READING
I have several recent novels set in Maine in my book stack and will be reading and commenting on them in the next few blogs. Below is the first one I’ve just finished which, after a slow start for me, I enjoyed quite a lot.
I received a link to a blog post recommending 12 books set in Maine (thanks to Patricia and Kathy) which I’m including here. I was pleased to see the novels I will be reading on this list plus other titles by Elizabeth Strout, Anita Shreve, and Courtney Sullivan that I’ve already read. It’s a good list for anyone visiting Maine or wishing to experience it vicariously.
MAINE BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Midcoast by Adam White
I was intrigued to read this first novel partly because it is set in Damariscotta, Maine, a town near where we stay which we know quite well. The book is also getting attention and good reviews. It both was and wasn’t what I expected it to be.
The prologue introduces Andrew, the narrator throughout the novel. Andrew grew up in Damariscotta, left for school, college, and career, and then returned as an adult with his wife Maeve and two children. He knew Ed Thatch somewhat as a kid even though their backgrounds were different. Andrew’s father was an orthopedic surgeon, Ed’s a blue-collar worker. Now, Ed Thatch and his wife Steph look to be living the high life and he’s a lobsterman.
Andrew is puzzled and, I would say, becomes obsessed with trying to figure out how Ed has managed it. When Ed’s daughter starts playing lacrosse, a sport unknown to him, he seeks knowledge and advice from Andrew (or Andy, as he calls him) on what colleges she should pursue.
The novel is an unfolding of the layers of Ed’s life, the challenges wife Steph faces as town manager, Allie’s status as Amherst lacrosse star, and son EJ’s settling in as town policeman. Then comes the ultimate unraveling. The outcome, but not the reasons why, is partially revealed in the prologue.
White captures beautifully the feel of the Maine coast, the moneyed crowd who summer there, and the nuances of class and status. Once I became accustomed to Andrew’s voice as narrator and the jumps back and forth in time as he relates events and later conversations, I was caught up in the suspense of wanting to know how it all would end. My Maine friends and anyone familiar with this coast should enjoy the novel—if only for the references to familiar hangouts.
VIEWING—POLITICS & CRIME
Meanwhile, when we are between house guests, we have more time to devote to TV series from Britain and Europe.
FEMALES IN POWER
Borgen – Power & Glory (Netflix)
When Borgen, a Danish political drama series, ended several years ago, I and others were sad. It’s excellent TV fare about the first female Danish prime minister, Birgitte Nyborg, and her challenges in balancing power and family.
This new season of Borgen (effectively season 4) is eight episodes all built around a single issue, the discovery of oil in Greenland and its ramifications for Denmark, but also for China, Russia, and the U.S. Nyborg is now the foreign minister working with a younger female prime minister. In making decisions and even policy, she occasionally forgets she is no longer the one solely in charge. And she begins to obsess about staying in power.
As in the earlier seasons, the broadcasters at TV1 are always eager to get Nyborg on the air. Journalist Katrine Fonsmark is now the head of news, having succeeded her colleague and mentor, Torben. With her brusque style, she is finding her new role more difficult than she anticipated. There are other familiar characters from the past like Nyborg’s son Magnus, now a climate activist, who clashes with his mother’s views. A new player, Asger, the acting Arctic Ambassador, is charged with handling the negotiations with Greenland.
It is fascinating, well written, compelling drama. The Chief Penguin and I binge watched the series and highly recommend it!
QUIRKY CASES IN BATH
McDonald & Dodds (Amazon Prime/BritBox)
This British crime series is set in Bath and features a most unlikely pairing of a detective chief inspector and her detective sergeant. DCI Lauren McDonald is UFL (Up From London) and determined to advance her career quickly by getting confessions. DS Dodds is a middle-aged bumbling white guy who seems slow on the uptake. Their respective boss would like to see him retire and urges McDonald to push the idea. Initially McDonald doesn’t appreciate her partner at all, and he finds her puzzling.
As they work together, however, she discovers that, armed with his magnifying glass and his propensity to rush off to the library for research, he comes up with key insights into their cases. Watching their growing respect for one another and the beginnings of affectionate regard add to the delight of the series.
We’ve watched three episodes thus far. The murder cases have all involved a group of people, be it friends, family, or patients, who know each other well. The first episode about a wealthy entrepreneur was excellent, the second episode a bit wacky, and the third one about a hot air balloon creative and intriguing. There are three seasons or 8 episodes total, and each episode is 90 minutes in length. I call this series fun entertainment.
Header photo of blue chairs ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved).
