The City

 

The City / Valerian Pidmohylnyi
trans. from the Ukrainian by Maxim Tarnawsky 
Cambridge, MA: HURI, 2025, c1927.
504 p.

I read this recently, as it's a Ukrainian classic now available in English. It was written in 1927 and is considered one of the first urban novels (as per the title). 

The cover is evocative, as the story is about Stepan Radchenko, who comes to Kyiv from his village, to study and help build up socialism. He is ambitious, driven, sensitive to what others think of him, works hard and takes whatever advantage he can. He intends to climb the social/artistic ladder as high as he can. He doesn't have much emotional intelligence, but he knows how to play the game and advance himself wherever possible. I thought the story was quick moving, psychologically interesting, and definitely a great picture of 1920s Kyiv when Ukrainization was going strong -- before Stalin reintroduced russification and the generation of writers including Pidmohylnyi were killed -- the Executed Renaissance. 

However. I did not love this book. Stepan is a bit of a self-centred asshole so I had a hard time finding sympathy for him. He has three relationships with women once he arrives in Kyiv, all focused on his own needs and desires, not theirs. He forces himself on a girl from the village who had been stepping out with him, then drops her. He starts a physical relationship with his married landlady. And then he has a long-standing relationship with another young woman who he leads on to the point of proposing, only to then change his mind and drop her too. These women were only useful to him insofar as they helped him advance in some way. 

So Stepan's great ideal of socialism and equality only extends to men like him. The book thus made me feel conflicted; while I admired the writing style and some of the psychological insight into Stepan and his fellow writers and students, and the depiction of the arts scene in Kyiv, I was dismayed by the depiction of women's status and experience as being secondary and only important in relation to the men in the book.  Their rights of artistic growth and autonomy are not considered. At the same time, the writing itself is good, with quotable moments of insight and the evocation of an era. So this is a mid book for me -- the good is counterbalanced by the bad so it comes out just middling for me as a reader.  

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop / Satoshi Yagisawa
trans. from the Japanese by Eric Ozawa
NY: HarperPerennial, 2024, c2011.
176 p.

I couldn't wait, after reading the first book in this set last week - I had to search out book two. Thankfully my library had it, so I brought it home and read it over a couple of days. I had to stretch this one out a little more than the first one, as it is quite melancholy and I needed a break before the conclusion. 

In this novel, Takako is reminiscing; the story is related from her future vantage point. I find this style a bit melancholic by nature, and this story has some sad parts in it for sure. It takes place 3 years after Takako left the bookshop for a design job, but she still comes back and hangs out at the bookshop and the coffee shops in the neighbourhood. She's now dating Wada, from the end of the first book, and along with her friend Tomo, has a life outside work -- something she had to create consciously for herself. As an aside, the description of Takako's romantic relationships seems unusual -- very formal, with not much communication on her part as to what's going on -- I'm wondering if this is a Japanese norm that I'm missing, or just a man writing a woman character. Anyhow!

Uncle Satoru and Aunt Momoko are still running the bookshop, but things are about to change, and Takako has to help Satoru come to terms with the way life is going. There is less talk about specific books and authors in this one than in the first, and more about the lives and relationships of the characters. Once again I was reminded of Banana Yoshimoto's style. 

I liked this one, although marginally less than the first one. It made me cry, and I found some lovely bits in it, though. This ties up the story of the Morisaki Bookshop, but the author has another series set in a cafe. Perhaps I will try that next. I find his style quite appealing and readable.  

 

House of Many Ways

House of Many Ways / Diana Wynne Jones 
NY: Greenwillow, 2009, c2008.
338 p.

This is book three in the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy, but it was written quite a few years after the first two and honestly didn't need Sophie or Howl in it at all. It could easily have been written without them, with no huge loss to the storyline. This is definitely even less connected to their world than book two was! 

Still, I liked this. There were lots of neat ideas in it, and the main character, Charmain Baker, was interesting to me as a bookish, stubborn girl. As the story opens, she is being sent off to keep house for her Great-Uncle William while he is away. There's nobody else to do it, so Charmain heads off to the very odd home of her great uncle, who is also known as the Royal Wizard Norland. 

