I
have read two books of note in August: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger and Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. One
of the things I love about being in a book club is the opportunity to be
exposed to books I normally wouldn’t have heard of or would have neglected to
pick up. Both of these novels fit into this group.
Peace Like a River is Enger’s first
novel. It is not easily categorized. It takes place primarily in the Badlands
of North Dakota and centers around one family’s quest for justice. Told from
the point of view of the youngest son, Rueben, it is equal parts tragedy,
romance, adventure and a depiction of fierce devotion.
Tragedy
strikes when the family is targeted by two bullies in their small town. As a
result, the oldest son must flee a questionably, wrongful conviction for a
crime. It poses the question, should someone be convicted of protecting their
loved ones? What follows is the family’s search for their son and the colorful,
sharply written, diverse characters they encounter on the way.
There
is also an element of magic in the form of miracles performed by the father
that adds a fascinating and entirely different dimension.
Highly
recommend.
Anxious People was also a book club
pick. I had read A Man Called Ove previously. I thought it was fine and
charming in its way. However, although
Backman is a prolific writer, I was not especially in a hurry to read more of
his work. This book proved to be an exception.
A very
diverse group of people are taken hostage by a bank robber during an apartment
showing. What follows is an examination of each person’s motivations and
thoughts during the experience. This includes the two police officers that are
called to the scene and who interview the victims afterwards.
The
novel is laced with an examination of human nature, laugh-out-loud humor,
sadness, tragedy, unexpected twists and surprises that play on the reader’s own
preconceived notions.
Recommend.
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