Nevermore: Fighting Words, Murder on the Orient Express: Graphic Novel, Milkweed Lands

 

Nevermore 9-9-25

Reported by Rita

 

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful that they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf -- her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.

A good look into the foster system; very well done. A beautiful story of two sisters who have no one else. Quick, easy read.     -NH     5 stars

 

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel by Bob Al-Greene (Illustrator, Adapter), Agatha Christie

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.

This beautiful, full-color graphic novel adaptation brings this favorite mystery to life--perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike.

It was fun and I loved the artwork.     -CD     5 stars

 

The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology by Eric Lee-Mäder, Beverly Duncan (Illustrations)

Delve into this fascinating appreciation of milkweed, an often-overlooked plant, and discover an amazing range of insects and organisms that depend on it as the seasons unfold, with this collaboration between a noted ecologist and an award-winning botanical illustrator. Ecologist Eric Lee-Mäde r and noted botanical artist Beverly Duncan have teamed up to create this unique exploration of the complex ecosystem that is supported by the remarkable milkweed plant, often overlooked or dismissed as a roadside weed. With stunning, up-close illustrations and engaging text, they trace every stage of the plant's changes and evolutions throughout the seasons, including germination, growth, flowering, and seed development.

An amazing book filled with lots of information and great illustrations.      -MS       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned: 

Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz

Doonesbury: Peace Out, Dawg! by G.B. Trudeau

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow

  

New Books: 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

 The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton

Staff Picks!

 

With Rhythm and Roots upcoming we decided that instead of our usual display only featuring books about music that we would poll the staff for some of their favorite books.  Then we could set up a display of “Staff Picks,” using guitar picks.  Maybe a bit corny, but we had a lot of fun seeing what everyone chose.  The BPL staff certainly has varied interests!

That said, there were a few books that showed up on more than one list.  Here are some of those:

Two titles by TJ Klune kept turning up on lists. Klune writes strikingly original fantasies, peopled by memorable characters, and leaves his readers with a warm glow.   The House in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of Linus Baker, a bureaucrat who works in an office dedicated to checking on the care of “Magical Youth.” He lives a colorless existence until he’s sent to check up on an orphanage where he meets an amazing assembly, including a gnome, a dragon, and the mysterious Arthur Parnassus.  Oh, and the Antichrist.  Linus’ life will never be the same.

In Under the Whispering Door, Wallace Price’s life will never be the same, either—mainly because Wallace is dead.  He’s very disappointed and more than a bit angry when only five people show up at his funeral: his three law firm partners and his ex-wife, none of whom seem particularly upset by his demise.  This is probably because Wallace was, frankly, not a very nice person. The fifth person he doesn’t recognize. It turns out that she is his Reaper, sent to guide him to the waystation called Charon’s Crossing so he can pass into the afterlife. Charon’s Crossing is managed by Hugo, a ferryman who guides souls but Wallace is going to prove to be more stubborn than most.  Populated by a cast of delightful and unforgettable characters, this is another “feel good” tale by Klune that also tackles the big questions, like the meaning of life—and death.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson showed up on three lists. The story is narrated by Mary Katherine, known as Merricat, who lives in an old mansion with her sister and an uncle.  A family tragedy has made them outcasts from the town, and Merricat must keep a watchful eye to keep outsiders away. While Jackson’s best known book is arguably The Haunting of Hill House, our staff members seem more drawn to this title.  We found the book to be deliciously atmospheric, with intriguing characters and a mystery at its core.

Japanese author Hiro Arikawa’s The Travelling Cat Chronicles touched the hearts of a couple of staff members.  The story is told from the point of view of a stray cat adopted by a kind young man who takes the cat on a trip to find a new home.  Warm, poignant, and ultimately uplifting, this tale has a special poetic charm all its own.

Another author who has done well in translation is Fredrik Backman.  His breakthrough book was A Man Called Ove, about a curmudgeonly Swede who takes a dim view of modern society in general and his neighbors in particular. His Beartown was the start of a series of books set in a town whose inhabitants live and breathe for hockey, their one claim to fame.  It’s since become a TV series for Netflix.

