The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers

I picked this book up a few weeks ago in one of my weekly wanders through Village Book Store, best independent book store ever.  It appealed to me for a few reasons.  One, it was short.  I'm a bit tired of the 500-700 page books. Perhaps I'm too impatient, but occasionally I'd like to cruise through a book quickly and then move on.  Secondly, its subject area was post-apocalyptic, my personal favorite.  The premise is rather intriguing...a virus has infected literally every female in the world.  This virus, MDS, has embedded itself into every woman, child or grown up.  Once the female gets pregnant, the virus then takes over, using the idea of the immune system 'opening' itself up so that it doesn't attack the fetus, thus leaving the woman open to the attack of this virus.  The brain becomes mush, like in mad-cow disease, and eventually kills the carrier.  It's a brilliant terrorist move that ultimately spells the end of the human race.  The main character, Jessie, through which the story is told, shows us a world where there is no future.  Scientists, her father being one of them, race against time to find a cure.  Fertility specialists create 'sleeping beauties' who carry babies to term, killing the mother.  Religious extremists convince girls to join the 'Noah' project to save the world.  As a reader, I was intrigued by the story, even when I thought the writing was so-so, but as a mother, I wanted to strangle the main character.  It is, however, a thought-provoking book.  With that said, as much as I liked the idea of a 'shorter' story, I felt as if it wasn't perhaps a bit under-developed.  Then again, what do I know?  It was nominated for a Booker award and has won much critical acclaim.  I do think it would be a fabulous book club book, as it contains many controversial, provoking issues such as medical ethics, religion, parental rights, child rights, and the role of science in the future.  It would be a fascinating discussion to have between a mother and a daughter as well.  It is a quick read and in paperback, so I'd say it's worth it.

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

Every birthday, from the time they were born, my daughters have always received a 'birthday' book.  We've moved from Goodnight Moon, to The Wizard of Oz, through all of Harry Potter, and into adulthood with The Book Thief. So, this year when I dropped the ball and forgot, it was important to make it up to my artistic daughter and find the perfect book.  The Art Forger should do the trick.  While Meg doesn't yet have time to read it, thanks to college, I was able to sneak a peek.  Of course, the peek turned into 14 pages, and by then it was impossible to put this book down.  Whether you're an art history buff, like my daughter, or a mystery fan like me, you will LOVE this book.  The main character, Claire Roth, is a poor artist in Boston, working on reproductions for an online company.  Mystery surrounds her, as we hear vague rumblings on her ostracism from the artistic world, and we meet Aiden Markel, a mysterious man who offers her a Faustian bargain.  Questions propel the reader through the book...is it really a deal with the devil?...will Claire ever be vindicated or find success?...is the Degas painting real or fake?...who perpetrated the 1990 heist?  Shapiro, an artistically knowledgeable writer, does a masterful job of splicing time periods together, moving among three years past, the Boston of today, and the Paris of one hundred years ago.  It is an engrossing, thought-provoking, intriguing novel;  I highly recommend it.

Winter of the World by Ken Follett

I think I started reading Ken Follett books back in college, when my dad loaned me The Man From St. Petersburg.  Since then, I've read them all.  I've always loved Follett's mix of history, intrigue, romance, and thrills; the man can tell a story.  His epic Pillars of the Earth, on cathedral building, is one of my all time favorite reads.  Follett began a new series last year with Fall of Giants, following four sets of family/friends in four different countries - America, England, Germany, and Russia.  That story focused on the build up to the 'Great War.'  Follett intertwines his characters across continents in a thoughtful manner, building some mystery, giving some historical facts, and of course, the requisite romantic entanglements.  I loved Fall of Giants, and looked forward to the sequel Winter of the World.  Luckily, since it was about 30 books ago, it wasn't necessary to remember all the characters and all the connections.  Follett sprinkles enough of the 'old' story throughout so that one can pick it up as the story continues.  It actually begins twenty years later, as the world leads into WWII.  Once again, I learned some interesting historical background (and I thought I knew a lot about the time period!) and became engrossed in the characters' lives.  I did, however, feel that the last 100 pages were a bit rushed and not quite as well-written.  Now granted, I don't read Follett for his lyrical prose - I read him for his stories - but it got pretty choppy in the end.  With that said, a 973 page book got read in about ten days, regardless of essays to read, so I would still call it a page turner.  However, it was very large and heavy - I would recommend waiting for the paperback or doing an e-book.  And yes, I will be first in line for the final installment of the trilogy; Follett has yet to disappoint me.

The Twelve  by Justin Cronin

If you go back to the beginnings of this blog, you'll see one of my first posts on Cronin's huge best-seller, The Passage.  The Twelve is the subsequent sequel becaus, God forbid, an author not capitalize on making even more money than the first time.  Now, with that said, I have to admit I read this second book just as obsessively as the first.  I am a self-confessed fan of post-apocalyptic literature; something about this genre is fascinating to me.  Perhaps it's the hidden fears I have about my children's future, or I've watched too many doomsday movies, or I just want someone to finally write about a future that's positive (that never happens).  Whatever it is, I'm obsessed and  The Twelve  does not disappoint.  Cronin once again gives us a variety of characters who are battling the end of the world, as the 'virals' continue their march towards dominance (remember - military science experiment gone REALLY wrong - only the government would give serum to convicted murderers, turning them into vampires, to see if they could create an invincible armed forces).  However, these creatures have eaten everyone so it's time for some new heroes to emerge, as well as some of the old characters from the previous book.  And what quest is complete without the sacrificial lamb, the little girl Amy, all grown up now.  Cronin does a masterful job of weaving together a variety of places, people, and problems.  I read this 538 page book in five days - my husband got no dinner and my essays went ungraded.  And yes...it was worth it.  I now wait anxiously for the third book.