Book Review: Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis (sci fi, romance, literary fiction)

Thirty-one years old and newly transplanted from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Vancouver, BC, Amber Kivinen and Kevin Watkins are in a fourteen-year committed relationship--together forever. Until... Without Kevin's knowledge, Amber applies to enter a contest to travel to Mars. Amber is selected for the contest, and Kevin stays home to grieve her loss.

Girlfriend on Mars is about space, reality TV, climate change anxiety, infidelity, grow ops, travel...

Girlfriend on Mars

Deborah Willis

Hamish Hamilton

an imprint of Penguin Canada

a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited

2023

356 pages

longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller

Science Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction

Amber and Kevin are polar opposites. Amber is an aggressive go-getter who lives life to the fullest. Kevin is a deep-thinking, deep-feeling observer of life. Raised by an ailing single mother, Kevin was taught from a young age to fear life and cling to one person. At first, this person was his mom and then Amber. Who will he cling to now that she's gone? 

Girlfriend on Mars is told in altering chapters of first and second person. The first-person chapters are narrated by Kevin. In the second-person chapters, we observe Amber--much as Kevin would. At one point, Kevin tells us, "I realize that Amber is a planet, and I'm a moon to her orbit." I understand this to mean that he doesn't think that he's as important as Amber and I disagree. Girlfriend on Mars is a balanced examination of both sides of a relationship.

The short chapters help to make this book enjoyable--especially for those of us with reading challenges.

If you enjoy reading Girlfriend on Mars (which (I hope) I'm sure you will), you may also enjoy reading An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim.

"Fog" by ldyck

It all starts next Sunday...

From 2012 to 2019: a collection of book reviews by Leanne Dyck

photo by ldyck

Your favourite book based on how many page views the book review received.

If you click the title the link will take you to my book review. If you click the publisher it will take you to their web site.

2012

The Sentimentalist
Johanna Shibrub
psychological fiction
Douglas & McIntyre
won the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize

a daughter gets to know her father

2013

Half-Blood Blues
Esi Edugyan
historical fiction
Dundurn Press
won the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize

set in Paris during 1940, a jazz musician is arrested by the Nazis

2014

Indian Horse
Richard Wagamese
historical fiction
Douglas & McIntyre
won the Blurt Award for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Literature in 2013

an aboriginal hockey player journeys back through his life 

2015

The Robber Bride
Margaret Atwood
literary fiction
McClelland & Stewart
an imprint of Penguin Random House

three women's three-decade troubled relationship with a woman named Zenia

2016

Burn
Paula Weston
young adult fantasy
Tundra Books
an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada

the fourth and final book in the Rephaim series

2017

Short
Holly Goldberg Sloan
middle grade
Dial Books for Young Readers
Penguin Young Readers Group

about a short girl in the big adult world of theater

2018

The Birth House
Ami McKay
historical fiction
Vintage Canada
a division of Random House Canada

chronicles Dora Rare's life as she learns the ancient healing science of midwifery


note:  what's the difference between a division and an imprint?
Bookjobs defines division as a branch of a publishing company and imprint as the identifying name of a specific line of books


2019

A Wake for the Dreamland
Laurel Deedrick-Mayne
historical fiction
Friesen Press

about the faithfulness and devotion of enduring friendship

What will you read this year?

I have enticing suggestions. For example...

Next Sunday evening...



Empire of Wild
Cherie Dimaline

Will Joan find her husband? Where did he go? Did the rogarou get him? What is a rogarou?

"snow" by ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

I've been working on expanding a manuscript that I've been working on for a while. It's a collection of knitting-themed

Book Review: The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (romance)

One rainy autumn day, my friend Linda and I spent part of an afternoon discussing The End of the Affair by Graham Greene. 

'Linda' photo by ldyck

'[T]his is a record of hate far more than of love.' -Maurice Bendrix (p. 7)

Set during and after World War II, The End of the Affair is about three self-obsessed people and their struggle for love. Because they are unable to look beyond their own needs, they fail to obtain love and end up hating themselves and the person they think they love.

Linda:  Attraction is only a very small part of love.

Maurice Bendrix is writing a novel that has a civil servant as a secondary, comic character. Henry Miles is a civil servant. Why not use details about his life to craft the character, thinks Maurice. Who better to help him with his research then Henry's strikingly beautiful wife Sarah. Maurice asks Sarah out for dinner and... falls in love. Trouble is Maurice befriends Henry and so hates himself for being in love with Henry's wife.

