The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
My first read of 2023 is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Maggie O’Farrell’s storytelling is phenomenal, full of rich details and suspense. This work of historical fiction takes place in Renaissance Italy and imagines the life of Lucrezia, a girl who grows up in Florence in the 1550s. Lucrezia has always been the black sheep of the family — her eccentric behavior, fascination with creatures, and passion for unusual paintings, is a mystery to many. After an unfortunate incident, at the age of 13, she must marry Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara. Initially, her new husband seems to understand Lucrezia and shows her tenderness, but she soon realizes that something darker is brewing, that her new husband may have more than one side. The writing in this book is just brilliant; I love how O’Farrell portrays each character, the subtleties of their actions, and the inner workings of Lucrezia (I just loved her!). I could not put this book down; for me, the pages essentially turned themselves. What a read! Could not recommend it more, especially to lovers of history, art, nature, and captivating, complex stories.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
This book is denser and took me a little longer than usual to read, but I loved it. Originally published in 1948, this story is told in journal entries by seventeen-year-old Cassandra, who longs to be a writer. She lives in an old dilapidated English castle with her eccentric family — her father, a writer who hasn’t worked in a very long time, stepmother Topaz, older sister Rose, younger brother Thomas, and Stephen, the son of the maid they had when they could afford one (they now live in poverty). The story takes off when they all meet Simon and Neil Cotton, young (& single) wealthy Americans whose family has inherited a nearby estate, Scoatney. There’s humor, romance, secrets, revelations, and discovery. This coming-of-age story is full of quirks and charm, perfect for lovers of Jane Austen, the English countryside, and daydreaming.
Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
This cute and entertaining romance is about Georgie Mulcahy, who returns home after getting laid off from her job in LA, and tries to figure out what she wants and where she’s heading next. She finds that maybe returning to the past — specifically, to a notebook she and her best friend Bel wrote as teenagers, filled with ideas for what they want to do in high school — might help guide her. Meanwhile, Georgie meets Levi Fanning in a most unexpected and hilarious way, the result of a miscommunication due to Georgie’s eccentric parents. Levi used to be the town troublemaker, and like Georgie, grapples with his past and how to move forward. Much of the book is comprised of Georgie’s and Levi’s thoughts and conversations about life. It is not my favorite romance I’ve ever read, and not a must-read to me — but the characters are well-developed and likable, and you might appreciate this one if you’re at a crossroads in life yourself.
The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
This book tells the story of three generations of women — Bindu Desai, her daughter-in-law Aly, and Aly’s daughter Cullie. Each woman is navigating her own set of challenges — Bindu has just inherited a million dollars, something she wants to hide as it would reveal a secret from her past, and impulsively spends it on a fancy retirement condo in Florida. Aly, who is divorced from Bindu’s son but has remained close with Bindu, is fighting for the career change she deserves at the news station where she works. And Cullie, a tech genius, is trying to save the widely successful app that she created. I’m not sure why this book fell flat for me; I had high hopes and really wanted to connect with the characters and the writing, but I didn’t. The story did not feel cohesive to me. However, you might have a different experience! If you enjoy stories about women fighting for what they deserve, with some funny mishaps along the way, give it a go, and let me know what you think.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
This is just an incredible book inspired by the Charles Dickens novel, David Copperfield. Set in southern Appalachia, it tells the story of Demon, a boy whose young years are spent with his single mother struggling with addiction. Demon is soon thrust into a life of dangerous, depressing, and heartbreaking situations — with little glimpses of love along the way — and he endures. The story, too, shows the realities and tragedies of the opioid crisis. This was a long, near 600-page and very eventful read, with difficult subject matter and beautiful writing. I loved Demon and was rooting for him the whole book. I highly recommend it.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
This one wasn’t my favorite; I’ve been striking out with the romantic reads lately. I thought it was going to be quirky & fun, but it fell flat. I also predicted the ending way too early on. Although it wasn’t for me, it might be a better fit for you — read on if you enjoy ghosts & graveyards & romance!
This book is about Florence Day, a ghostwriter for a famous romance author, who cannot seem to finish her latest novel happily after having her heart broken. Just after she meets her new editor, who won’t extend the deadline, she receives the tragic news that her father has died, and she must return home after ten years away. There’s a lot going on — her breakup, the death of her father, an incident from her past that’s kept her away from home, her family’s business running a funeral parlor, and her new editor showing up there as a ghost — and it makes it so that everything felt a little underdeveloped and incomplete to me. I never really felt connected to the characters, or what to focus on. The bulk of the plot about her ghost editor did not hold my attention and mostly just felt weird but not in a good way. Although predictable, the ending was still sweet and satisfying, and the resolution was my favorite part. This book had so much potential, but overall, it disappointed me.
P.S. More book thoughts.
