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What it Means to Be Human: In the Lives of Puppets and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

19 Apr

In the Lives of Puppets
by TJ Klune
I have previously blogged about Klune’s other adult novels The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door. Both are beautiful, gentle, fantasy reads. I was hopeing for and found more of the same from Klune’s latest work In the Lives of Puppets, but what I love about Klune’s work is that despite some similarities such as a strong found family and embracing individuality and diversity in a world that often makes those who do not conform feel like outsiders, there is also a great deal of originality and creativity in the characters and stories that he shares. In the Lives of Puppets takes inspiration from the classic story of Pinocchio and then weaves a very modern story about a group of robots and one young man, Victor, living a sweet fairytale existence in their treehouse compound in the woods, until one day the father figure is snatched away by a whale like air ship and Victor and his friends including the newly restored and refurbished HAP set out to rescue him. The story looks at what it means to be human in a world filled with AI and if it is possible to overcome one’s past programming to become a new and better person. There is humor from Rambo, a neurotic rumba desperate for approval, and a nurse robot who is both equal parts motherly and sadistic. If like me, you loved Guillermo del Toro’s recent film retelling of the classic story, this one is also definitely worth checking out. I received an advance copy of In the Lives of Puppets from Netgalley and the publisher in order to provide an honest review. The book will be available April 25.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
We read The Daughter of Doctor Moreau as part of the library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion Group. I was curious to check it out since my colleagues, Victoria and Lauren, had spoken positively of Moreno-Garcia’s very popular novel, Mexican Gothic. This novel takes inspiration from the classic H.G. Wells story, The Island of Doctor Moreau and also seemed to pull some of the details from the 1996 film adaptation. The story transports the original from the South Pacific to taking place during the Guerra de Castas, when Indigenous Maya and Mexican population of mixed and European decent were in conflict. Moreno-Garcia uses the story of animal/human hybrids to explore issues of racism and identity. This a gothic story with a feminist perspective; where a father’s frustrations about not being able to control his increasingly wild daughter read as a larger society who seeks to define and shape a women’s bodies and ideas without taking the time to hear their own desires. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau will appeal to those who enjoy historic fiction as well as fantasy and horror fans.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

A Historical Page-Turner for Women’s History Month: The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks

22 Mar

I’ve always had a penchant for reading historical fiction and it’s especially more appealing when the story focuses on New Jersey history and prominent Garden State figures such as Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks is a compelling and riveting new historical novel about America’s most notorious kidnapping through the eyes of the woman who found herself at the heart of this deadly crime.

Betty Gow, a Scottish immigrant, is hired by the infamous Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh to serve as the nanny for their precious little Charles Jr. Betty has recently relocated to New Jersey to begin working for the renowned Lindberghs and has to acclimate herself to their refined and aristocratic lifestyle as well as the upperclass environment. She quickly bonds with the adorable Charles Jr. as well as the other down-to-earth household staff. However, her relationship with the famed Lindberghs is somewhat strained, because Colonel Lindbergh is eccentric and often odd, and Mrs. Lindbergh is kind yet nervous, not allowing her to develop a rapport. They also spend a considerable amount of time traveling, leaving Betty to her own devices. She settles into the palatial Englewood mansion of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s parents as the famous couple awaits the construction of their own lavish estate in the quaint village of Hopewell, NJ. She assumes her duties as nanny with utmost care and compassion and develops a daily routine with her charge involving outdoor playtime, story time, feeding, naps, etc. Far from home and bruised from a love affair gone horribly wrong, Betty finds comfort in caring for Charles Jr. and warms to the attentions of handsome sailor Henrik, also known as Red, whom she meets at a nightclub on a night out with some of the household staff.

Then, tragedy strikes when Charles Jr. is kidnapped from the family home in 1932 under her supposed care and the case makes international headlines. Betty Gow, a formerly obscure young woman, is now known around the world by another name: the Lindbergh Nanny. Suddenly a suspect in the eyes of both the media and the public, she must find the truth about what really happened that night, in order to clear her own name and to find justice for the child she loves.

At this point, the story becomes more of a mystery or whodunit as the local authorities investigate the kidnapping and begin prying into the personal lives of the household staff, including Betty. They believe the kidnapping is an inside job, so past skeletons and dark secrets are unearthed causing tension and suspicion. Even Betty begins digging into matters in an effort to comfort and appease the Lindberghs and her own guilty conscience. The media also becomes quite cruel by printing outlandish gossip and pointing the finger at any number of suspects thus causing a riff in the relationships among the closely-knit household staff. As rumors and gossip spiral out of control, Betty maintains her innocence and becomes a resolute and steadfast witness as well as an honest and admirable individual with sincere convictions.

This was a fascinating and engrossing read, which inspired me to pursue more research about the Lindbergh kidnapping and the people involved after I had finished the book. You can check out The Kidnap Years: The Astonishing True History of the Forgotten Epidemic That Shook Depression-Era America by David Stout for a True Crime exploration of the kidnappings that were frequent during the Great Depression Era. New Jersey’s Lindbergh Kidnapping and Trial by Mark W. Falzini and James Davidson, part of the Images of America Series, features historic photographs from the investigation and trial.

Written by:
Ethan Galvin
Information and Digital Services Librarian

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