Review: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Rawlins is studying gaming, but his heart lies with stories. An avid reader, he devours the worlds created by others; flitting between worlds and being presented with the magical. However, there was no way he could imagine that an old, unmarked book he finds in the university library could literally change his life forever. In finding this book, Zachary has been thrust into the no-longer secret world of literary espionage. While there are those who seek to destroy Zachary’s discovery and protect the secrets it may unlock, there are others who wish to welcome him into the unknown. The choice is his alone.

As Zachary begins to understand the significance of the book, and the people in search of it, he is introduced to a home he never knew he needed – a hidden world where books and stories are everywhere; protected and nurtured, so that they may never be lost.

The Starless Sea is a truly unique and unusual book, flitting between multiple narratives and times, with sections of smaller stories woven into a grand tapestry that is as impressive as it is astonishing. To find yourself between the pages is to literally be in the maze of stories Morgenstern describes. At times overwhelming and almost confusing, this book is so carefully detailed, with such an intricate plot, that it runs the very serious risk of creating literary fatigue in the reader. Truly, this book ruined me for some time after I finished it – I struggled to be content with any other book, with a good ol’ linear narrative with cause and effect and a signposted narrative that plays out as it should. The Starless Sea does not follow convention, and this freedom and unexpected narrative make this book nothing short of an actual masterpiece. The Starless Sea feels more like a dream or memory than a novel – you dive into it wholeheartedly and without regret. Morgenstern’s ideas are so vivid, so colourful and playful and unexpected, that they feel as real as the world outside of their pages, and that alone is an accomplishment. I suspect that Morgenstern employs magic to assist her with her plots; they’re that good. Truly, I pity the titles which will try to hold their own against The Starless Sea – Morgenstern has created a literary heavyweight without an equal. This book is the definition of literacy success.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern is published by Harvill Secker, an imprint of Vintage, a Penguin Random House company.

Review: Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton

Emily is a uniquely complex being; an artificial consciousness designed by a team at a prestigious university. Her purpose is to learn, adapt, and help mankind, and she accomplishes this through acting like a human, and interacting with other humans. While Emily lacks a physical body, this is not a problem; to interact with her, a user places a chip on their skin which allows Emily to appear to them as a three-dimensional being, through electronic impulses sent to their brain.

Despite Emily’s rapid development in a short space of time, through her access to every kind of technology and data stream, she will never get a chance to reach her full potential. This is not because of a lack of funds or know-how on the part of her team; sadly, it’s because the sun is dying, and with it, the world. Science may have evolved enough to create a consciousness from nothing, but not enough to prevent the sun from dying. It’s only a matter of time before Emily, and the world she is just discovering, are extinguished forever.

Emily Eternal is your quintessential science fiction, in which anything is possible, and no aspect of the narrative is restricted – however, it does conform to common themes in the genre – in a world at its end without hope, science tries to save the day while humanity becomes slowly dehumanized. The concept of an artificial intelligence further allows for rapid character development, learning, and change, which makes for a fantastic narrative, where the reader can quite easily suspend their disbelief.

Despite the book’s nod to sci-fi tropes, Wheaton does not take cliched routes well worn by other writers of science fiction and AI – we are given a unique, refreshing, and inspiring story that illuminates the beauty of mankind through the perspective of an other. this is balanced by a horde of impressive and creative science, which is as fun as it is cool. In addition, the harshness of traditional science fiction is softened by the human (or artificial human) elements of emotion and relationships – in learning to navigate the human psyche, Emily learns that there is more to humanity than the wonders of its biology. In short, this book has a bit of everything – from the intellectual to the emotional – and is an adventure from the start.

Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton is published by Hodder & Stoughton and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Review: The Heavens by Sandra Newman

Kate and Ben met at a party and took an immediate liking to each other; it was the start of an astonishing relationship. Kate was just the free, fun-loving and unusual person Ben didn’t realise he was looking for until he found her. Kate’s quirks even included repeatedly dreaming about being another woman, Emilia, living in the seventeenth century. Over time, her experiences as Emilia begin to affect her life as Kate, including her relationship with Ben.

In living as Emilia while she sleeps and travelling back in time, Kate has the ability to change the course of history through her every action – a heavy burden to bear, particularly if you’re the only one who remembers how everything was before. To her, navigating two timelines is a constantly evolving dance requiring immense skill, but to her friends, Kate seems to be losing her mind.

The Heavens features the best supporting literary cast I’ve come across in some time; quirky minor characters that really help to bring the story to life – from mail order brides to political wunderkinds, this story has them all. It’s actually deeply reminiscent of a feel-good sitcom, until it isn’t.

