The Keening by A. LaFaye

The Keening

A. LaFaye

Milkweed Editions

ISBN-10: 1571316922

ISBN 13: 978-1-57131-692-9

Pages: 224
2010

Lyza Layton was born into an artistic but eccentric family that lives in the small Maine coastal town, Kingsley Cove. Her father, Pater, (Evan) carves beautifully; her mother, Mayra, plays cello but Lyza herself has only workman-like skills. At fourteen, both herself and her father contracted influenza during the epidemic that raged during 1918. Both survived, but many did not. Lyza comments how common the funeral marches became that year, “When the marches became as regular as the tide that winter, I stayed inside”.

The relationship between her parents is touching; her Mater understands that her husband is totally consumed by his work, to the point that he will not take care of himself. She plays her cello on the cliff to draw him out and remind him to eat. She is a tender mother to Lyza, reminding her to study for her examinations; her ticket away from Kingsley Cove.

Pater has a talent, a talent to see and hear the dead. Because of this, he carves small mementoes he puts in the ocean to help send them to the other side, and writes mysterious letters he posts without a return address to take care of their unfinished business.

But his peculiarity has endangered him, and there are those in the town, and even in the Bradley’s, his former wife’s family, that want him returned to the work farm; which is an asylum, a place where those with feeble wits were put to work. And it was there that Lyza’s mother met Pater, who was carving into the work table. She recognized his talent, and she married him, bringing him out to her house in Kingsley Cove.

Now Lyza, full of grief and longing for her mother, must confront the ugliness of her family, and find a way to protect both her father and herself. When her father tells her he is waiting for Mayra to return, Lyza knows she must get help.

She undertakes an almost Herculean task for one so young, courageously rowing across stormy seas to locate the one person that might be able to help them; and encountering those that have passed on herself. And in doing so, she discovers her own path, one that walks on both sides of the veil that separates the living from the dead.

This is an atmospheric thriller about the bonds of family and friendship, and the lengths that a daughter will go to to protect her father and her heritage. The writing is so subtle, it wasn't until the end of the book that I realized that Lzya was communicating with ghosts. An excellent read for both young adults and their parents.

Focus on Science Fiction: Veracity by Laura Bynum

Pocket Books

ISBN 10:  1439123341

ISBN 13:  978-1439123348

$25.00

January 2010

This dystopian novel echoes George Orwell's 1984; set in the near future, where the government, The Confederation of the Willing, has isolated what used to be the United States, locking it into a virtual police state. The Confederation is ruled by a small group of men determined to stay in power, no matter what the human cost.  They came to power after "The Pandemic", a virulent disease that killed one third of the population.  Most of the remaining people are controlled by implants in their necks called "slates" that monitor every word they speak; and which viciously shocks them if they utter a forbidden or "red listed" word.  Each night, new words are added to the red list and announced to the populace.  If a painful shock is not enough, further damage control is meted out by the brutal Blue Coats, thugs who use excessively violent methods to punish or even kill offenders. Dedicated government worker Harper Adams has become a new sentient monitor, because she is able to read people's emotions.  However, she has a conscience, and after her daughter is taken from her, and her name, Veracity, red listed, Harper has increasing doubts about what it is she really does.  Just as her position becomes more and more important to the government, she is recruited by the Resistance. 

The Resistance, composed of those who have disappeared by removing their slates (a great risk as this often proves fatal), or those born to the original resistance members, has grown over the years.  Members live underground to avoid detection and are comprised of some of the most brilliant academic and scientific minds.  Inspired by the cryptic "Book of Noah", they have honed in on what needs to be done to bring down the government.  But to do this, they need someone special, and when Harper Adams defects to their cause, they've found that person.

After a short but arduous training, she is given the task of finding the precise location of the main redactor, the machine which controls and monitors the slates so it can be disarmed by another member of the resistance.  This has to be done before the Resistance has any hope of succeeding in their war against the government.  But there are hundreds of redactors, and if Harper chooses the wrong one, the game will be up and thousands of people will die.  But that's not all, there's a traitor in their midst, just waiting for the right moment to betray them, and that moment is fast approaching.

This gripping Orwellian novel is full of fear, mistrust and brutality, but also with love, hope and humanity that shows us a brave new world indeed.  You'll want to stay up all night to finish this book.  A terrific debut effort from Laura Bynum.

A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield

Minotaur Books

May 2010

ISBN 10:  0312643233

ISBN 13:  978-0312643232

This terrific debut mystery features spunky, 50 year old Stella Hardestry.  She's tough and ornery, likes her Jack Daniels straight up, but has a heart of gold. 

A former abused wife, she killed her husband using the business end of a wrench in self defense, and has since made it her mission to help abused wives and girlfriends by "encouraging" their men to walk the line by delivering an "ass whuppin".  If they don't walk that line, Stella will come back to make sure that they stay "whupped", and the grapevine says you never want to have Stella visit you twice.

Owner of a sewing shop by day, Stella learns of cases by word of mouth, and then takes the law into her own hands, dispensing vigilante justice on abusive boyfirends and husbands by night.  But she has her work cut out for her when she takes on the case of Chrissy Shaw.  Chrissy's degenerate husband, Roy Dean Shaw, kidnapped her two year old child from a previous relationship, Tucker.  These days Roy Dean's running with a very rough crowd, one with ties to the Kansas City Mafia. 

Initially nothing but a puddle of tears, Chrissy develops a backbone to help Stella find Tucker.  But while they're out investigating, they have to keep a low profile of they'll catch the attention of hunky sheriff "Goat" Jones, who makes Stella feel all squirmy inside, and not just because she's breaking the law.

When the two gals find that Tucker was taken to be the child of a mob kingpin's wife, they face down vicious junkyard dogs and rifle toting guards before they track down his whereabouts to a large house on a lake.  They start a fire as a diversion, and then all hell breaks loose and no one is left standing when the smoke clears.

Stella is a uniquely fresh, compelling and courageous character that has taken her share of hard knocks but still comes up swinging.  With lots of action, and characters that remind you so someone you know, this smart and fun read is a great start to a new series; and will have you rooting for the brassy, sassy Stella.