Book Review- Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You

Prior to my summer vacation, I went book shopping at Vroman's and Celeste Ng's novel, Everything I Never Told You, caught my eye. I read it during our cruise and I donated my copy to the library on Royal Caribbean International's Explorer of the Seas. The library on the ship only had two shelves of books and the space was mostly used as a hangout for wayward teenagers. It was very pitiful. Future cruisers, bring books to leave and reclaim the quiet space!

PLOT - Set in the 1970's, Everything I Never Told You, kicks off with the death of high school student, Lydia Lee. Lydia went missing and has turned up in a nearby lake, apparently the victim of a drowning, although foul play has not been ruled out. Ng's story is told in a close third person perspective, drifting from Lydia's family members, as they all come to terms with her death and try to understand her life. 

LIKE - The element of Ng's story that really popped for me was the way that she used perspective. As a writer, I sometimes find perspective to be a challenge and Ng handles this masterfully. The story floats between various characters and the distance is constantly rushing forward and pulling back. This works so well with both the theme of water and the idea of never truly knowing another person. Lydia is a character that puts on a different mask for each person that she knows, making for extremes in the way that each character perceives her and tries to make sense of her death. Thematically, Everything I Never Told You, reminds me very much of one of my favorite novels, Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides. 

Ng's story is layered with other themes that add to the complexity. Lydia and her siblings are half Caucasian and half Chinese living in a suburban community in America in the 1970's. They struggle with both their identity and fitting in with the kids in their community. Lydia's mother grapples with giving up her career dreams to raise a family and as a result, she pushes all of her aspirations on an unwilling Lydia. The members of the Lee family are all living very private and isolated lives beneath the surface, as they try keeping up the facade of being a happy family.

DISLIKE- Nothing. This is a complex and fascinating story that is beautifully written by Ng.

RECOMMEND- Absolutely! Everything I Never Told You is an affecting read ( although, maybe a little dark for a vacation pick!) and I look forward to future efforts by Ng. 

Book Review - Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings

Even though it has garnered a lot of praise, it took me a long time to get around to reading Meg Wolitzer's latest novel, The Interestings. If this book is at the bottom of your to-be-read pile, bump it to the top. Now. The Interestings is a decades spanning roller coaster ride. I absolutely couldn't put it down and now that I've finished reading it, it hasn't left my mind.

The Interestings follows five friends who meet at an arts centric summer camp in the 1970's. Although the story follows all of the characters, the primary focus is on Jules, a teenager who has just lost her father to cancer. She attends the camp on a scholarship and is immediately swept up in the lives of kids who come from privileged backgrounds and in her mind, are much more creative and interesting than average people. Jules keeps in close contact with her friends from camp and becomes even closer to them as she enters adulthood and moves to New York City.

Her two strongest friendships from camp are Ash and Ethan, a married couple. Naturally, this isn't as simple as it sounds. Ethan initially had a crush on Jules and even though she turned him down, he is not far from her mind. Ethan ends up having huge success in his twenties as the creator of a Simpsons-esque animation series. As Jules is lacking financial security and  married to a husband who has severe depression, she often wonders about the road not taken with Ethan. Jules is plagued by extreme jealousy towards Ash and Ethan, who are not only rich, but also seem to lead more interesting, cultured lives. 

Added to the mix are Jonah and Goodman. Jonah is another camp friend, who is the son of a famous folk singer. Although he longs to be a musician, his talents are shuttered by a childhood trauma. Goodman is Ash's brother and although he seems to have every opportunity for success, he makes a very bad decision in his late teens that changes the course his life and greatly affects the lives of his family and friends. 

This was my first Wolitzer novel, but I'm sold on her skills as a writer. This story was engaging and affecting. It had such vibrant and well-rounded characters that I felt like I was reading about people I know. The story goes unexpected directions. It was also a good indictment on what our society values, showing a truth that is not very flattering, but one that is honest. There are so many layers to this story and its characters, that I can't stop thinking about it. 

Simply put, a really fabulous novel by a new-to-me author. I can't wait to discover more stories by Wolitzer. She's a powerhouse.