Favorite Books of 2005
And the winners are. . .
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Diana Gabaldon) The latest installment in the Outlander series exemplifies the best this author has to offer. She juggles interesting historical detail, real moral dilemmas, the struggles of living in a violent and broken world, and an extended cast of well-developed characters. At the center of this whirlwind are Claire and Jamie Fraser, a couple whose love has grown over the course of twenty years.
One of the major themes of this series is finding who are you meant to be in a world not of your own making. This type of existential angst is not limited to to Claire and Jamie; it was very satisfying to see Roger (the Frasers' son-in-law and one of my favorite characters) make some decisions about his future that bring him a real sense of peace.
I confess, I was afraid Gabaldon's series had jumped the shark with The Fiery Cross, but this novel restored my faith in her stories and has paved the way for a very exciting conclusion in the next book(s)!
Breaking Point (Suzanne Brockmann) The most recent addition to the Troubleshooters series maintained the high standards Brockmann has set for herself. It's fast-paced and had a real sense of danger. Not one, but two couples we really care about from the previous novels get to explore their relationship and experience some real growth. I also REALLY liked the fractured timeline, which is a great way to tell stories and worked exceptionally well for a story that explores how characters resolve the pain of their pasts.
Contact (Evelyn Vaughn) Faith Corbett can smell what you had for breakfast. She can hear conversations through closed doors. She can read your mind by touching your skin. What she can't do is convince a (yummy) detective who doesn't believe in psychics that anonymous tips from "Madame Cassandra" can help him track down a serial killer. I love mutant powers AND mysteries AND cops, so I definitely loved this story.
Dedication (Janet Mullany) I liked how layered this storyline was. There is a significant cast of secondary characters and a subtle yet important intrigue plot, but these things add to, rather than detract from, the main storyline. Fabienne and Adam are mature and emotionally well-rounded people who want to explore an adult relationship that moves beyond the youthful lust of their liaison twenty years ago. The sexual tension, while undeniably lush, builds slowly and complements the budding emotional reconnection between these characters.
Flawless (Michele Hauf) Becca Whitmore is a gemologist covertly working for the CIA. As she pursues a cache of stolen diamonds across Europe, she realizes she has begun to think of her socialite persona as a mask to hide her true superspy self. When Becca finds herself partnered with a cocky MI-6 agent, sparks fly! Great action, tight plotting, and strong sexual tension between the protagonists make this a memorable adventure story.
Rachel and Leah (Orson Scott Card) I have been fascinated with the Biblical story of Rachel and Leah since I was a little girl: a man is willing to work seven years to marry the woman he loves, but marries the wrong sister and doesn't even know the difference on their wedding night!
Card has an amazing sense of what lies in the hearts of human beings. He traces the lives of Rachel, Leah, and their two servants from childhood to that fateful wedding night and effortlessly weaves the Biblical story with plausible explanations of these people's choices and emotional responses to their unique situation. He demonstrates how followers of the God of Abraham understood Him and lived their faith in their daily lives.
I always wanted to write a fictionalized account of Rachel and Leah's story to help me explore my questions and feelings about this story. Now that Card has brought his sensitivity and insight to this story, I don't need to.
The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) Henry is a time traveler who first meets Clare, his wife, when she is a little girl. He zips from one time to another, meeting earlier versions of her, of him, but it all makes sense.
This is a beautiful story. Even as Henry and Clare build a deep and lasting love over time, they learn to savor each moment as it happens. Their experience together constantly twists back to earlier moments, to the present, to their memories of the past and the future, and it reads like life. It feels like that quiet place inside ourselves where we flit between reality and memories. My favorite book this year.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Diana Gabaldon) The latest installment in the Outlander series exemplifies the best this author has to offer. She juggles interesting historical detail, real moral dilemmas, the struggles of living in a violent and broken world, and an extended cast of well-developed characters. At the center of this whirlwind are Claire and Jamie Fraser, a couple whose love has grown over the course of twenty years.
One of the major themes of this series is finding who are you meant to be in a world not of your own making. This type of existential angst is not limited to to Claire and Jamie; it was very satisfying to see Roger (the Frasers' son-in-law and one of my favorite characters) make some decisions about his future that bring him a real sense of peace.
I confess, I was afraid Gabaldon's series had jumped the shark with The Fiery Cross, but this novel restored my faith in her stories and has paved the way for a very exciting conclusion in the next book(s)!
Breaking Point (Suzanne Brockmann) The most recent addition to the Troubleshooters series maintained the high standards Brockmann has set for herself. It's fast-paced and had a real sense of danger. Not one, but two couples we really care about from the previous novels get to explore their relationship and experience some real growth. I also REALLY liked the fractured timeline, which is a great way to tell stories and worked exceptionally well for a story that explores how characters resolve the pain of their pasts.
Contact (Evelyn Vaughn) Faith Corbett can smell what you had for breakfast. She can hear conversations through closed doors. She can read your mind by touching your skin. What she can't do is convince a (yummy) detective who doesn't believe in psychics that anonymous tips from "Madame Cassandra" can help him track down a serial killer. I love mutant powers AND mysteries AND cops, so I definitely loved this story.
Dedication (Janet Mullany) I liked how layered this storyline was. There is a significant cast of secondary characters and a subtle yet important intrigue plot, but these things add to, rather than detract from, the main storyline. Fabienne and Adam are mature and emotionally well-rounded people who want to explore an adult relationship that moves beyond the youthful lust of their liaison twenty years ago. The sexual tension, while undeniably lush, builds slowly and complements the budding emotional reconnection between these characters.
Flawless (Michele Hauf) Becca Whitmore is a gemologist covertly working for the CIA. As she pursues a cache of stolen diamonds across Europe, she realizes she has begun to think of her socialite persona as a mask to hide her true superspy self. When Becca finds herself partnered with a cocky MI-6 agent, sparks fly! Great action, tight plotting, and strong sexual tension between the protagonists make this a memorable adventure story.
Rachel and Leah (Orson Scott Card) I have been fascinated with the Biblical story of Rachel and Leah since I was a little girl: a man is willing to work seven years to marry the woman he loves, but marries the wrong sister and doesn't even know the difference on their wedding night!
Card has an amazing sense of what lies in the hearts of human beings. He traces the lives of Rachel, Leah, and their two servants from childhood to that fateful wedding night and effortlessly weaves the Biblical story with plausible explanations of these people's choices and emotional responses to their unique situation. He demonstrates how followers of the God of Abraham understood Him and lived their faith in their daily lives.
I always wanted to write a fictionalized account of Rachel and Leah's story to help me explore my questions and feelings about this story. Now that Card has brought his sensitivity and insight to this story, I don't need to.
The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) Henry is a time traveler who first meets Clare, his wife, when she is a little girl. He zips from one time to another, meeting earlier versions of her, of him, but it all makes sense.
This is a beautiful story. Even as Henry and Clare build a deep and lasting love over time, they learn to savor each moment as it happens. Their experience together constantly twists back to earlier moments, to the present, to their memories of the past and the future, and it reads like life. It feels like that quiet place inside ourselves where we flit between reality and memories. My favorite book this year.
posted by JJ at 8:28 AM
