The Museum of Extraordinary Things – Alice Hoffman

I like Alice Hoffman’s books. I liked Practical Magic, it was sweet (and because I read it years after watching the film, it was nice to find it darker and richer and less kidman-ish). I LOVED the Dovekeepers, it’s one of those books that stays with you. Next up is her The Drowning Season. But the Museum of Extraordinary Things hit me really hard and I didn’t put it down until it was finished.

It’s the story of Cora, who was born with webbed fingers and spends her days swimming in an exhibit tank, pretending to be a mermaid in her father’s glorified freak show. She’s a gentle, empathetic girl who longs for a life she doesn’t understand. It’s also the story of Eddie, who has left his father and his faith and is looking for something to fill the loss he feels. Eddie photographs the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and finds himself tangled up in a mystery that only he can solve. Cora’s father has the very thing he’s looking for, but nothing leaves the Museum of Extraordinary things without the Professor’s leave, so Eddie and Cora must find a way to escape and somehow free the others who have been caught up in the Professor’s awful machinations.

Nothing about this book is straightforward. There are some twists that are obvious (like Coralie’s parentage) and some I didn’t see coming at all (like Coralie’s parentage). Intriguing, no? Eddie is such a likeable character, I just wanted to pat him on the head and feed him tea and biscuits until he felt better. You really get to see the internal struggle he has regarding his father’s actions in the past and how he responded to them. It’s also lovely to watch as the faith the other characters have in him proves true. Moses Levy is a character only really established through Eddie’s remembrances, yet despite his gruff manner, you can tell Moses loved and cherished his apprentice. Samuel Weiss is so assured that Eddie will find his missing daughter that you can tell Eddie’s estranged father has spoken well of his abilities to Samuel, and often. It’s these little clues that make Eddie’s frustration at his own inability bearable – you can tell in the end, everything will come up roses.

Cora’s character is a little less likeable, but I think it’s because I can’t sympathise as much with her quiet resentment and inaction. By the time she’s accidentally seen Eddie, Cora is full of resentment and defiance towards the Professor, but she does practically nothing about it. Even when she goes into the city to return Eddie’s camera equipment and ends up half naked, she is indignant at the idea that she is no longer a virgin – her goodness and obedience are absolute, even when her father becomes a monster. Compared with Juliet Block or Hannah Weiss, Cora is a wimp. Her brave stand against the fire in the end of the book is nothing more than chance – if she’d been more invested in her own escape, no one would have been near the fire anyway.

The book is really well put together – characters like Abraham Hochman come to the fore in brilliant twists of plot. Hochman I had written off as a charlatan, much as Eddie does, but but the end of the story you start to think he is more than he appears. So too Jacob Van der Beck, whose tragic tale I long to write a novel about (albeit with a slightly happier ending, especially for the wolf). After you have dismissed these characters as unimportant and uninvolved, Hoffman weaves them back in with surprising grace. Nothing is superfluous in this book, every thread is necessary and neatly tied. At 300 pages you should definitely try this (especially if you’ve never read Hoffman before – then move on the The Dovekeepers). The sense of menace and the hope of redemption will keep you reading until the wee hours, while the beauty and joy of the characters will make you smile long after you finish.

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

This is a gorgeous book. It’s short and easy to read and has the most lush prose imaginable. Plus the LGBTI elements are sympathetic and nicely developed.
It’s the story of Pen, who magically survives the tidal wave that destroys the city she lives in. After weeks of loneliness she discovers her beloved younger brother may be alive and enslaved by the mad scientist (who may be connected to Pen). She sets off to rescue him, battling giants and witches and collecting friends. Along the way she meets Hex and falls in love, but like everything else in this book Hex is not quite what he seems.
An alternative modern version of Homer’s Odyssey, this story will appeal to modern fantasy lovers. It’s an exciting ride with sweet characters that become more developed with each challenge they face. I would write a more in depth review about metaphor and confidence and finding out who you are as you grow up, but really you can read this book in a few hours, so just go get started now!

April Reading List

Love in the Time of Global Warming – Francesca Lia Block

Children of Fire – Drew Karpshyn (so far, it’s a bit of a drag)

Scatter, Adapt and Remember – Annalee Newitz who writes for i09. I’ve been waiting for so long to get this!

The Bone Season – Samantha Shannon

Origin – Jessica Khoury

On Such a Full Sea – Chang-Rae Lee (this is interesting. Bit stagnant in places)

Still Life with Bread Crumbs – Anna Quindlen

The Weight of Blood – Laura McHugh (already finished because I couldn’t put it down. Review soon – I need to digest it a bit more)

LOTS to read for once! I have two weeks off uni with only one assignment due and only two weddings that I don’t have to edit (hurray) so lots of reading time 🙂 What’s on your list for April?

Parasite – Mira Grant

The first in a new series called Parasitology. I was recommended this book by i09 and it wasn’t at all what I expected. I was thinking something like the Scott Sigler books (which I’ve read and loved) or John Ringo’s Under a Graveyard Sky (which I really REALLY loved).
Instead, the socio-political effects of the parasite infection (infestation? I’m not sure what it counts as when the parasites themselves have been introduced in a population by the population themselves) aren’t examined in this story as much as the personal issues of one particular person. Sal Mitchell wakes up from a coma and doesn’t know who she is. 6 years later, she’s got a life back, but from all accounts, it’s nothing like what she had before. New boyfriend, new job and a completely new attitude. Sal has trouble dealing with endless check ups from SymboGen and people who don’t keep their hands on the steering wheel, so when hordes of people start turning into ‘sleepwalkers’ she will do anything to find out what is happening before it happens to her.

But what if it already did?

This is the account of what happens when a major pharmaceuticals company and the American government are fighting over the best way to approach a deadly outbreak. Except Sal just wants to move in with her boyfriend, walk their dogs and have people stop killing each other. But when what’s in your head may be the key to solving the outbreak (or making it much much worse), people tend to not want to let you go.

This book was easy to read and had enough suspense that I didn’t want to put it down. The ‘sympathising with parasite’ angle is similar to the Host by Stephanie Meyer (yes, I read a Meyer book, once), but in this case the parasite isn’t entirely convinced she’s a parasite until the end of the book, even though it’s glaringly obvious to the reader after chapter 2. The inter-personal relationships and the angst and joy they cause are all well developed and although Sal is a dull character, her dullness doesn’t make for terrible reading because you’re aware of why she is the way she is. I like the many layers the book presented, knowing a little bit about parasites and hosts helps the reader discover hidden gems in the text. I’m hoping the next one comes out pretty soon!

In the meanwhile, I’m counting down to Raven’s Shadow Book 2 – Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan. Seriously, the book can’t come soon enough, I read the first book, Blood Song, in what seems like seconds and I’m so hungry for more. It’s so hard to find decent fantasy these days, so waiting in between books is so hard – I also just finished the Two Stormlight Archive books and the thought of waiting up to 4 years for another one is making me sad all the way to my toes.

What are you reading today? Got any epic fantasy recommends for me??