All the Words

Managing through the pandemic has made for quite a season. I've spent more time at my house in 2020 than I have in years. In so many ways, it's been a drag. But conversely, it's allowed me to rest and breathe and spend some time rediscovering things I love that are closer to home. 

Books have been a balm for my soul this year. I've found such comfort and escape in their pages. And because I've had more time at my disposal, I've read a lot more, catching up on titles that had been on my list for years and discovering some new favorite authors. See below for a few of my 2020 treasures.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I'd read and loved Morgenstern's debut novel, The Night Circus. I very much enjoyed this, her second book. Magic, words, stories. She's a very sensory writer, too, which makes her work feel immersive.

Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. Amazon suggested this book to me as one that "reads like" The Starless Sea, and there were many similarities between the two stories. In some ways, I almost liked this one better, with the intrepid January realizing she has the power within her to open doors to alternate worlds and pursue adventures. The characters seemed to be stickier, ones that have stayed with me longer. 

I got on a very satisfying kick of books by Ann Patchett this year: The Patron Saint of Liars, The Dutch House, The Story of a Happy Marriage. Her Bel Canto is one of my favorite books ever, and she's just a writer who has honed her craft. I found The Dutch House, the story of a sister and brother whose wealthy father passes away while they are young, leaving them to the whims of a vengeful stepmother, particularly arresting. Patchett delivers closure without it being too pat, so readers are satisfied without feeling patronized.    

I have devoured a goodly portion of Liane Moriarty's body of work, with the latest being Nine Perfect Strangers. I really enjoy Moriarty's fascination with social groups - how they are connected, how they play off one another, etc. This novel is a wonderful exploration of group dynamics, as a disparate group of travelers at a wellness retreat overcome its unhinged director. 

Several people I knew had raved about Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, so I had to pick it up. The marsh is a character in this book - the main character - and it's beautiful. Kya, the "marsh girl," grows up in the swamp, with birds and gentle waves as her best friends. When a local man is found dead, the town suspects foul play, and she's drawn further into society than she's ever wanted to be. This book is going to be made into a movie, and I can't wait! I bet the cinematography will be fantastic. 

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott is a wonderful tale of unconventional relationships and female espionage. At its heart, this is a book about women who understand (and whose stories illustrate) that unfettered ideas make for the most powerful politics of all.

Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng, tells a story of disparity - between a woman who chose a comfortable, ordered life and one who chose to follow her often disordered passion of being an artist. It questions if a planned life is better or worse than a spontaneous one. I loved the descriptions of the art created by one of the main characters in this book. Powerful. 

The Devil and Miss Prym is an allegorical tale by Paul Coelho, the author of The Alchemist. It examines what motivates people to do what they do - greed, fear, or some higher purpose. 

The minute I started reading Saints at the River, I knew Ron Rash could write. He's been prolific, but this is the first novel of his I've read. It won't be the last. Set in the Carolina wilderness, the novel focuses on what happens in a very small town when an out-of-towner drowns in the local river, where the body remains trapped in a dangerous current. As I read this novel, I felt as if I knew these characters and this place. 

One of my best finds recently was Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. First of all, I loved the narrator - smart, funny, resourceful, with a love of pop culture. We learn all about his job at the bookstore that he soon realizes is more than just a bookstore, and then the adventure is off and running. A mix of big machine analytics, ancient quests, and endearing friendships. I really did laugh out loud several times while reading this book!