham brings insight into the complex relationships of men in the ancient Greek world, and the women are more than set decoration; they are intelligent, fully-formed people who have lives of their own outside of their men.

If you like historical fantasy, STEALING FIRE will be right up your alley. And check out Jo Graham's other books as well; you won't be disappointed.

HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY by Audrey Niffenegger

This book had been on my to-be-read list for a while, and when a friend posted recently about reading it, I was reminded why it had sounded so intriguing: London, ghosts, a cemetery, twins. Sounds perfect!

Like London, the story meanders around several interesting characters, but is all about places and the people who inhabit them. Julia and Valentina are twins on the cusp of adulthood, who inherit a London flat from their estranged aunt Elspeth, who is their mother's twin. Upstairs lives Martin, crippled by OCD, and downstairs lives Robert, Elspeth's lover. Next door is Highgate Cemetery, where Elspeth is buried and about which Robert is writing his thesis. It is as much a character as any of the people, along with its eccentric group of caretakers and its wildlife.

The relationships between twins is also explored, as the girls are inseparable but their mother and aunt had a mysterious falling out many years before. As they try to figure out what to do with their lives, Robert struggles with memories of Elspeth as he finds himself attracted to one of the girls.

Ah, and the ghost. You thought I forgot about the ghost, didn't you? Yes, Elspeth makes an appearance, so to speak, and her explorations of spirit life, and interactions with the ones she left behind, become the central focus of the story. She is not what she seems to be at all, and where the story goes is both a surprise and is oddly satisfying. After moving slowly through most of the book, it suddenly speeds up and leaves you breathless, amazed at how quickly life (and death) can change. I did not see where it would end up, and it was harrowing getting there, but I liked it.

And now I want to go explore Highgate Cemetery!

THE SWAN THIEVES by Elizabeth Kostova

I was very much looking forward to reading THE SWAN THIEVES, as I had really enjoyed Kostova's previous book, THE HISTORIAN. This work is very different in subject and style, but similar in historical scope. This time her subject is the art world, and Kostova brings it alive with rich history and prose.

The story begins when a prominent artist attacks a famous canvas in the National Gallery of Art, saying only, "I did it for her." He then remains mute, much to the frustration of his psychiatrist, who then goes on to try and solve the mystery of the attack.

As in THE HISTORIAN, there is an old mystery intertwined with the new, and Kostova expertly threads the two mysteries together into a compelling story. Her characters are well-rounded, real people whose voices are distinctive. The narrator (the aforementioned psychiatrist) takes us on a journey with him to discover the artist's past, his relationships, and who the mysterious woman he keeps drawing could be.

Kostova really captures what the life of an artist is like, as well as showing an understanding of the tools and techniques. You feel as if you know these people and their world, what it is like to be a painter. Her descriptions are cinematic; you can almost see the paintings she describes, and feel what it's like to paint them. Her fictional historical characters are so real, you want to look them up and see their paintings. You want this story to be real.

I highly recommend THE SWAN THIEVES, and eagerly look forward to Elizabeth Kostova's next offering.

THE PRISONER (1967)

Inspired by the AMC remake of the classic show, I recently rewatched the original The Prisoner, the trippy 1967 British series starring Patrick McGoohan. It was even weirder than I remembered.

I first watched it in the mid-80's, when my local PBS station played the entire series. I remember being somewhat baffled by it, and not understanding the ending at all, but on the rewatch I was blown away by how psychedelic it was. Much of it made little, if any, sense to me.

Oh, I get what it was about, the overarching themes. But the actual stories were just bizarre.

There were a lot of science fiction devices used in various episodes, and an uncannily prescient use of virtual reality in the western-themed episode that reminded me quite a bit of a similar episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Actually, come to think of it, there was a western-themed episode of the original Star Trek as well, which would have been contemporary with this show.

Definitely a product of its time, as well as ahead of its time in many ways, I can see why the remake had so much trouble finding itself. The world is a different place now; not the paranoid cold war atmosphere of the late 60's, but a paranoid post-9/11 corporate culture.

One thing it did do for me, though: I'd really love to visit Portmeirion, the Welsh seaside town where most of it was filmed. What a picturesque, lovely place!

Book review: THE BELL AT SEALEY HEAD by Patricia A. McKillip

Every evening, just at sundown, a ghostly bell rings just once in the village of Sealey Head. Most of its inhabitants don't even notice it anymore, but a couple of them wonder about its mystery, and an enigmatic stranger is determined, with their help, to solve it.

This is the premise of THE BELL AT SEALEY HEAD, but the story is much richer and more layered the deeper you delve into it. There is the bookish daughter of the local merchant, Gwyneth, who is determined to write the story of the bell's origins. Her childhood friend, the equally bookish son of the local innkeeper, Judd, is intrigued by a visitor from the city who arrives with a load of books and aspirations of solving the mystery once and for all. Then there is Aislinn House, the local manor, full of secrets, where the dying lady dreams her days away as her heir arrives from the city with an entourage, exciting the local society. Add a local wood witch, several amusing townspeople, and a Fairy Princess, and you've got a recipe for a wonderful fairy tale set against the backdrop of the ever-present sea.

McKillip is a wonderful storyteller; I have yet to read anything by her that I didn't love. Every one is different from the others, yet all are full of rich, rounded characters and well-thought-out stories and settings. Like the last book of hers that I read, SOLSTICE WOOD, this one was just really fun to read. I liked the characters a lot, which is vital to enjoying any story. It left me wanting more, which is a high compliment in my book. Evocative without being bloated, a quick read without being fluffy, I found myself looking forward to stealing away some time to continue reading it, and was sorry when it had ended. Highly recommended.