Henry Miles loves and dwells on his job far more than he does his wife. For that reason, he says, ' "It was a great injury I did to Sarah when I married her." ' (p. 170) And he can't possibly forgive himself for ruining her life.

Sarah Miles can't help falling in love over and over again, but she stays with Henry out of a sense of loyalty. Then she meets Maurice and believes that she could possibly leave her husband for him. However, shortly after that realization she feels called to become a Catholic. There's no such thing as a divorced Catholic so she hates herself for wanting Maurice.

Linda:  Who can say that you can't love more than one person. Why should you be judged harshly?

Maurice writes of his relationship with Sarah, We 'were later to come together for no apparent purpose but to give each other so much pain.' (p. 173)

Buy this book

First published in Great Britain by William Heinermann Ltd 1951

First published in the United States of America by The Viking Press Inc. 1951

Published by Viking Company edition in 1961

Published by Penguin Books (UK) in 1962

Published by Penguin Books (USA) in 1977

My edition was published by Penguin Books (USA) in 1999

This novel is composed of five books. Maurice narrates the first two; Sarah the third, and Maurice the last two. The first two books are unputdownable. Comparably, the last two dragged a little.

Linda:  Of its time--especially how he writes about women.

Years ago, someone said, "Leanne, I think you should read Graham Greene. I think you'll really enjoy him."

But there are many authors. So it took me a while to get to him. But now that I have I can say to someone, "Thank you. You were right."

More...

Henry Graham Greene was born on October 2, 1904 in Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England and died in April 3, 1991 in Vevey, Switzerland and in between.

photo by ldyck

December on this blog...

I've stuffed a lot of stuff in this short month--two lists, three short stories, and a book review.

December 1 (list)
Hmm...
A list of positive book quotes to guide you through this challenging month.

December 8 (short story)
Christmas Secret
I wasn't always the fine example of humanity I am now. 
Doubtful?
You won't be after you read this short story inspired by a true event.
Please don't judge me too harshly.

December 15 (book review)
The Little Paris Bookshop
If you love books... If you have a romantic soul... If you struggling to reclaim your life... This book is for you.

December 22 (short story)
A Christmas Present
A true story inspired by one of my favourite Christmas presents.

December 24 (short story)
Christmas with Family
This short story is about how my desire to be with family for Christmas resulted in my husband and me becoming stuck in the snow on a rural island--and how we solved the problem.

December 29 (list)
2019:  Your Favourites
What you loved about my blog in 2019--based on your clicked links (page views). 

Book Review: Bunny by Mona Awad

This book's message:  How you feel about me is none of my business. How I feel when I'm around you is.

Published by Viking

an imprint of Penguin Random House

Published in 2019

Buy this Book

Samantha Heather Mackey is enrolled in post-graduate studies in creative writing at Warren University in New England. An important component of the program is Workshop--an opportunity to give and receive feedback about your work with your peers. Samatha's peers are the Bunnies--four closely bonded women.

Of Workshop, Samantha says, 'Just me and them in a room with no visible escape routes for two hours and twenty minutes. Every week for thirteen weeks.' (p. 10)

Samantha says that the Bunnies are completely 'immune to the disdain of their fellow graduate student. Me. Samantha Heather Mackey. Who is not a Bunny. Who will never be a Bunny.' (p. 4)
And I think she has no desire to be a member of that group of friends. But when Samantha  receives an invitation from the Bunnies, she feels 'a weird and shameful swelling in [her] heart.' (p. 10)

During each Workshop, the Bunnies gave each other way too sticky sweet praise but looked 'down at each story [Samantha] submitted like it was a baby that just gave them the finger.' (p. 24) As a result, Samantha stops writing... But that isn't the end of the story.

Mona Awad's writing is graphic...

'My throat is a red, pulsing fist in my neck.' (p. 190)

and poetic...

 'Being with you is like being in literature. I have no idea where you'll lead me next.' (p. 236)

and memorable... 


Bunny is a weird, twisted ride into truth. Truth about friendship true and friendship false; about finding your true self even though others may attempt to hide her from you; about how to nurture your art--and how not to; about... 

More...

Also by Mona Awad...

