Book Reviews

By Doug Diaczuk
Special to the Chronicle Journal
There is something very satisfying about unraveling the web of clues to finger the right suspect in a page-turning mystery novel. It can be even more satisfying for the author of that novel, who successfully weaved such an intricate and detailed web.

Ru, a novel
By Kim Thuy
(Random House Canada, original French version 2009, English translation by Sheila Fischman 2012; hardcover) 141 pages, $25 msl

By Hubert O’Hearn
Is this a novel, a memoir, or a book of poetry? Individually, it is none; collectively it is all. It is gloriously, passionately, delicately unique.

The Street Sweeper
By Elliot Perlman (Bond Street Books 2012, hardcover)
554 pages, bibliography

By Hubert O’Hearn
This is my second review of Elliot Perlman’s new novel The Street Sweeper. My first was sent to a friend at Random House Canada, the publicist who sent me the book. That review? It was one word: Wow. For you, I’ll expand on that opinion.

By Julio Gomes
With the New Year upon us, the practice in the newspaper business is to look back on the past 12 months and try to divine some meaning. Along with year-end reviews there are also newsmaker of the year accolades, sports team and male/female athlete of the year selections, and best-of lists for movies and music.
Same thing in the books business.