Review: Love in Lowercase by Francesc Miralles

Thoughts before Reading

• After reading that Francesc Miralles's Love in Lowercase was being compared to The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano, which I really loved, and that it was being billed as "a romantic comedy for language lovers," I thought I'd give the novel a chance.
• For some unplanned and unknown reason, I've been on a books-in-translation kick. Love in Lowercase fits right in; it was originally written and published in Spanish and was translated into English by Julie Wark.

What's it about?

• Love in Lowercase is a sweet story about a young linguistics professor whose world is turned upside down thanks to a cat.
• Samuel likes his quiet life--living alone, grading papers, and sticking to his routine. When a cat shows up at his apartment on New Year's Day, Samuel's immediate plan is to find its owners or arrange a permanent home for it. In the meantime, he feeds the cat. These actions set off a chain of events in which he meets his neighbors, rediscovers a childhood girlfriend, and rejuvenates his relationship with his sister.

Thoughts after Reading

• Love in Lowercase is a charming story of loneliness, love, and friendship set in the beautiful city of Barcelona.
• The novel is infused with a number of literary references; for example, Samuel names the cat Mishima (a favorite author of mine) and describes the hospital as Kafkaesque.
• Not all novels survive translation, but the warmth and fun of Miralles's story are built on a universal foundation.
• Samuel is insecure, quirky, and capable of surprising even himself. I was caught up in his transformation and his discovery of the many sides of love, friendship, and loyalty. As the Kirkus reviewer said, "Samuel, full of awkwardness and good intentions, is an easy protagonist to root for."
• I love the overriding theme that it's never too late to open the door to the unexpected.
• There is a subtheme of finding everyday magic.
• This is a light, quick read for a lazy afternoon. The chapters are only a couple of pages long, so it's also perfect for commutes and travel.
• Will this be the best book you'll read this year? Probably not, but it's bound to make you smile, and you'll have fun with the references to art, music, and books.

Warnings

• After I formulated my own thoughts, I took a look at other reviews. I was surprised that some readers were not as enchanted as I was.
• I think you have to be willing to just go with the flow. Yeah, in real life in the city you probably wouldn't develop an immediate trust with people you hardly know, but Love in Lovercase is meant to be fun, not realistic--like a rom-com on the silver screen.

Published by Penguin Random House / Penguin Books, 2016
ISBN-13: 9780143128212
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Imprint Friday: Revenge by Yoko Ogawa

Welcome to Imprint Friday and today's featured imprint: Picador USA. Stop by each week to be introduced to a must-read title from one of my favorite imprints. I know you'll be adding many of these books to your wish list.

I've always liked Japanese fiction and was taken by the simple beauty of Yoko Ogawa's writing in The Housekeeper and the Professor. When I heard Picador was publishing a new collection of her stories, I couldn't wait to get reading. The cover of Revenge I show here, calls the work "a novel." But the advanced reader's copy that I have calls it "eleven dark tales." Before I get into that issue, here's the publisher's summary:

Sinister forces collide--and unite a host of desperate characters--in this eerie cycle of interwoven tales from Yoko Ogawa, the critically acclaimed author of The Housekeeper and the Professor.

An aspiring writer moves into a new apartment and discovers that her landlady has murdered her husband. Elsewhere, an accomplished surgeon is approached by a cabaret singer, whose beautiful appearance belies the grotesque condition of her heart. And while the surgeon’s jealous lover vows to kill him, a violent envy also stirs in the soul of a lonely craftsman. Desire meets with impulse and erupts, attracting the attention of the surgeon’s neighbor--who is drawn to a decaying residence that is now home to instruments of human torture. Murderers and mourners, mothers and children, lovers and innocent bystanders--their fates converge in an ominous and darkly beautiful web.

Yoko Ogawa’s Revenge is a master class in the macabre that will haunt you to the last page.

While there is no question these tales are dark, Revenge is not a book of horror, nor is it exactly depressing. And although I could relate to some of Ogawa's characters, there a couple whom I'd not want to meet or cross. Murder, death, and loss fill the pages, but so do personal relationships and a deep humanity.

I particularly loved the way the stories interconnected to create a complete circle. In some cases, the connection was only a small detail, such as strawberry shortcake or a tiger, and it was like finding a treasure when I spotted the link. Other stories are much more solidly part of the whole, creating a strong foundation for the book. For example, we learn of a married man in an early story and meet his wife in a late one, and in this way Ogawa binds several plot points together.

Do such bridges make a collection of stories a novel? I'm not sure, but I don't think it matters very much. Each tale in Revenge propelled me forward and kept me focused on both the overarching themes as well as the links. Although the stories could be read singly, it would be a mistake. Ogawa has ordered them very carefully, taking us back and across through time, developing tension and keeping our curiosity alive. By the end, we're back to the beginning and may even start reading a second time.

As many others have pointed out, Yoko Ogawa is a master at pulling us deep into fray and then rescuing us through perfectly timed pauses that let us focus on the beauty of everyday life. Revenge is no exception: From the dreadful plans of the bag-maker to the sights and sounds of the square outside the bakery, Ogawa captures our attention, and we're lost in her strange, dark world.

Picador USA is a featured imprint on Beth Fish Reads. For more information about the imprint, visit the Picador's website. While there, take a look at the Picador book club and reading guides and sign up for their newsletters. For up-to-date news, don't miss their Tumblr site or Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Buy Revenge at an indie or at a bookstore near you. (Link leads to an affiliate program.)
Published by Macmillan / Picador 2013
ISBN-13: 9780312674465
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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