This house has doors that open to different places, secret passages, magical water and food and so forth, and as Charmain finds out, also an apprentice, Peter, who just shows up at the door one morning expecting the Royal Wizard.  

Charmain gets involved (long story) with the King and his daughter, who are searching for something called the Elfgift, which will save their kingdom. The King is sifting through books in the royal library, and as Charmain is very good with books, she begins to assist him. These scenes in the dim, creaky library are wonderful, quiet and reeking of research. I enjoyed them! 

Howl's crew gets involved when the Princess calls in Sophie, now a feared sorceress, to help them in their search. Of course, where Sophie is, Howl and Calcifer and her child are not far behind. 

I liked this one, I thought the titular House was appealing, the villian (an insect like creature called the Lubbock) was suitably creepy, the plot was pretty good and Charmain was interesting. It felt a bit too farcical in some parts for me, as chaos is not my favourite plot device. But overall it was an enjoyable read. The creative set-up and the sneaky conspiracy that took a while to figure out were entertaining. I'm glad to have read all three titles in this trilogy now, although I'd probably only reread Howl's Moving Castle. 

 

Castle in the Air

Castle in the Air / Diana Wynne Jones 
NY: Greenwillow, 2008, c1990.
383 p.

This is book two in the loosely connected Howl books by Diana Wynne Jones. It is not a sequel exactly; Howl and Sophie show up in this one, even if you don't know it immediately, but the main action follows other characters. 

It begins in the Howl universe, but south of the land of Ingary. We meet Abdullah, a carpet seller in the Rashpuht bazaar. He's young, not that successful, and spends a lot of time dreaming of being a hero. One day, a stranger sells him a magic carpet -- and the adventures begin. 

He meets the Sultan's daughter, Princess Flower-in-the-Night, but she is stolen by an evil Djinn before Abdullah can do anything. He heads off in pursuit on his magic carpet, meeting a rather disreputable companion along the way, a rough character who turns out to dote on cats and whose skills as a thief are particularly useful. They discover that there is a castle in the air where many kidnapped princesses are being held, and the scenes in the castle (Howl's Moving Castle, stolen by the Djinn) are my favourite part of this book, funny and full of fabulous women. The princesses range from small children to mature women, but they are all interesting and clever. 

Calcifer, Sophie, and Howl (and their small infant) all turn out to be important to the story, and have been woven into the tale more than first appears. This was funny and charming, with many disguised identities and misdirections. The power of constancy and true love is highlighted as well, with many delightful pairings showing up. 

It is over 30 years old so there are a few things that might not have been included today, but overall, it was a fun read with a satisfying happy ending. 

 

If Cats Disappeared from the World

 

If Cats Disappeared from the World / Genki Kawamura
trans. from the Japanese by Eric Selland
London: Picador, 2018, c2012.
202 p.

I read this little book last week; I've owned for a long time but have just picked it up now. It's funny how many books like this I have on my shelves - ones that have been patiently waiting their turn, and once I open them I can't stop reading. 

This is a short novel, just 202 short pages. It is loosely in the form of a letter, written by a young man who is all alone in the world aside from his cat Cabbage. He's just found out that he has a brain tumour and only weeks to live. But his week turns surreal as the Devil appears to him and tells him that he can choose one thing to disappear from the world in exchange for another day of life. 

He gets a few extra days but the idea of exchanging things starts to pall. What is life worth living for and what parts make it all worthwhile? When the Devil suggests that cats disappear next, our narrator realizes he has a vital choice to make. 

Throughout this short narrative, told in a confessional, almost offhand style, deep questions are raised. We learn that the narrator's mother has died and that he is estranged from his father; he has a loose connection with an old girlfriend, which is important to the story. But his closest emotional relationship is with Cabbage. And through his reflections, we learn more about his past and his issues with his father. 

I found this a touching story, on the edge of being too sentimental but counterbalanced by the humour and irreverence of the Devil and the narrator's reactions. Even with the brevity and direct style, it causes the reader to think more deeply about what is worth cherishing in life, especially when you're about to leave it. I'm not sure why it hit me right now, but it did have an emotional impact. I thought the ending was perfect, resolving the interiority and isolation of this character's story with a resonant visual image of reconnection. Really interesting read, with some memorable moments. 

