Upside Down by Danielle Steel ****

 Honoring Danielle Steel’s writing process, I’ll start with the characters from the novel Upside Down. Ardith Law, 62, is an Oscar-winning actor. She lives in Bel Air. Morgan Walker, 38, is Ardith’s only child and a successful plastic surgeon in NYC. Morgan is still angry that Ardith ignored her in favor of her career. Josh Gray, 41, is a talented, but struggling actor. Josh was assigned to be Ardith’s assistant. Ben Ryan, 63, is a very successful TV newsperson, who met Morgan when his doctor was unavailable. Unsurprisingly, these two upside-down couples fall in love and live happily ever after.

The best-selling author attributes her popularity to being able to write honestly about “the things that hurt us or scare us” while always giving her characters “safe harbor” and her readers “a sense of hope.” (Harvard Business Review) I start thinking of the different twists and characters, and it snowballs. Eventually, I hand write an outline. (Harvard Business Review)

The book deals with the conflict between career and parenting. Ardith chose her career over parenting her daughter Morgan. Morgan chooses her career over marriage and children. Morgan’s father, director John Walker, died in a helicopter crash while cheating on Morgan’s mother. Ardith did not remarry. When the book opens, Ardith is living with her tiny white toy poodle, Oscar, a B-list actor, William West, 78, and Benicia, her housekeeper. Josh Gray enters the household when William leaves for England for a movie.

The book places much emphasis on appearance (Morgan: Her heels were high, her skirt was short, and her legs looked terrific), sex (Morgan again: the best sex she’d ever had. Ardith: Everything they hadn’t let themselves feel for each other took over, and it felt like fireworks lighting up the sky when they came), and the trappings of wealth (hotels, restaurants, cars, clothes, etc.).

No one wants kids in this book. (Josh: I don’t want some twenty-five-year-old girl(friend), or kids. I’ve never wanted kids. I’m a kid myself. I want to be a kid with you,” he said, and she laughed and gave him a shove).

Ben Ryan is a narcissist. When someone does him a big favor, he barely says thank you and forgets about the favor, but most of the characters are self-obsessed.

There is a subplot about women victimizing men.

The book ends with a flurry of cliches (Everything about the trip was perfect, and they were sad to leave) and so many superlatives (Ardith was the finest actress he had ever seen, and a remarkable human being. She was truly the love of his life, and he felt honored to be with her.)

A safe read.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations. 

Things We Have in Common by Tasha Kavanagh ***

Things We Have in Common by Tasha Kavanagh: Yasmin Laksaris is 16 years old, overweight, friendless, and bullied. In addition, her mother has remarried, and Yasmin doesn’t get along with her stepfather. At school, Yasmin is obsessed with Alice Taylor. When she noticed a man staring at Alice from outside the schoolyard, she imagined that he was a pedophile and planned to abduct Alice, after which Yasmin would rescue Alice, and they’d become friends. Alice eventually disappeared, but the remainder of Yasmin’s fantasy didn’t happen. The man is Samuel and Yasmin tells the story to him, “you.” A journey into Yasmin’s inner world and her teen angst. Caveat: The mystery is not resolved.

Alex Awards: The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. This book won an Alex Award in 2018. Yasmin wants to be close to the most beautiful girl in her school, but surely a freak like her has no chance. Unless that is, she can save her from the man who was staring at her from the woods.

Yasmin is overweight (“219 pounds 12.472 ounces” in Dr. Bhatt’s office, or “ninety-nine and a half kilos.”), but this novel is not about obesity. She eats chocolate Hobnobs, Turkish delight, and chips-so many chips-without guilt or self-loathing. She accepts her weight and ignores her judgmental stepfather and her dietician.

Yasmin is obsessive. She stalks Alice. It is obvious and the others tease her about it. She even had a box of Alice memorabilia including a sock and a hair band. Once she decides that the man in the woods is going to abduct Alice, she studies pedophiles to recognize them by their appearance.

By the time Alice disappears, Yasmin is friends with Samuel and his dog, Bea. This leaves her conflicted, but as she accepts her weight, she also accepts this.

The book explores teenage drinking. After she meets Samuel, he offers her a rum and Coke. She enjoys the relaxing feelings and warmth. She likes being with Samuel after a rum and Coke.  This is how teens become alcoholics, but the book has nothing to say about this risk.

If you think that teens are lackadaisical, this book will not argue.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations. 

Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline *****

Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline opens with “Nat [Natalie] Greco felt like an A cup in a double-D bra. She couldn’t understand why her tiny class was held in such a huge lecture hall, …” Nat is an untenured Law professor, and the size of her room is just the beginning of her challenges. The students refused to do their reading or participate in class. The protagonist of my Zarand Szilard, substitute teacher, mysteries would understand these teacher problems, but he would never have imagined the lengths Nat goes to address them.

