Book Review- Andria Williams' The Longest Night

Thank You to Random House for providing me an advanced copy of Andria Williams' novel, The Longest Night, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Set in the late 50's/early 60's, Andria Williams' novel, The Longest Night, follows the Collier family as they move to a military base in Idaho Falls. Paul Collier is working on a nuclear reactor, while his wife, Nat, takes care of their two daughters. Nat is young, beautiful, and impulsive. She has trouble making friends amongst the other military wives, especially Jeannie Richards, the most senior wife, married to Paul's boss. When Paul is sent to Greenland on a six month assignment, Nat feels further isolated. She meets a local ranch hand named Esrom and although she is warned of the gossip around the base, she allows the friendship to blossom. Will her relationship with a stranger destroy her marriage? Is the Collier family safe in a town so close to a nuclear reactor?

LIKE- Although Williams' story is fiction, it's clear that she has done her research to make the period come alive. Her story is based on a real accident that happened in Idaho Falls, the only fatal nuclear power accident in America. 

The Longest Night is told in close-third perspective, following Nat, Paul, and Jeannie. Jeannie, especially in the first half of the book, stole the show with her sassy behavior and her verbal knives thrown at Nat. She is a wonderfully drawn adversary to the sweet and somewhat sheltered, Nat. Jeannie's chapters just sparkle. 

Landscape is a key element, with the harsh winters and desert landscape. Idaho Falls is remote and foreboding, with an unwelcoming local population living just outside of the hyper-critical, gossip mongers on the base. The idea of Nat catching a break, seems an impossible task.

DISLIKE- I'm not sure about Esrom. He seems too nice, almost like a caricature of a romance novel hero. Despite his descriptions of being physically less than ideal, he's never imperfect in his actions and behavior. The other characters are so rich and developed, that I wanted more from Esrom.

RECOMMEND- Yes. The Longest Night is an excellent historical fiction novel, made even more interesting by having been based on real events. Williams' has written an emotionally charged story with deep, compelling characters. There are many surprising turns in the plot, some downright shocking. The Longest Night is her first novel and I'm now looking forward to her second. 

Book Review-Suzanne Berne's The Dogs of Littlefield

Thank You to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of Suzanne Berne's The Dogs of Littlefield, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - The quaint town of Littlefield, Massachusetts is hailed as one of the "Top Ten Best Places to Live in America," attracting the attention of sociologist, Dr. Clarice Watkins, who has moved in to see if Littlefield meets its lofty title. Dr. Watkins arrives wondering how the abnormally high number of local psychologist affects the town's psyche, but she is soon captivated by a mystery that is plaguing Littlefield. Who is poisoning Littlefield's dogs? Is this postcard perfect town actually happy? And for that matter, what does it even mean to be happy and/or successful?

LIKE- Berne masterfully begins her story with the mystery of the poisoned dogs and a town divided over turning part of a local park into a dog park. This conflict immediately drew me into the story, but without notice, the themes shift from the dogs, to the humans of Littlefield. Berne uses the dogs as a bridge to the owners and it's so subtle, that I didn't even notice the trick.

The Dogs of Littlefield, shifts between close-third perspectives of several main characters, Berne's focus is on deep characterizations and interpersonal conflicts. At the heart of the story is Margaret, a woman in a struggling marriage, who has an affair with a neighbor. Margaret's teenage daughter, Julia, is having difficulties fitting in at school and her parent's troubles are compounding the issue. These are deeply unhappy characters, who keep their sadness internalized, maintaining perfect appearances. The character of Dr. Watkins serves as a type of Greek chorus, making her observations and commentary on the people of Littlefield. 

I liked the themes of the story, which include examining what it means to be happy and the hysteria over "First World Problems" in a town that seems to have it all. 

DISLIKE- A very minor complaint that some of the characters are less interesting than others. There are so many towns people, that occasionally, I had trouble remembering the minor characters when they would reappear. 

RECOMMEND- Yes! Berne is a fantastic writer. If you enjoy books that are heavier on characters, rather than plot, add The Dogs of Littlefield to your shelf. Berne is a "new-to-me" author and I look forward to reading more of her stories.

Book Review- Kevin Hazzard's A Thousand Naked Strangers

Thank You to Scribner for providing me with an advanced copy of Kevin Hazzard's memoir, A Thousand Naked Strangers, in exchange for an honest review. 

PLOT - Shortly after September 11th, Kevin Hazzard felt like something was missing from his life and he decided to become a paramedic. Hazzard gives a gritty and full-on account of working as a paramedic in the seedy, dangerous streets of Atlanta, Georgia. 

LIKE- Hazzard doesn't hold back and his memoir is not for the squeamish. There are plenty of stories involving blood, guts and brain bits. I found it utterly fascinating. It's also a horror show. A Thousand Naked Strangers had my imagination working overtime, with not only the various ways that a person can meet their demise ( or become hideously mangled and survive), but also Hazzard's reveal of the types of people who become paramedics and their training.

With the way that he describes many of his coworkers, he doesn't inspire much confidence in the profession. Even though it's worrisome, this aspect of the memoir is also fascinating. I always thought of paramedics as nobel medical professionals and although that may be the case for many paramedics, Hazzard reveals working with several disaffected and incompetent employees, who exist within a broken system and are heading towards a quick career burn-out. A system where undertrained and low-paid paramedics are making split-second decisions that can kill or save lives. Scary stuff.

Ultimately, Hazzard won me over with his confession that he became a paramedic because it was "fun". It's a thrill ride, where he trades pay, vacations and personal safety, for the opportunity to not only save lives, but for the unexpected. Hazzard shares incredible stories with unforgettable characters. 

DISLIKE- The only negative is the horrible imagery that has been stuck in my mind. One story had a guy getting his toes chopped off with a lawn mower and another, a guy who stapled himself to a wall. Yikes! These are just a few examples. Your imagination will go into overdrive, trust me.

RECOMMEND- If you can handle very gruesome death and accident stories, then absolutely pick up a copy of A Thousand Naked Strangers. I found Hazzard's memoir impossible to put down and highly engaging.