Phoebe and the Ghost of Chagall by Jill Koenigsdorf

Divorced and having just turned forty, Phoebe has begun to feel jaded, wasting her artistic potential designing bottle labels for a winery in California, but when the ghost of twentieth-century artist Marc Chagall appears to her and influences her paintings, a fantastical new adventure begins. Chagall convinces Phoebe to take a vacation in Paris, where one of his long-lost paintings is being delivered to an art collector by a thief. There, Phoebe meets a handsome businessman named Ray, two playful sister witches, and the old woman who had stumbled upon the missing painting during World War II. At times Charlie Chaplain-esque in its humor and action and at other times melancholy in its portrayal of the loneliness and solitude of artists and their art, Phoebe and the Ghost of Chagall is an intriguing and original, yet predictable read.

Multiple characters introduced quite early in the book may befuddle the reader, but the plot soon smooths out after a few chapters; however, though every characters’ motivation is apparent and personality consistent, there are far too many characters for the reader to grow fond of any one in particular. It may be easy to root for protagonist Phoebe to get the painting away from the art thief, to end up with Ray, and to return to her art career, but the roles of the sister witches and of the pivotal old woman, Bernadette, are not quite fully realized until close to the end of the novel. The purpose of the witches’ powers is not apparent and even Chagall himself, in ghost form, serves mostly as a deus ex machine for Phoebe; overall, the supernatural elements do not add much to the story.

The strength of this novel, though, is in Koenigsdorf’s writing style. She provides a rich atmosphere of Phoebe’s garden and summertime Paris, and the dialogue brings great personality to many of the characters. This is a fun read for fans of contemporary novels, especially those who enjoy subtle supernatural, mystery, and romantic elements. 

The Parallel Conspiracy by Richard Paul Lori

Feeling helpless in his marriage with a domineering, ungrateful wife and in his work where his incompetent boss takes all the credit, computer programmer John Fuller has transformed from a shy, nervous, nerdy kid into a passive, nearly-hopeless adult. But when one rainy night he crashes his car and is thrust into a parallel universe, he meets the sweetheart Sue, who is recovering from the mysterious death of her father, Manny—and looking into his top-secret work in electromagnetism. Fitting the pieces together, Sue and Fuller dodge government agents at the laboratory and discover that some of Manny’s coworkers are sending weapons into another universe with plans to destroy the parallel Earth and harness the energy it contains. Sue and Fuller shift into the parallel universe—one of many to which they will travel—and embark on a wild series of adventures. The technology is thoroughly explained and remarkably plausible, and the exploration of parallel universes is a thought-provoking concept uniquely rendered here.

Some of the phrasing is occasionally elementary—for example: "Gazing into her eyes for a long second, the compassion of their calming blue seemed to envelop him. A gentle smile came to her face and she turned, this time Fuller not stopping her."—but it does not detract from the story. Some clichés, particularly in scenes with interacts between Fuller and Sue, may cause an eye roll or two, but the development of the characterization of both these two provides a convincing foundation so they never fall into the trap of archetypes. While Sue and Fuller both possess some clichéd traits, both are strong, dynamic, and loveable; the narrative draws the reader directly into their thought-processes, shifting between characters smoothly and skillfully. 

The Parallel Conspiracy begins with the bewildering mystery of It's a Wonderful Life, swiftly transforming into an action-packed adventure, like Indiana Jones (featuring artificial intelligence, Greco-Roman societies, a bit of Tarzan and Jane, and gun-wielding CIA agents), but in the end, it is a unique, ever-shifting novel, with characters you can’t help but root for. Female lead Sue brings a fresh and loveable face to the sci-fi thriller, and the action will sweep you off your feet.

As It Is on Earth by Peter M. Wheelwright

After a divorce, young history professor Taylor Thatcher begins to take a deeper interest in his rich family history of Maine Puritans, arriving in New England on Mayflower and settling on farm land for generations. Traversing the landscape of his past, Taylor prepares for his birthday, which he shares with his younger half-brother, Bingham, and which happens to fall on Columbus Day of 1999. At this family reunion, he must confront both his past and those who covered up family secrets, while simultaneously dealing with the confusion of a growing attraction to a student, Miryam.

When conjuring up an image of a history professor, most people’s conceptions take the shape of a dusty old man dictating history dryly to his bored class, but Taylor Thatcher—and certainly the author as well—has an emotional tie to the past. Rather than simply finding the facts, dates, and stories fascinating, he has an introspective relationship with history, connecting with the people and the personal challenges they faced regarding family, science, and religion. Digging deep into the root of the human individuality in the context of culture by exploring Native American and ancient Mexican anthropology, as well as the pilgrims who settled on the East Coast, Wheelwright weaves a cultural tapestry of an individual’s relationship with nature. The family aspect—though Taylor’s family has an unusual genetic dynamic, his father marrying his late wife’s twin sister to conceive his younger brother—illuminates the human capacity for forgiveness and respect for one’s heritage.

With artistry, the language of As It Is on Earth is rich and intimate, though short, clipped sentences—which are meant to mirror Taylor’s introspective voice but occasionally border on pretentiousness—often slow the story down, the slowness allows the reader to savor the text rather than get bored of it. The characters are splendidly drawn, Taylor’s thoughtfulness and sensitivity deep; much of the story necessarily takes place in Taylor’s memory, leaving the reader wanting further nourishment concerning his relationships with his family in the “present day” of the narrative.

The natural setting and luxurious history are beautifully crafted, the territory of the novel arguably the strongest aspect. Atmospheres of an archaeological trip to the Yucatan, a childhood spent on a farm in New England, and even a professor’s office setting give this book a heart bent on rediscovery and not a simple knowledge of the past so much as an understanding of it and its effects on the present human condition.

Books Released This Month - November 2012

The Balloonist by MacDonald Harris
6 November 2012
Fiction
In 1897, three adventurers take a hot air balloon ride on a voyage to be the first people to visit the North Pole.

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

6 November 2012

Fiction

A young farm wife in Appalachia stumbles across a climate-change-phenomenon in the forest that draws her into a battle between faith and reason.

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

13 November 2012

Fiction

A Cambridge student undercover for the military intelligence begins to fall in love with a promising young writer.

Lunch with Buddha by Roland Merullo

13 November 2012

Fiction

Sequel to Breakfast with Buddha, a middle-aged, middle-class man takes a road trip across the US with his new brother-in-law, a Buddhist monk.