The Days of Anna Madrigal, by Armistead Maupin June 3rd 2015

The Days of Anna Madrigal, by Armistead Maupin June 3rd 2015

Finally after 35 years I have completed the nine book series in "The Tales of the City" series by the iconic writer Armistead Maupin.

We meet our familiar friends and are re-acquainted with some long lost friends.  Along the way we learn about some ghosts of the past and are introduced to some ethereal imagery.

It is hard to say good-bye to these wonderful characters.

There are about four consecutive stories happening with the main thread being Anna Madrigal's story.  Without Anna as the conduit, there would not be the nine book series.  One cannot imagine the series of books without Anna.

Some of the chapters are in the present day and others revert to Anna's past history at the Blue Moon brothel.  The ghosts haunt her memory with both joy and sadness.   You can feel, from the early chapters,  that Anna needs to reconcile herself to these memories considering she is 92 years of age.

The chapters rotate between the  stories of Michael and Ben, Brian and his new wife Wren, Shawna and of course Anna's story.  It is a page turner, at times, particularly with the updates and wanting to know what happens to Anna.

There is some beautiful imagery of a butterfly towards the end of the book.  It does not spoil the story but reminds me of the graceful costumes worn by Las Vegas showgirls that many drag queens try to emulate.  This image of the butterfly is used in many designs of women's gorgeous evening wear, and it also reminds me of the flowing robes worn by Anna.  This book with flowing images wafted over me as if the flowing sheer fabric of a butterfly wing.  There is more to this imagery and I will not give it away.

Some hidden secrets are revealed that dispel our earlier understanding of some issues.  They may have been convenient when first written but make more sense now.  It is fiction after all.  I am sure many of the characters are based on aspects of many people.  (Which character do you identify with?  Maybe a bit of each!)

Reading the final book inspires me to re-read the entire series.  There are many popular contemporary cultural references and links back to previous books.

Some of the chapters took about a page to make sense as I was wondering where they were located and if the timing was contemporary or in the past.  Sometimes I had to re-read sections to create the link to time, characters and location.   I guess this is, in part, due to the time gap since reading the last book.  Though, I do think Armistead could have made it a little easier on the reader to create these time, character or location segues earlier in some chapters.

The reunion of characters is interesting the way that Armistead reunites them. Whether the reunions are physical, emotional or spiritual is beautiful without being patronising; as the characters are cemented in our hearts.

Thank you Armistead Maupin for a sensational story.  I am so glad to have met you on a plane in 1985 and did not realise who you were until about a year later.  I will hold that memory close as I hold these characters with same fondness.

Walter's Purple Heart, by Catherine Ryan Hyde Wednesday April 1st 2015

Walter's Purple Heart, by Catherine Ryan Hyde Wednesday April 1st 2015

"Walter's Purple Heart" by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a masterful work.  It is written from a voice showing us four major character's perspectives.

"Walter's Purple Heart" reeks of the movie "The Sixth Sense" once you get into the first chapter of the book.  I was immediately transported with her characters along this journey.

Having lost my brother last December 2014, I struggled with finishing "Becoming Chloe" while "Walter's Purple Heart" was more cathartic.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is spooky how she can get into the heads of some many different characters.  Her style here is more succinct and crisp to the point of disbelief.  I mean disbelief - as I wonder how she can so succinctly keep the plot moving with so little words, and maintain the character's voices in the dialogue.  More so, how can Catherine so realistically become the male and female characters of various ages, in different eras.

This could make a majestic film as the location of scenes are made crystal clear, as is the dialogue by her writing.  It could also be a disappointment as the book is so perfect in its structure and narrative. To recapture all of the dialogue alone would make it a long film.  I know that film and books are different mediums but the dialogue is so beautiful it would be a shame to cut it down for making it a "suitably-timed" film for audience's attention spans.

It also reminded me slightly of "Skallagrigg" by William Horwood with the main character trapped in an unforgiving body.  While in "Walter's Purple Heart" our main character is trapped too, but in a very eerie sense.  In fact another character gets trapped to become the main conduit in this healing book of love, mateship and forgiveness.  We learn of the narrative device upfront whereas you learn who is narrating in the final chapter of "Skallagrigg."  .

