Fiction | Book Chatter

The Odds
By Stewart O’Nan
(Viking Adult, Hardcover, 9780670023165, January 19, 2012, 192pp.)

The Short of It:

A brutally honest look at a marriage in crisis.

The Rest of It:

In all my years as a reader, I’ve never read an O’Nan novel. Boy, have I been missing out.

Art and Marion Fowler ditch their soon-to-be foreclosed home for Niagara Falls, hoping to recoup enough money to save their home and their marriage. The odds are against them, in more ways than one but as they rent the “bridal” suite for one last Valentine’s hurrah, one remains hopeful where the other has totally and utterly given up hope.

From the very first page, it’s clear that Marion is going along with Art’s plan as a way to humor him, or perhaps…she feels obligated to give it one last shot just so she can say that she tried everything in her power to make it work. Regardless, what she is is a broken woman at the end of her rope, hoping to close this chapter so she can move on to the next stage of her life. She’s not entirely convinced that gambling can save them, but she gives it a go for Art’s sake.

Art however, is the opposite. Inside, he knows that the marriage is coming to a close but he’s not ready to throw in the towel. Not quite yet. He’s optimistic to a fault but somehow, you can’t hold that against him. Jobless and wanting nothing more than to provide for his family, he sees this trip as a solution to their problems. Additionally, he has decided to ask Marion to marry him all over again. To start fresh, even if they can never go back to the life they knew so well.

Since the odds of recouping what they need to save the house are slim to none, they continue to squander money by way of their maxed-out credit card, living it up until they are basically told that they no longer can. Fine dinners, champagne and visiting all of the tourist traps that looked much more appealing the first time around. It’s heartbreaking, really.

But as sad and heartbreaking as so much of it was, I adored it. This story is all about second chances and when O’Nan goes into the heads of these characters, he must come out exhausted because these characters are complex characters with real worries and pressures. Ink on paper one second, living and breathing creatures the next. Amazing.

I can’t compare this book to his others since this was my first experience with O’Nan, but if the character development in his other books is anything like it was here, then I will be reading more of his books in the near future.

Source: Sent to me by the publisher via Net Galley.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

After Dark
By Haruki Murakami
(Vintage, Paperback, 9780307278739, April 2008, 256pp.)

The Short of It:

Mesmerizing.

The Rest of It:

I don’t spend a lot of late evenings out. But, I have been known to hit a late movie once in awhile and when I do, I am always amazed at how many people are out so late at night. It’s as if there is this whole other world from say, 11pm (late for me) to early morning. Well, After Dark is all about that. Mari is sitting alone in a Denny’s, reading her book when a young musician named Takahashi asks to sit at her table. Confused as to why a complete stranger would want to sit with her, he explains that they have met before and that he dated Mari’s sister, Eri. As the conversation continues, Mari learns that Takahashi’s band practices in a basement nearby, and that he sometimes visits Denny’s for a meal. He offers to hook-up with her again if she ever wants to, which she politely turns down.

Later that same evening, a woman by the name of Kaoru is sent to find Mari at the Denny’s, because she is in need of a Chinese interpreter. Turns out that there is a young prostitute that needs her help. Takahashi, wh0 sometimes works for Kaoru doing odd jobs around the “love hotel” remembered that Mari speaks both Japanese and Chinese and figured she’d be the perfect person to help out. As the evening plays out, Takahashi learns more about Mari and her sister Eri, who seems to have a severe sleeping problem and has been asleep for over two months straight.

What does any of this mean? Who knows? It’s the wondrous, dreamy world of a Murakami novel. There are moments of pure brilliance and moments where you aren’t quite sure what is going on, but never at any time are you bored. Out of all the Murakami novels I’ve read so far, this one probably had the least amount of action, but it left me with many questions. I caught myself thinking about these characters at odd times. Especially the sleeping sister. Was she depressed? Did she enter an alternate universe during slumber?

Needless to say, I was highly amused by this one and each time I read a Murakami novel I am left with this feeling that there is a greater something out there. I’m not talking spiritually here, but more other worldly. I think that is why I am endlessly fascinated by Murakami’s writing. If I could shrink him down and put him in my pocket, I would. That would be weird though.

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

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