The characters’ concerns lead to some provocative ideas and discussions, which can get lost in the meandering narrative.
Michael, his companion Janet, their son, David, and their friends continue their adventures while searching for philosophical and scientific truth in the latest installment of Dimond’s (Return of the Light Prince, 2010, etc.) series.
Michael’s latest adventure begins at the ceremony marking the union of his close friend and confidant John Bran, better known as “Oats,” and his beloved Marmuron. The joyous occasion is also a time of curiosity and reflection as Oats is also exploring Isaac Newton’s theories of gravity and motion. Oats’ discoveries have significant implications for humanity, and he’s eager to share them with his friends. Oats and Marmuron aren’t the only ones enjoying a fulfilling union. Princess Urundayy, also known as Uri, is growing closer to her friend Herron, but she needs to be certain he’s the right one for her before she forms a union with him. Uri’s romantic dilemma coincides with an important new mission: She’s been asked to assist with the formation of a new sanctuary that will unite and protect the animal population. Michael also continues his analyses of the theories of Newton and Charles Darwin with his closest friends in an attempt to re-establish balance in the universe. Dimond’s fast-paced narrative thoughtfully explores a number of ideas and concepts. The strongest element of the novel is the concerns the characters share for understanding the universe and protecting the most vulnerable elements of society. Michael is a likable protagonist surrounded by an extensive supporting cast, including Janet and the young lovers, Uri and Herron. Dimond explores a plethora of ideas in the novel; however, many of the chapters feel truncated, ending just when it looks like a character is going to reveal a significant detail. Sharper editing could have helped refine the story’s focus and clear up confusion regarding some of the characters’ names; for example, one character is referred to as Megs, Meg and Meg’s.
The characters’ concerns lead to some provocative ideas and discussions, which can get lost in the meandering narrative.Pub Date: March 12, 2014
ISBN: 978-1493135653
Page Count: 266
Publisher: Xlibris
Review Posted Online: Nov. 14, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The phrase “tour de force” could have been invented for this audacious novel.
Four men who meet as college roommates move to New York and spend the next three decades gaining renown in their professions—as an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—and struggling with demons in their intertwined personal lives.
Yanagihara (The People in the Trees, 2013) takes the still-bold leap of writing about characters who don’t share her background; in addition to being male, JB is African-American, Malcolm has a black father and white mother, Willem is white, and “Jude’s race was undetermined”—deserted at birth, he was raised in a monastery and had an unspeakably traumatic childhood that’s revealed slowly over the course of the book. Two of them are gay, one straight and one bisexual. There isn’t a single significant female character, and for a long novel, there isn’t much plot. There aren’t even many markers of what’s happening in the outside world; Jude moves to a loft in SoHo as a young man, but we don’t see the neighborhood change from gritty artists’ enclave to glitzy tourist destination. What we get instead is an intensely interior look at the friends’ psyches and relationships, and it’s utterly enthralling. The four men think about work and creativity and success and failure; they cook for each other, compete with each other and jostle for each other’s affection. JB bases his entire artistic career on painting portraits of his friends, while Malcolm takes care of them by designing their apartments and houses. When Jude, as an adult, is adopted by his favorite Harvard law professor, his friends join him for Thanksgiving in Cambridge every year. And when Willem becomes a movie star, they all bask in his glow. Eventually, the tone darkens and the story narrows to focus on Jude as the pain of his past cuts deep into his carefully constructed life.
The phrase “tour de force” could have been invented for this audacious novel.Pub Date: March 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-53925-8
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PROFILES
PERSPECTIVES
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.
Sisters work together to solve a child-abandonment case.
Ellie and Julia Cates have never been close. Julia is shy and brainy; Ellie gets by on charm and looks. Their differences must be tossed aside when a traumatized young girl wanders in from the forest into their hometown in Washington. The sisters’ professional skills are put to the test. Julia is a world-renowned child psychologist who has lost her edge. She is reeling from a case that went publicly sour. Though she was cleared of all wrongdoing, Julia’s name was tarnished, forcing her to shutter her Beverly Hills practice. Ellie Barton is the local police chief in Rain Valley, who’s never faced a tougher case. This is her chance to prove she is more than just a fading homecoming queen, but a scarcity of clues and a reluctant victim make locating the girl’s parents nearly impossible. Ellie places an SOS call to her sister; she needs an expert to rehabilitate this wild-child who has been living outside of civilization for years. Confronted with her professional demons, Julia once again has the opportunity to display her talents and salvage her reputation. Hannah (The Things We Do for Love, 2004, etc.) is at her best when writing from the girl’s perspective. The feral wolf-child keeps the reader interested long after the other, transparent characters have grown tiresome. Hannah’s torturously over-written romance passages are stale, but there are surprises in store as the sisters set about unearthing Alice’s past and creating a home for her.
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-345-46752-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2005
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