Book Review | Book Chatter

Our Country Friends
By Gary Shteyngart
Random House, 9781984855121, November 2021, 336pp.

The Short of It:

This was the perfect read for me after my surgery. It gave me “Big Chill” vibes in a totally good way.

The Rest of It:

I do not know why pandemic reading appeals to me so much during a pandemic, but it does and Our Country Friends is no exception. Yes, it takes place at the beginning of the pandemic when things began to shutdown and folks were asked to quarantine but there’s very little doom and gloom when you decide to invite your friends to an old country house to quarantine together.

There, in the country, these friends come together with their various “talents” and co-exist as the world shuts down around them. There are good meals to be had, good drink, and an energetic child to keep them all on their toes. All these friends seem very high brow and academic. Writers, and the like. An actor. An app developer. Crooked routes to romance and romantic trysts. All set within an old, country house that begins to wither before their eyes.

The story unfolds like a play on a stage. I found it to be very enjoyable with just enough of the pandemic touches to remind us that a threat does exist. I highly recommend this one. There’s humor, plenty of awkward interactions, and promise (the kind that only lifelong friendships can provide).

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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Migrations
By Charlotte McConaghy
Flatiron Books, 9781250204035, July 2021, 288pp.

The Short of It:

A thoughtful look at the impact of climate change.

The Rest of It:

This is my first review of the year, but it’s not the first book I picked up. This review just seemed easier to write at the moment so here goes.

This was an interesting story and a good one for my book club to discuss. Franny Stone is convinced that the Arctic terns will be migrating one last time. That the birds will be extinct as their food source has been somewhat depleted by fishing and global warming. The interesting thing about Franny is that she is not a scientist. She is married to a professor who studies such things and has become consumed with their survival.

Franny is a broken woman and through the back and forth timeline, it’s clear that Franny is running from something just as much as she is running towards something. There’s a little bit of a dark past trying to catch up to her, and yet she is quite likable and perhaps, the demons she faces is what makes her relatable. Franny finds herself a place on a fishing excursion, convincing the crew and captain that she can help them find the fish based on where the terns have headed.

This crew, although doubtful that Franny can lead them to the fish, gives her a chance to prove herself. Perhaps sensing the desperation in her plea. While traveling, Franny’s husband is back home. Not an unusual occurrence because although Franny has no problem loving or caring for people, she does have a problem with staying where she is.

This was a good story. A little sad when everything is revealed but also quite beautifully told. Powerful. It’s about love and loss and trying to find the people you are meant to have. And it did make me think a lot about how climate change impacts how we eat, live and make our decisions.

Have you read it? I recommend it.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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