When I start a giant book, I worry I'm not equal to the task of reading it. This seemed especially possible because I abandoned the last large book I tried to read. However, Abraham Verghese's historical fiction book, The Covenant of Water, hooked me from the start. It begins in 1900 with a twelve-year-old Indian girl whose father has died marrying a forty-year-old man. I trepidatiously read on, prepared to once again abandon a book, but I was in good hands. Verghese swept me along, and I was captivated. The Covenant of Water is a five-star book. The characters, the story, and the telling overwhelmed me. I wasn't ready for it to end. There are several enthralling facts and ideas intertwined in the plot. A Christian Church in India is believed to have been started by St. Thomas--Doubting Thomas--around 52 AD. The main characters are members of this church.
This denomination still exists today: https://www.syromalabarchurch.in/?fbclid=IwAR0e4DV5lsTz4PfkIdP5tIxexQRU3axgX_qy_obMs_wLzO4xdpPG66FcCMM.
Verghese's writing is solid and evocative. This is a candidate for the best book of the year and definitely the best—and largest—book I've read this summer.
⛪️⚕️🏞️ 💦
One of my Darling Daughters recommended Graceling by Krisin Cashore. It is a high fantasy book, the start of a series. The worlds people imagine are staggering, and Cashore cooked up a good one. For an unknown reason, some in this world have supernatural powers, a grace. They are called Gracelings. They are easy to spot because they have two different colored eyes. Cool right? Katsu has a grace that enables her to kill people. Her uncle, one of the seven kings, uses her as his enforcer. She hates it. Then she meets another Graceling, Prince Po, who understands and doesn't fear her. It helps Katsu to imagine more for herself: restoring, instead of destroying, leading her to undertake the most powerful enemy, someone like herself, to save others.
The second book in the series is a prequel that reveals the villain in Graceling's backstory. Fire is about a woman called Fire who has monster blood in her veins, making her irresistible to others. Some are driven to possess her, others to destroy her. Her father used his power to destroy and wanted her to do the same, but Fire desires a different life for herself. This book stands on its own. I find Cashore imaginative and robust in her world-building. The heart of the book, though, is about relationships that harm and those that heal. Good stuff. I will be reading more of the series.
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Accidental Czar: The Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin by Andrew S. Weiss and Brian "Box" Brown is the strangest book I'll read this year. It is a historic nonfiction graphic novel about Putin. I learned much, not just because I know practically nothing about the inner workings of Russian politics. I have people in my life who strongly believe that Russia influenced the 2020 election, helping Trump win. I found that hard to fathom, but with my newfound understanding, I think it's true. Accidental Czar is written by Weiss, an expert on Russia who advised Presidents Clinton and George Bush. The format lends itself to picturing Putin as a Russian superhero and an American supervillain. I gained insight into why Russia views Ukranian autonomy as a threat. I feel more informed after having read this comic about Putin.
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