All the Ms: Madeline to Magariel

Laura Madeline: The Confectioner’s Tale: A Novel of Paris is one of many, many novels that involve a first-person narrator performing historical research. The history is presented in other chapters. Willig’s The Secret History of the Pink Carnation–which is quite fun–is of this type. So is Byatt’s Possession, which I couldn’t get into. Quite frankly, the trope needs a comedic tone for me to engage (I can read the history myself). 

Mike Maden: Blue Warrior uses the style of writing I associate with Patterson and Cussler. Straightforward, serviceable, with information packed into sentences: “A pair of dark aviators hid his world-wary blue eyes.” Not my style. But I have nothing against writers who produce this stuff and readers who truly enjoy it!

Sarah Madison: I reread Truth or Consequences quite often. It tackles the "lover can read the other lover's mind" trope with surprisingly and welcome astuteness.

Susan Madison: The Color of Hope is about yet another dysfunctional family. It isn’t fair, I believe, to not read each book for its own sake: its own narrative arc, its own underlying theme or belief system. And The Color of Hope does take place in Maine! But I don’t really understand the point of writing and reading the families-falling-apart-in-slow-motion stuff, unless it is a kind of exorcism for the reader. 

Tahereh Mafi: Furthermore is quite enchanting. I didn’t continue it since I felt, at the time, rather overwhelmed with teen books about children going off to rescue people while being misunderstood. The book is unique, however, since it presents a fantastical setting and a shrewd main character without apology. 

Daniel Magariel: One of the Boys tackles violent dysfunctional family life. Not a topic that interests me, but I was impressed that the book started with action and dialog–show, no tell–rather than someone ruminating in a bedroom about someone else in the living room and how life is ever so dreary.