The Monsters of Templeton: A Novel

By Lauren Groff

“The day I returned to Templeton steeped in disgrace, the fifty foot corpse of a monster surfaced in Lake Glimmerglass.”

At first glance, Lauren Groff’s debut may seem like a horror novel, with its mysterious title and cryptic beginning. However, readers who venture deeper will find that it’s really a love story to her hometown: a picturesque, bucolic village that most of us know as Cooperstown, NY (home of the Baseball Hall of Fame), but admittedly renamed Templeton by the author for this novel. Although a strange, enormous sea creature of some kind has been dragged out of the local lake, there are other monsters lurking in Templeton, the town where Willie Upton was born and where she returns at the beginning of the novel.

Some important things to know about twenty-eight year old Willie:
She is fleeing a doomed love affair with her very married archaeology professor after trying to run his wife down with a small plane.
She is carrying the child of previously mentioned archaeology professor.
She is a descendant of the town’s very wealthy founder, Marmaduke Temple and therefore part of one of the town’s most important families, though most of the family money is gone.

Her mother Vi was a hippie living in a commune in San Francisco when Willie was conceived and doesn’t know which of three possible men is Willie’s biological father.

Unsure of her future with her professor, her pregnancy and her status at Stanford, where she has been working on her doctorate, Willie returns to the place she once fled to recuperate, but finds her hometown is not the peaceful town she remembers. Her bohemian mother has found religion and is dating a minister. The discovery of the monster from the lake has drawn throngs of visiting scientists and news media to town, in addition to all the tourists. Willie's best friend and fellow student Clarissa has been diagnosed with lupus and her condition is quickly deteriorating. Then, Vi announces that Willie’s biological father is not a stranger after all, but a resident of Templeton. With Vi refusing to name names, Willie must use a few clues and her research skills to dig deep into the history of her ancestors and the town of Templeton to discover the truth about her past.

Monsters of Templeton is an enthralling book that feels almost like a memoir, with family trees, old photos and even a town map. The author takes us along on Willie’s journey into this charming, idyllic town where secrets and lies hide just beneath the surface. Although some readers will find Willy slightly self absorbed (though I personally like that she has flaws), this is a unique and fascinating story.

The Last Beach Bungalow: A Novel

By Jennie Nash

FOR SALE
The last beach bungalow
The owner of this 1928 original bungalow is seeking a buyer with
heart. What would you give – besides money – to live here? Bring
your offers, your stories, and a promise to preserve and protect.
Winner will pay $300,000.
Open house, Saturday 1 to 4

When April Newton sees the beautiful craftsman style cottage mentioned in this ad, she falls completely in love with it. The first problem is that she is not the only one; hundreds of families are vying for a chance to own this bungalow, with its attractive below market asking price, an enormous stone fireplace with Catalina tiles, and a gorgeous ocean view of Redondo Beach. The second problem is that April’s husband is already working on a dream house that he began remodeling five years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Now, April’s cancer is in remission, maybe gone for good, and their new home is nearing completion. How can she tell him about the bungalow? April and Rick have been drifting apart for some time now, partially because of the stress of the move and remodel, and this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Even if she can persuade Rick to forget the dream house and buy the bungalow instead, how will she convince the owner to choose them over hundreds of other families? Soon, the cozy bungalow begins to represent the kind of life that April dreams about and the dream house is everything she doesn’t want. An interesting story about family, love and choosing not just a house, but a home. The premise is intriguing and the writer uses her own experiences for much of the novel, but the writing is just okay for me.

Books about "A Lady*"

Lately, I’ve been completely obsessed with Jane Austen, particularly with her novels and the story of her life. I think this is mostly because the movie Becoming Jane left me with so many questions about what her life was really like. So, I put my librarian skills to the test and began searching for more information about this very private and facinating woman.

I started with the book the previously mentioned film is based on: Jon Spence’s Becoming Jane Austen: A Life. This was an interesting book with tons of information, including quotes from both Jane’s letters and books written by her family members. Mr. Spence makes many interesting connections between Jane’s real life and the lives of the characters of her books. The tone is a little dry and academic at times though, and I must admit that I found myself skimming some passages.

Next, I picked up a book titled Just Jane: A Novel of Jane Austen’s Life by Nancy Moser. In Just Jane, the author imagines Jane’s life from age 20-40. I liked the first chapter, but the book went downhill quickly and became extremely unbelievable to me and a little boring. I would not recommend this one.

Finally, I stumbled upon a new title, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by S yrie James. In this novel, the author ponders the question, “What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen’s memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair?” Although this book is completely fictional, James’ writing feels much more authentic than Moser’s, and follows a love affair between Jane and a mysterious man who she meets while vacationing in the coastal town of Lyme. At the end of the novel, Syrie admits that no lost diary or attic chest has ever been found, but due to her diligent research and seamless blending of fact and fiction, I almost believed that there was. This was a fun and entertaining book.

The more I learn about Jane Austen, the more impressed I am by both her talent as a writer and her courage in becoming an independent thinker during a time period when women were not supposed to think for themselves. It's too bad that she never lived to see her beloved novels become so successful, popular and highly respected.

(*Note: Jane Austen's first novels were originally published anonymously, "By a Lady".)