More 2011 Books I Didn't Get to in 2011

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Here's what Publisher's Weekly has to say about Rules of Civility by Amor Towles:
In his smashing debut, Towles details the intriguing life of Katherine Kontent and how her world is upended by the fateful events of 1938. Kate and her roommate, Evelyn Ross, have moved to Manhattan for its culture and the chance to class up their lives with glamour-be it with jazz musicians, trust fund lotharios, or any man with a hint of charm who will pay for dinner and drinks. Both Kate and Evelyn are enamored of sophisticated Tinker Grey, who they meet in a jazz club; he appears to be another handsome, moneyed gent, but as the women vie for his affection, a tragic event may seal a burgeoning romance's fate. New York's wealthy class is thick with snobbery, unexpected largesse, pettiness, jealousies, and an unmistakable sense of who belongs and who does not, but it's the undercurrent of unease-as with Towles's depiction of how the upper class can use its money and influence to manipulate others' lives in profoundly unsavory ways-that gives his vision depth and complexity. His first effort is remarkable for its strong narrative, original characters and a voice influenced by Fitzgerald and Capote, but clearly true to itself.

2011  No 182

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

Not having read anything by Michael Ondaatje before I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up The Cat's Table at the recommendation of my Goodreads friend, Cynthia. But she has put me on to some first-rate books so I was willing to give it a try. That and the gorgeous cover. The book was a splendid evocation of a lengthy sea voyage seen through the eyes of three young boys who are seated at the dining room table as far from the Captain's Table as possible, called The Cat's Table. The others seated there are rather more fun than the rest of the passengers.

2011  No 183

 

Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye

Debut novelist Faye takes on the ambitious task of creating a new Sherlock Holmes story focused on his investigation of the notorious Jack the Ripper murders. Holmes's rather academic look at the brutal death of Martha Tabram turns personal when he himself is stabbed by the murderer. Then vituperative newspaper articles point to Holmes as the perpetrator, putting him on the defensive. New allies, such as the feisty Mary Ann Monk, go undercover to ferret out the truth. Writing effectively in Watson's voice, Faye is faithful to both the Holmes oeuvre and the Ripper case, and she successfully evokes 1880s London. The secondary characters are interesting and believable.

2011  No 184

Comments

[Gentleman Farmer]

In re "2011 books you didn't get to," I have one word for you: Murakami?

[Mary]

Oh, I got to Murakami, but I quit reading when the female character got to the bottom of the stairs (say about page 6 - of a 944 page novel.) Apparently everybody else in the English-speaking world loved it except me. (Also the Japanese-speaking world and elsewhere.) Have you read it?

I read about 30 books in 2011 that I haven't mentioned yet in my blog so I'm plugging through the list.