The sad thing about my job is that it doesn't leave me a whole lot of time to read everything I'd like to. I know about all sorts of books, and want to read lots of them, but just don't get the opportunity; and often I don't get to actually read the new books I purchase for the library's collection until long after everyone else has. So, when I thought I'd do a list of my favorite 2012 releases, it didn't take long to realize I didn't (yet) read all that many titles released this year. However, I did read a couple I thought were outstanding, and these I will share with you.
My favorite book of 2012 was Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. This was the creepiest, most addictive book I've read in a long time, one of those books I resented having to put down in order to do things like sleep, feed my family--oh, and work.
Nick and Amy are a married couple who have recently undergone a stressful life change in moving from Manhattan to Missouri. On their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears from their home in what appears to have been a violent manner. The first part of the book alternates between Nick's narration and Amy's diary entries, and the reader is left wondering who to believe. Neither Nick nor Amy seem to be telling the whole story, and the reader begins to distrust both of them and wonder where the truth lies. As you move further into the story, you begin to realize just how flawed--even unlikable--both Nick and Amy are. This doesn't detract in any way, however, from the story; on the contrary, it adds to the dark, voyeuristic atmosphere Flynn has created.
The second part of the book--well, I can't tell you any more without giving everything away. Flynn concocted a suspenseful story about the disintegration of a marriage, but its brilliance lies in the fact that the reader is entirely in her hands. Between the plot twists and the unreliable narrators, you have no idea where the book is headed; I can tell you that the ending is chilling, completely unexpected, and perfectly satisfying.
I also adored Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. This young adult novel is also told from two points of view: two young women who meet and become friends during World War II, and who are both unconventional for the time--one is a pilot, and the other a spy. On a mission into occupied France, their plane is shot down. The first section of the book is the spy's (Julie's) perspective; she has been tortured into telling her story to her Nazi captors, but manages to sneak paper and write the "true" version of the events that led to her capture and, she believes, her friend Maddie's death.
In the second section, Maddie gives her version of their botched mission, which differs markedly from Julie's secret version. Again in this book, the reader is left wondering about the truth and the reliability of the narrator; Julie is, after all, someone who regularly pretends to be different people and indeed lies. The reader is eventually able to piece together what really happened, and Maddie brings us through the conclusion of the story.
An aside: I've recommended Code Name Verity to several people who have had trouble with it; the reaction, in fact, was similar to that of The Hunger Games, where an adult thinks the subject matter is too graphic for teenagers and objects to the book on that basis. But as adults we must remember that teenagers want and need to read about how other young people handle challenges in their lives, so just about every young adult novel will have this as its theme. Read this book without constantly thinking about its intended audience, and if you love a character-driven novel with surprising plot twists, and especially one that deals with friendship and loyalty, you will like Code Name Verity.
With both Gone Girl and Code Name Verity, I greatly enjoyed the feeling of being in the hands of the author. Both books were unsettling, even at times confusing; both left me wondering if I should "believe" what I was reading. But when I gave up control and went along for the ride, it was exhilarating. What impressed me most with both books was the author's ability to sustain the edginess, suspense, and tension all the way to the very satisfying, perfect ending.
Did you read either of these books? Please share your comments, or share your favorites from 2012!
I agree with you about Gone Girl. It was creepy and un-put-down-able. I think I read it in a day, the whole time gasping "No!"
ReplyDeleteI also loved "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank." Stort stories, I think, are the perfect vehicle for revealing some pieces of humanity that are sometimes not flattering (okay, often not flattering). I don't always read what's popular, and Nathan Englander has certainly had a lot of attention for this collection. But in this case, it's completely well-deserved. These stories are haunting.
I also read Monica Wood's lovely memoir "When We Were the Kennedy's." I adore Monica as a person, and I also think her writing is like poetry--she makes every single word count. It is a rare and beautiful thing when you come across a book that spares the fluff. This book is a deeply moving account of one year in the life of young Monica and her family--the year her father dies, the paper mill goes on strike, and JFK dies. It is the kind of book that anyone can read and everyone should--hysterically funny, heartbreakingly sad, and deeply moving.
Mostly everything else I read this year didn't come out this year. But I do still want to read "Billy Flynn's Long Walk Home." (hopefully I have that title right!) What's on your list for 2013?
(Billy Flynn's Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain)I want to read that, too, and When We Were the Kennedys is also on my list--that hasn't been in the library long enough for me to get my hands on it. This is a shameful thing to admit, but I've never read anything by Monica Wood, so this will be a great place to start. Actually, Jen, you've given me another idea for a blog post: the books I want to get to in 2013!
DeleteLove your blog. Hope to contribute.
ReplyDeletePlease do, Sally!
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