Nat lives in a world of men. Her father, brothers, and fiancé are in the construction business and obsessed with sports. The male Law school deans do not appreciate her. She fears she will be fired instead of awarded tenure. When popular professor Angus Holt invited her to be a guest lecturer, she agreed, even though the class was in a prison. During that class there was a riot, a prisoner attempted to rape her, and a guard died in her arms after giving her a message for his wife. In the aftermath, the prison staff and the police behaved suspiciously, and Nat set off to uncover the mystery. Amid violence and conspiracy, Nat held her own. She was no “damsel in distress,” waiting for one of the guys to save her. A page-turner of the modern woman.

Sex: There is one multi-page sex scene (for no apparent reason).

Scottoline states, “I’m big on research,” and it shows. The book is packed with interesting technical details from “stingers” used by riot police, sally ports in the prisons, and Underground Railroad activity in southern Pennsylvania.

As the title suggests, Nat’s father attempts to protect his daughter. He is not alone. Other knights-in-shining-armor include her brothers, fiancé, the deans, and Professor Holt. She refuses all help. The action belongs to Nat!

So many books have this title.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations. 

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess *****

Brave New World, Animal Farm, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, … and then came A Clockwork Orange. How did I miss A Clockwork Orange? …the story of Alex, aka Your Humble Narrator, told in three acts. First, his life as a fifteen-year-old “ultra-violent” teen. Next his time in prison, subjected to behavioralist experiments to rid him of his violent behaviors. Finally, his life after prison. Two things mark this book, the ultra-violence and “nadsat” slang. The slang is pervasive and slows down the reading. However, the slang softens the violence. When the teens tolchock someone, it doesn’t have the same emotional impact as the English equivalent. A one-of-a-kind classic.

Examples of slang…

He made out that he was the only real horrorshow prestoopnick in the whole zoo, going on that he’d done this and done the other and killed ten rozzes with one crack of his rooker and all that cal.

What sloochatted then, of course, was that my cellmates woke up and started to join in, tolchocking a bit wild in the near-dark, and the shoom seemed to wake up the whole tier, so that you could slooshy a lot of creeching and banging about with tin mugs on the wall, as though all the plennies in all the cells thought a big break was about to commence, O my brothers.

The book refers to Nazis and World War II. It also includes autobiographical details. Especially the incident with his wife. [Wikipedia] During the blackout, his pregnant wife Lynne was raped and assaulted by four American deserters; perhaps as a result, she lost the child.

From the book: ‘Your wife, sir?’ I said. ‘Has she gone and left you?’ I really wanted to know about his wife, remembering very well. ‘Yes, left me,’ he said, in a like loud and bitter goloss. ‘She died, you see. She was brutally raped and beaten. The shock was very great. It was in this house,’ his rookers were trembling.

A one-of-a-kind classic.

The American version left out the final chapter where Alex outgrows his ultra-violent teen years.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations. 

What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama *****

 What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama tells the stories of five characters—all dissatisfied with their lives. Tomoka, 21, is a women’s wear sales assistant. Ryo, 35, is an accountant at a furniture manufacturer. Natsumi, 40, is a former magazine editor. Hiroya, 30, is a NEET-not in employment, education, or training. Masao, 65, recently retired. In each case, they visit Librarian Ms. Komachi, and she asks, “What are you looking for?” In response, she offers several books related to their query, one other book, and a felted object (frying pan, crab, airplane, …). They consider the books and the bonus gift and learn how to live and improve their lives. A pleasant self-help book disguised as a novel.

In each case, the character is at a transition point. Tomoka and Hiroya have graduated without a clear idea of where to go next. Ryo’s job has become routine and unsatisfying. Natsumi has returned from maternity leave to learn that she has been sidelined. Masao has just retired. In each case, their quest for answers leads them to the local library. The librarian answers their question but also points them in a surprising direction. As they struggle to understand the librarian’s advice, they learn a new truth about life and a way forward.

Tomoka found the courage to try something new. It’s time for computer class, so I head for the meeting room. I think that I might be just entering the forest. I still don’t know what I want to do, or what I can do. What I do know is that there’s no need to panic, or do more than I can cope with right now. For the time being, I plan to simply get my life in order and learn some new skills, choosing from what’s available. I’ll prepare myself, like Guri and Gura gathering chestnuts in the forest. Because I never know when I might find my own giant egg.

Ryo learned to turn “one day,” into “tomorrow.” Everybody is connected. And any one of their connections could be the start of a network that branches in many directions. If you wait for the right time to make connections, it might never happen, but if you show your face around, talk to people and see enough to give you the confidence that things could work out, then ‘one day’ might turn into ‘tomorrow.’

Trust makes the world go round. “Ryo, dear, have you ever thought about what makes the world go round?” “Er...er, love, I guess.” “Oh, that’s priceless!” she cries. “You never cease to amaze me, Ryo, but that’s what I love about you. I believe it is trust,” she adds.

Being born is the most difficult thing we have to do. Ms. Komachi turned toward her computer. “You were the same. Being born is probably the most difficult thing we ever have to do. I am convinced that everything else that comes afterward is nowhere near as hard. If you can survive the ordeal of being born, you can get through anything.”

My plan is to appreciate every new day. And take a wide view of things.

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations.