Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis (2010)

A total case of the right novel at the right time, these two novels appeared on a friend's best of 2011 list, and the subject coincided with a post-trip obsession with fiction set in London, with a particular emphasis on the Blitz. In the first, Blackout, historians from the year 2060 are routinely sent back through time to witness and report upon various major historical events, safe in the knowledge that they cannot change the events in the past. Historians Polly, Merope and Michael are throughly immersed in their visit to the London of the Blitz, surviving bombings, evacuations, and major battles until they realize they may not be able to get back to their time. At 500+ pages, it's a substantial read, albeit a little repetitive. The portrayal of life in London during the Blitz, however, is fascinating, as are her characters. Which led me to immediately pick up the sequel.

All Clear is an excellent sequel. Where the other novel meandered a bit and set up the situation a bit too fully, this novel starts off with a bang and keeps going. Having gotten to know the characters over 1100+ pages (in the two novels), I found it incredibly gratifying to have this concluded so beautifully. Gently in many ways, but beautifully. Subtly romantic and so wonderfully evocative of what is must have been like living in London during World War II. A delight.  (See also her wonderful collection of Christmas short stories: Miracle and other Christmas Stories.)

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas (2008)

Staggeringly good Australian novel about a group of friends and family and the aftermath when one of them slaps another's child at a backyard barbecue. Each chapter is about a different person in the group and their perspective on the event, and the story unfolds as each character is explored (not in a Rashomon way--the story just keeps progressing through the book). Amazing character writing--incredibly insightful into so many characters and their relationships. Just beautifully written and fascinating. 

 Also, loved the multiculturalism of the characters and how much of their characters are linked to their cultural heritage--an idea that doesn't come up that much in American literary fiction (not without making a big stinking deal about it). Amazing, absorbing, insightful.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (2009)

Absolutely adored this novel about a woman who falls down at the gym, hits her head and wakes up with amnesia. Her last memory is of being pregnant with her first child, happily married, and a new homeowner. But it's actually ten years later, she has three children, and is in the midst of a messy divorce. Not only that, but her sister is oddly distant. The beauty of this book is in Alice's slow discoveries of what has happened in the past year, how she (and others) have changed and why. Wonderful, vivid characters, and Moriarty is wonderful with relationships, particularly sisterly relationships. Delightful and humorous but full of insight and complexity as well.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman (2010)

Charming young adult novel about Elizabeth, who gets a job as a page at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, which lends out objects rather than books. It's also home to the Grimm collection, which contains magical objects that inspired the famous fairy tales. When items (and pages) start disappearing, Elizabeth and her fellow pages have to use everything they can to solve the mystery and get them back. This book is fabulous for anyone who loves libraries and fairy tales. It's subtle and charming, mysterious and romantic and a little funny. Great characters. So yay!  Shulman also wrote the witty young adult Pride and Prejudice-inspired Enthusiam.

Feathered by Laura Kasischke (2008)

A teen novel about three girlfriends who travel to Mexico for spring break, and something awful happens to one of them. Beautifully descriptive of Cancun and at the same time, wonderfully eerie and spooky and tense in the events leading up to the drama. I actually had to put the book down at one point, I was so worried about these poor girls. And the author's description of the girls walk through a debauched spring break party at Club Med is more horrifying than almost anything else in the novel.  Chilling.

Fire and Rain by David Browne (2011)

Subtitled: The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970. Incredibly absorbing story of a really pivotal year in music. Alternating chapters explore the lives and works of each of these musicians during this time.  As the music industry is a small world, these stories are constantly intertwining.  Lots of fascinating behind-the-scenes stories with larger than life performers all kept in context with the times as Browne explores the social and political events of the time as well.  Terrific look at a fascinating time in music.

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist (2006)

Searching for readalikes for Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, I came across this Swedish novel set in a dystopia where single, childless men and women of a certain age (50 and 60) are sent to 'the unit', a compound where they are studied for scientific research and provide 'donations' for the public. Very interesting and compelling look at a society that values having children above all else.   A fascinating exploration of relationships, considering that the main character's primary romantic relationship in her adult life was with a married man.  Also, there's a beautiful thread about the main character's great love for her dog.  Very unusual, but very well done.

The Principles of Uncertainty by Maira Kalman (2007)

A lovely little sketchbook of a book by the artist Maira Kalman. Each page features a drawing or photograph and some small, quiet musing. Somewhat memoir, somewhat philosophy, but lovely and an excellent reminder to appreciate what is around us--whether it be a painting or a stranger's hat.  A few quotes:

"The opera was Eugene Onegin, by Tchaikovsky. From the story by Pushkin. The characters had so many troubles, don't ask."

I also liked this:

"This is a painting of a photo taken in London in 1940. It is a library that was bombed in the Blitz. And then the all-clear sounded. And people returned, hope undiminished. They returned, so elegant and purposeful to the books."

The Raising by Laura Kasischke (2011)

Compulsively readable novel about a boy returning to college after being involved in an accident that killed his girlfriend. But here's the weird thing: he keeps seeing glimmers of her around campus and his memory of the crash still hasn't returned.  Kasischke skillfully weaves together chapters from the present with chapters from the year leading up to the accident.  Eventually the threads meet in such a way that I may have actually gasped out loud.  Beautifully written, suspenseful, and unbelievably absorbing.  I liked this so much I sought out the rest of Kasischke's novels and read them all.  I love the moody, thoughtful, elegiac, but spooky tone of her novels.  See also Feathered and Boy Heaven, two YA novels by Kasischke.

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell (2009)

Subtitled: A Witchcraft Mystery, this is a charming light mystery about a woman with some witchy powers who runs a vintage clothing store in San Francisco. I loved the mysterious back story of the main character (it's so refreshing when an author doesn't give you all the information right away). It also features handsome romantic interests, evocative San Francisco setting, and a really serious treatment of the seriousness of magic that you don't see in your usual paranormal novel. An unexpected treat.