My book review of 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl

"Bunny" Shows MFA Programs for the Dark Horror They Truly Are (a book review and interview with the author) by columnist Deirdre Coyle

Please join me next Sunday evening...

My first writers' group

Years ago, at a house party, I told a friend of my desire to develop my writing muscles. Her advice, form a writing group. Please read this short story to learn what happened next...

Book Review: Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini

A father and a son prepare to leave their homeland and cross the ocean to--what they hope will be--a safe new home.

Buy this book

I purchased my copy from Bolen Books

Illustrated by Dan Williams

Published by Viking

an imprint of Penguin Canada

a division of Penguin Random House Canada

Published in 2018

This narrative poem gives a voice to refugees. Hosseini writes of the love they have for their country, of the memories of better times. He writes of the love they have for their family and the desire for a better life. I'm overwhelmed by the sacrifice, by the courage, by the hope and I wonder what I would do. Could I be that brave? 

Because many of us are fortunate enough not to be in this situation, we may see refugees as other. Hosseini helps us to see their humanity. Look back in your family tree, you may be fortunate enough to be a descendant...

In the 1800s, my maternal Icelandic ancestors were squeezed onto a ship like cattle. Due to inclimate weather conditions, half of the populations had no choice but to leave. They could only take a few belongings. They had no idea what awaited when they docked. They hoped a new life, a new home. 

After reading this book... After researching your family genealogy... You may ask, how can I help?

4 Ways You Can Support Refugees

8 practical ways to help refugees

UNHCR Canada

The note on the dust jacket reads...

'Khaled Hosseini will donate author proceeds from this book to UNCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and to The Khaled Hosseini Foundation to help fund life-saving relief efforts to help refugees around the globe.'

Other recommended illustrated books   

photo by ldyck

August on this blog...

August 4:  guest post:  
Interview with author Ellen Schwartz

Ellen discusses establishing her career, what inspires her, and the importance of belonging to a writing group--like CWILL-BC.

August 11:  book review:  
Quintland Sisters by Shelley Wood

Shelley Wood uses the power of fiction to reveal the truth behind the seemingly fairy tale childhood of the Dionne quintuplets.

'the only book published in 2019 by a Canadian to hit the [best-seller] list' reports Publishers Weekly

August 18:  short story:  
The Invisible Woman 

Was this short story inspired by The Invisible Man (a novel by H.G. Wells)? Maybe...

August 25:  book review:  
The Princess Dolls by Ellen Schwartz

Set in 1942, two girls--one Jewish-Canadian and the other Japanese-Canadian--bond over their mutual admiration of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

Book Review: The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson (literary fiction)

Buy Book

shortlisted for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

In The Saturday Night Ghost Club, protagonist Jake Baker looks back on his boyhood relationship with his uncle Calvin.

My uncle owned a shop, the Occultorium, at the top of Clifton Hill.The name was spelled out in Gothic lettering on the marquee, while below, in elegant script, the slogan--Investigating the dark cubbyholes of otherworldly experience... (p. 32) 

In the 1980s, the year Jake turned twelve years old, he spent the summer chasing ghosts with his uncle. Was his uncle teaching him to deal with his fears or was something else going on? (Adult Jake--with the perspective time has bought him--believes that his uncle was trying to deal with his own nightmares.)

Jake grows during the course of the summer. He learns to confront his fear and stand-up for himself.

Published by Knopf Canada

Published in 2018

Under the pen names Patrick Lestewka and Nick Cutter, Craig Davidson writes horror. The Saturday Night Ghost Club--literary fiction--includes some tantalizing scary scenes and in this way serves as an introduction to his other work.

 Freedom to Read

Celebrate the 35th anniversary of Freedom to Read from February 24 to March 2

Freedom to Read week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom...

Click this link to find out more.

photo by ldyck

March on this blog...

In like a lamb

and out like a loin

or

In like a loin

and out like a lamb

Whatever the weather we'll have fun. We'll start the month with a list of Canadian picture book publishers. The ink is still wet on the short story and poem I wrote for you. And I've reviewed two prize-winning books:  Washington Black by Esi Edugyan and A Wake for the Dreamland by Laurel Deedrick-Mayne. I'm looking forward to spending March with you.

photo by ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

This month a writing group invited me to talk about my author journey. My goal was to provide information drawn from