There are some magnificent quotes in "Walter's Purple Heart" but to repeat them here would spoil their time of appearance.  These quotes about dignity, friendship, love and forgiveness may in time become sayings for generations to come.  Maybe they are part of the American vernacular that I have not heard before.  Even so they are freshly written to surprise the reader with a new perspective.

I could easily have read this book in one sitting but I love to allow Catherine Ryan Hyde's characters and story to live with me for days or weeks to savour the journey.  I recommend reading this book in stages to allow you to be transported along the time periods and to give you time to ponder what has happened and what may happen.

I was so pleased as some of the character's conclusions could have been patronising and neat.  They were not so, and were honest and challenging.  I shed a tear or two whilst reading this book as I also had shivers of recognition.

Also I hope that this book assists you in any personal reconciliations.  I found inner peace and reconciliation with  the conclusion.  For a writer to create these sensations then they are a master.  That is Catherine Ryan Hyde - a supreme writer.

"Walter's Purple Heart" is a haunting book full of hope and reconciliation.  I HOPE that you read it and be transported on this journey of memory, love, forgiveness and mateship.

Becoming Chloe, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Thursday March 5th 2015

Becoming Chloe, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Thursday March 5th 2015

I struggled to finish Catherine Ryan Hyde's "Becoming Chloe", not for the story but for what was happening in my life.  The story was so confronting and when there are moments of hopefulness, these would bring us crashing down to reality again.

I had to have surgery in December and this was to be the third time I was to encounter this same surgery.  This time it was elective surgery before things got worse, so at least I had some control.  But I was scared, as the first time was in 1988, then the last time in 1999 I nearly died as it was emergency surgery.

I began 'Becoming Chloe" a few days before my surgery and then picked it up again a few days after my surgery  In "Becoming Chloe" we encounter the struggles of the young and naïve Chloe with her gay friend Jordy.  Both are homeless.  Not that I am homeless but it was so haunting to see how these young people would live on life's knife edge.  I found it too confronting as it mirrored my recent fears.

Then on Decmber 28th 2014 my brother died in his sleep after being ill for 38 years.  When I picked up "Becoming Chloe" again there was a death scene within a few pages and I could not cope.  I struggled to get back into the novel.  I needed to gain some semblance of normality back into my own life before I could venture through their journey.

Why is this relevant? Catherine Ryan Hyde speaks so honestly and truthfully with these characters that she creates a stark reality.  Sometimes facing our own fears and seeking beauty in the world can be so difficult during our dark periods of our own lives.  To learn to see the beauty of the world during these harsh or dark periods can also be healing.

I had to finish this book and by doing so I realised that Catherine Ryan Hyde was also telling my story of looking for hope during difficult periods.  Facing the harsh realities of life and also learning to "....pick ourselves up, pat ourselves down and start all over again" as per a song.

The journey across America is a symbol of so many treks, or road movies or journeys that we all take with little or no resources.  Our main resource is our own will, determination, and resilience.  This becomes our capacity to survive.  Not only survive but thrive.

Catherine Ryan Hyde speaks from the young Jordy as a narrator who learns to see the world through Chloe's eyes.  As she does through his eyes.

We meet various characters along the journey who are snapshots in their young lives.  Influential and momentary and full of impact.

I cannot say that I enjoyed this book as it was far too emotional for me to read.  Yes a struggle as I was dealing with my issues.  Catherine Ryan Hyde sometimes had me choking back tears with a succinct line or a phrase which was relevant to me.  I will not quote any of these lines as it would steal her thunder.

I can thoroughly recommend "Becoming Chloe" for many reasons: respect of self and others, gratitude, perception, forgiveness, friendship, hope and humanity.  There are so many wonderful threads in this book that co-exist.  Her writing is succinct and many threads fade away rather than having a conclusion to Jordy and Chloe's interactions.  It is life .... as things do just meander along at times. They meet people with a reason and learn about the good and bad aspects of humanity.  They learn about the half glass full or empty theory via their experiences.

If and when you choose to read "Becoming Chloe" do persavere and relish that it may bring up your personal feelings.  I am so glad that I read this book, not as a journey of discovery but as a confirmation of humanity and gratitude.