 

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop / Satoshi Yagisawa
trans. from the Japanese by Eric Ozawa
NY: Harper Perennial, 2023, c2010. 
150 p.

I read this sweet book in a day -- it's short and easy to read, even with some emotional heft to it. It reminded me a lot more of Banana Yoshimoto's style than the more recent "healing fiction" titles I've been reading. There is nothing supernatural or outside of reality here; just people trying to survive bumps in the road and finding healing in books and coffee. 

It starts out with 25 yr old Takako finding out that her boyfriend is engaged to someone else. They work together so it doesn't take long before she quits -- essentially losing her boyfriend and job in the same few weeks. She's at loose ends and nursing her broken heart when she gets an offer from her uncle Satoru (who she hasn't heard from in a few years) to come and live and work with him in the family second-hand bookshop in the Jimbocho neighbourhood of Tokyo. Being awfully short of money she reluctantly accepts. 

This set up is quite lovely, as Takoko has a season of quiet and rest to find herself again. Her uncle says:

It's important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you're well rested, you can set sail again. 

And this is what happens: as Takoko finds healing through discovering a love of reading, and engaging with people outside of a driven office environment, she comes to the point where she can find another job and leave the bookshop.  

The relationship between Takoko and her uncle is interesting - she knew him when she was a child, so they are developing a different connection, one between adults. She finds out a lot about who her uncle really is, and about his wife who had left him five years previously (but reappears halfway through). There is a tiny coffeeshop down the street that Takoko frequents, and some of the characters are based there. Some bookshop regulars are found in both places. All of these side characters are an important part of the story, showing Takoko another way to live, and empathy for other people -- just as her reading does. 

I liked the references to Japanese classics, some more contemporary authors, and some Western titles too. It was a charming element and yet the story wasn't overdone. It was light but I found it satisfying and am planning on finding book two of this story as soon as I can -- I want to hear more about the Morisaki Bookshop! 

Crafting a Cold Case

 

Crafting a Cold Case / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T, c2025.
256 p.

I read the latest volume of the Gasper's Cove series by Barbara Emodi at the very end of December, during a huge winter storm. Timely, as it is set mostly during a huge winter storm! It made it feel quite recognizable. 

This is such a fun series, and the characters grow with every new story. In this 6th installment, Valerie shows her inimitable amateur sleuthing skills again, when there's a murder, a snowstorm, and a number of strangers in town outside of tourist season. 

The story begins with the usually unflappable Catherine, former librarian and Valerie's cousin-in-law, calling her in panic mode. Valerie drops everything and heads right over, to discover that the crisis is two unwanted guests at Catherine's B&B who are driving her crazy. Valerie responds immediately. 

“I went over to the pantry and found a box of Morse’s Tea, the official consolation beverage of Nova Scotia since 1870. I picked up the kettle and filled it at the deep, stainless-steel, industrial-sized sink. While I waited for the water to boil, I found a tin of shortbread and put enough for four people onto a plate. Emotional breakdowns are no time to be skimpy with baked goods.”

This book is such a great balance of mystery and humour. I love this series for this reason, and I find that each book gets better. There are two extra guests, one a prepper who follows Catherine's partner Rollie around constantly, and one a peevish old professor there to talk to a local group about antiquities. The other stranger in town is a smooth talking podcaster, unfortunately brought to Gasper's Cover by Valerie's daughter -- nobody else really likes him, but her daughter seems enamoured. 

There is intrigue from the start, but then a storm blows in, one that their local weather station seemed to miss completely. And it's a bad one. It snows them all in, even as one of the locals in the antiquities group is found dead in a snowbank. Murder, and who was it? It's a real mystery this time with some plausible red herrings sprinkled around liberally. Lots of people to dislike and suspect, whether of murder, stealing a snowplow, or just being a jerk. 

I really liked this one. So many good characters, intriguing setup, funny commentary, and an unexpected conclusion. Even a big surprise for everyone (even herself) when one of Valerie's guesses proves correct. I'd read this again, just for the characters. And that snowstorm!

(first published on FollowingTheThread.ca)