Jon Krakauer writes compelling non-fiction, so it’s no surprise that his name turned up on the lists. Into the Wild examines the life and death of Chris McCandless, an idealistic young man who set out on a search for truth and ended up dying alone in the Alaskan wilderness, while Into Thin Air is the author’s personal account of a climb up Mt. Everest in 1996.  That’s the year that a storm hit, causing the deaths of eight people in one day, and remains a controversial event in the history of mountain climbing.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was a debut novel that thrilled its readers, including two of our staff members.  Artist Alicia Berenson is a convicted murderer who shot her husband in the face six times, but since then has refused to speak.  A new therapist is determined to try to unlock the secrets she’s held since that awful day.

Finally, Agatha Christie is also included on a couple of lists, proving the classic, Golden Age mysteries never go out of style!

These are just a few of the selections that garnered more than one mention.  There could have been a lot of others, judging from the overheard murmurs of, “Gee, I should have included that one on my list…”

And as for displays, we do still have one set up featuring music—and genealogy! Rhythm and Roots indeed!

Nevermore: Thanksgiving, Last Ballad, Indigo Girl, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Wild Things, Murder on the Orient Express

Reported by Jeanne

Nevermore opened with a review of The Thanksgiving Book, a delightful browsing book which provides a history of the holiday, recipes, short stories, poems, and even suggestions for games.  Our reader enjoyed it thoroughly, noting that there were many feasts of harvest and thanksgiving before the Pilgrims ever held their feast; some, though not all, were in North America, too.  Had it not been for some friendly Native Americans, the colony would not have survived.  The seeds they brought with them from Europe did not germinate well in the sandy soil, and had the Pilgrims not been gifted with seeds from native plants they likely would not have had a harvest to celebrate.  However, the modern version grew out of the work of Sarah Josephina Hale, who lobbied several presidents for a national holiday.  Abraham Lincoln was the first to take her up on it, proclaiming a day of thanksgiving on the final Thursday in November, 1863.  The book is suggested for those interested in the true story behind the holiday.

The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash is listed as fiction, but it’s based on the life of a real person,  Ella Mae Wiggin.  The story is set in North Carolina in 1929 where the young mother works at one of the many mills in the region.  It’s hard, dangerous work, for little pay, but since her husband has run off and she has children to support, Ella Mae has very little choice.  Then she hears about some people who are trying to organize a union, and begins to have hope for a better life.  Our reviewer thought this was a superb book, beautifully written.  She found it difficult to put down, and recommended it highly.

Another fictionalized version of an historical figure was presented in Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd.  In 1739, sixteen year old Eliza Lucas’ father sailed for the Caribbean, leaving her in charge of the family’s South Carolina plantations.  Eliza’s interest in botany leads her to experiment with different crops, but family troubles, war, and Eliza’s unconventional relationship with the slaves threatens all she holds dear. Our reader thought it was a fascinating book, but thought it was sad that no portrait of the real Eliza is known to exist.

We Were Eight Years in Power is the new collection of essays by Ta-Nehisi Coates, winner of the National Book Award for Between the World and Me.  Coates covers American race relations, politics, and history in his writing, including the case for reparations and the backlash again African Americans during Reconstruction.  As before, the writing is thoughtful and insightful.

The next book was Wild Things:  The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult by Bruce Handy, which turned out to be a bit of a let-down.  While Handy covered a number of classic children’s books, most of his choices were more modern pieces.  Our reviewer said she was especially disappointed that there was no mention of one of her childhood idols, Pippi Longstocking. She found some of the other selections a bit “off the wall.”

More enjoyable was Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, which had been chosen because of the new movie.  The detective Hercule Poirot is traveling on the Orient Express when one of the passengers is murdered.  There is a whole compartment of suspects and Poirot is hard pressed to sort them all out.  Our reader enjoyed it and was surprised at the ending.  She said she had figured some things out, but not all. 

Finally, a reader recommended The Chick and the Dead by Carla Valentine, the autobiography of a British pathologist. Valentine takes the reader through the process of an autopsy while also musing on how different cultures regard death.  She’s also candid about her personal life.  It was an entertaining mix.