Tag: Literary Fiction

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

Pub. Date: 5-Feb-2019
Rating 4 Stars

The Last Romantic is a compelling story, told retrospectively, from the view point of the youngest of four siblings. It is a story of the deep binding love shared among siblings, the things that drive them apart and the guilt for not being everything that a sibling needs. In addition, it is a profound look at how even the closest of young siblings can grow apart and how tragedy effects each differently.

The story opens in the distant future when renowned poet Fiona Skinner is doing a reading. She is asked who the inspiration is for the character of Luna in her famous work titled The Love Poem. She begins by telling of the death of her father when she was a young girl and the subsequent “Pause” as she and her siblings call the period in which her mother withdraws into herself leaving the siblings to fend for themselves.

The Pause leaves deep wounds on each of the siblings, some of which never heal. All the children bear these into adulthood and it effects many aspects of their lives. As Fiona further delves into the story and the individual lives of each sibling, she gets closer and closer to Luna; until, the unlikely connect is revealed between them.

The author, Tara Conklin, has a perceptive eye for all the intricacies of relationships and an even better skill at getting those thoughts into words. This made for some prose that is nothing short of outstanding. Despite the plot being rather slow, the book is so thought provoking I did not mind.

I would also like to note, this book is one of the more intimate looks into what makes a family, a family.  By the end of the book, I understood the dynamics of the four siblings and how each of their experiences and personalities effected the others. Also, how each used the strength of the others, sometime to the others detriment, as a personal well of power or force with which to face the world.  

This book has elements of both Women’s Fiction and Literary Fiction and at times was very introspective. I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy books that are reflective in nature. The author brings up a lot of life issues and because of this it would make an excellent book club selection.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Sopinka

Pub. Date: 20-Feb-2018
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Soponka is a captivating literary fiction novel that is also historical fiction. The prose is lovely and lyrical and connected me to the main character in an unexpected way.

The story tells the tragic tale of the life of famous artist Ivory Frame. At the beginning we meet Ivory at the end of her life as she is trying to finish her life’s work of studying animal languages that will be a dictionary of sorts. As she is working on completing the dictionary, she receives a message that she has a granddaughter; yet, she never had children. This message is the catalyst to a flood of memories. We see Ivory as a young girl who never fit into various schools she is sent to and later expelled from. Finally as a young woman, disowned by family, she arrives in Paris where she studies painting.

 For Ivory this is where her life truly starts and in some ways ends. It is the time between the Great Wars and Paris is alive with creative people. Not only does she discover her place in the world among the artists and other creative people living in Paris at the time, she finds the love of her life in Lev. Lev is a Russian artist, and an enigma, and Ivory loves him passionately even though he is married. Then in a dreadful and tragic turn of events Ivory loses everything.

This is truly a heart breaking story told with such thoughtfulness and the beautiful prose just took me away. I did think the plot was rather slow; however, it fit the prose and the mood to perfection. If the story had been written any other way it would not have had the same effect on me.

The only negative thing I can say it that I felt the granddaughter connection did not fit as well into the story as it could have. To ultimately be so important, the revelation did not get the attention it should have.

This is a tricky book to recommend because not everyone is going to like the slow pace or appreciate the prose. Though I enjoyed reading it, I recognize that it is not what I would call a “commercial novel”. Yet, for those readers that can truly appreciate it as the art form it is, I think you will love it.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.