I’m a lover of unexpected plot devices, and I must say that Newman impressed me with the addition of time travel. This is an ingenious way to work more complex, meaningful stories into an everyday romcom, with fascinating results. Not one for romance, I nevertheless loved this book – a touching, proper ol’ feel good romance that is challenged by weighty topics such as equality, privilege, beliefs, and sanity. All in all, this is a good book with a great plot; what’s not to love?

The Heavens by Sandra Newman is published by Granta, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

One day, Kya watched her mother walk away from their home and never return. Soon thereafter, her brothers and sisters begin to move away, until Kya remains alone with an abusive father. However, he soon leaves, too, leaving the little girl completely alone in a run-down shack in the swamp. While she tries to survive on her own, and keeping her distance from the townspeople who disparage her family, Kya becomes a recluse shrouded in mystery, earning her the name ‘The Marsh Girl’.

Despite her isolation and loneliness, Kya’s world is filled with beauty and adventure through the marsh that is her home. While she never goes to school, she creates her own education in nature, becoming an expert in the animal and plant life that surrounds her. In addition, she is tutored in reading and mathematics by a local boy, who realizes Kya’s intellect in potential through the tiny glimpses he is afforded into her life.

Despite her shaky relationship with the townspeople, and her unusual lifestyle, Kya grows up into a beautiful, smart young woman, who catches the eye of Chase, the local heartthrob. When Chase’s body is discovered in the marsh, the police and townspeople are convinced that Kya is responsible. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Kya must overcome her aversion to the town and prove her innocence.

Where the Crawdads Sing is nothing short of a triumph. Owens has created something that merges different styles, genres and topics into a solid, polished gem. Kya’s story is a clever coming of age novel and whodunnit, playing on the reader’s emotions to such an extent that Kya feels real and tangible; a friend you welcome into your life. Owens has a talent for creating characters that are complex, challenging and human – both flawed and fantastic. Equally impressive is her ability to create tension of the best kind; it has you yearning to skip ahead a few pages to see what happens and know more.

Kya’s relationship with nature is an additional attraction – Owens' descriptions and imagery make you feel as though there’s a budding environmentalist in you, inspiring a sense of adventure into the unknown marsh waters, and appreciation for the wild.

There’s nothing to fault in this book, and I cannot praise it enough – everything from characters to setting to plot is impressive, convincing and moving. This book will speak to the hearts of any reader, and will no doubt linger in your thoughts long after you finish it; a sign of a truly great book.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is published by Corsair Books, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Review: Bunny by Mona Awad

Samantha has been admitted to a prestigious writing programme but finds herself unable to write. Despite being in an all-female class, she feels isolated from her cohort and finds refuge in her friendship with rebellious artist, Ava. Together, the two revel in a cloud of cynicism directed mainly at Samantha’s fellow students. The four women in her class are preppy, rich, and more than a little obsessed with each other, leading Samantha to dub them the ‘bunnies’. As time passes, Samantha’s writer’s block begins to morph into a desperation which affects her grades and her participation in class.

One day, the Bunnies invite Samantha to join them at a ‘smut salon’ – a writing circle that focuses on the writing of others, and the creation of new stories. Despite her skepticism, Samantha finds herself enjoying the evening, and becomes draw to these strange, confident women. Soon, she, too, becomes a bunny.

The longer Samantha is part of the group, the more her life seems to unravel. Her friendship with Ava suffers, and she finds herself participating in some unusual workshops in which the Bunnies create something far greater and scarier than literature.

There is something delicious and ‘meta’ about a book concerning writing and the creative process; a strangely layered perspective of the work that goes into creating something from nothing. In addition, Mona Awad has presented a narrative that is poetic, emotional and easy to follow, filled with wit, sarcasm and cynicism. The storyline, however, is where the real treasure can be found. This book is the personification of bringing art to life, and the delicate balance between beauty and horror.

Also present in this remarkable story are the themes of oppression, hubris, the human condition, and the plight of the modern woman. It is delightful to have serious topics such as these cleverly worked into a rabbit hole of a narrative – once you enter, you are drawn down to the dark heart of it.

Bunny is a unique, refreshing tale of creating the intangible, and of blurring the border between reality and fiction. Awad’s flair for the unexpected is enviable and highly entertaining – placing her firmly in a league of her own, as queen of the storytellers. I do not think it possible to read this book without being impressed, nor to put it down until you reach the final page.

Bunny by Mona Awad is published by Head of Zeus, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.