Civil War Drama, Toxic Workplaces, and a Mystery

After a busy and fulfilling month of traveling, it’s been nice to be settled back into our home as newlyweds. I’ve been exploring what this next year can hold before we move to our next duty station. It’s a time of potential and possibility, and we are excited for what the future holds. 

In today's edition I have a Civil War historical fiction novel, a buzzy and shocking memoir, and an atmospheric, difficult to categorize read that totally captivated me. 

The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian

I enjoy well-researched historical fiction, especially when it depicts dynamic female leads making difficult and heroic choices. The Jackal’s Mistress does offer these checkboxes for me with an added bonus of being set in the American Civil War rather than the ubiquitous and oversaturated universe of World War II novels. However, our heroine, Libby Steadman, and the rest of the cast felt flat rather than vivid to me. Similarly, while the forbidden and unlikely romance and friendship seemed to be the marketing hook for the novel, the spark was really not the central focus and a love story, at least between our two leading characters, was something you could never comfortably root for. The story wasn’t overtly cliche, but it didn’t feel unique or refreshing for me. I think what I mean to say is that I didn’t feel sucked into or invested in the storytelling, the narrative, the voices of the characters, or the stakes of the story. While other reviewers described being on the edge of their seats and unable to put the book down, I didn’t feel the same attachments and thrills. 

The premise is simple: Libby is married to a Confederate soldier but finds a wounded Union officer abandoned and left for dead. He is in imminent danger of being captured and killed by local Confederate soldiers, and she makes the life-altering decision to care for him. Libby is motivated to put her life at risk not only because it’s morally correct to be a Good Samaritan but also because she wants the chance to free her husband from the Union prison where he may or may not be still alive. This is, of course, highly risky given her status as a woman with two emancipated slaves and surrounded by Mosby’s Rangers who would love nothing more than to seize the freedmen and kill the Union soldier. Friendship sparks briefly to romance, a bloody fight for survival ensues, some characters get a happy ending, some characters die. 

If you like historical fiction that features women who take control of their lives and stick to their principles when times get tough, you’ll probably enjoy this one. I wish I could say I enjoyed it more, but something in the writing just didn’t click for me. 

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams

I think the trend of enjoying “nonfiction so intense and unbelievable that it reads like fiction” has become clear in my recent blogs. I love nonfiction that teaches me something, but I especially enjoy nonfiction that shocks me at every turn. Careless People is the story of Facebook’s toxic, and, quite frankly, dangerous work culture that prioritizes profit and power over the humans that make those things possible. Wynn-Williams gives readers a front row seat to the pressure-cooker environment that asks, demands, and expects their employees to put their safety on the line and their morals to the side. Wynn-Williams starts her time at Facebook with enthusiasm, optimism, and idealism and the belief that social media can change the world for the better. However, that was never the point or the intention or the motivation of Facebook and its affiliates. They are not altruistic. They are not generous. They prey on vulnerable populations for a profit. They ally with oppressive governments for a profit. They allow genocide and violence to be promoted through their platforms because they are careless and looking for a profit. 

Now, through all of this, Wynn-Williams did say yes. She decided to stay and keep her position at Facebook because she felt trapped, she felt that it could only get worse with her departure, she felt she still had a job to do, she was worried about her paycheck and benefits, and she felt she could still make a difference. Were any of these reasons justification that outweighed the harm she and the company allowed and caused? No. Wynn-Williams, while a victim, was not a hostage. 

She sacrificed her health and time with her family to meet the brutal expectations of Facebook. You can have a family, they reassured her. As long as you have a nanny to always be with your child because you won’t be. She naively believed that Sheryl Sandberg supported feminism when actually she supported sexual harassment, bullying, and the smothering of the private self. She believed that connecting the world and networking with politicians could benefit the masses, but it continuously put users and herself at risk of harm.

Now here is the tension of the whole memoir. Facebook is the enemy. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandburg’s policy decisions and general apathy for their users’ safety and freedom has resulted in oppression and deaths and depression and self-harm and violence. But Wynn-Williams' whole job was to spread the gospel of Facebook to every corner of the globe, regardless of the consequences. Wynn-Williams knew that her work was damaging; she was not an ignorant apostle. She was complicit, and she is culpable. Yes, you feel pity and sympathy and even empathy for the emotional, mental, and physical pain she endured, but she chose to stay and continue to be part of and continue Facebook’s mission. Does publishing her book help? Yes. Is it too little too late? Also, yes. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are so deeply entrenched in our worldwide communication now that Meta’s power cannot be so easily overthrown. 

If you are interested in companies that shape our modern society and the people who make those decisions, this is a must-read book. You will leave the experience disillusioned, disheartened, and disgruntled, but it’s important to know how much harm was and is done by one of the most powerful companies in the world. 

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy 

McConaghy’s writing is defined by mysterious women with secretive pasts, guarded narration, a killing, an immersive view into the beauty, power, and fragility of nature, and the desperation to save, study, and be part of the environment. Wild Dark Shore is atmospheric, eerie, and poetic but also deeply human and relationship focused. 

Rowan washes ashore a small, remote island that was once a fully manned research center and home to a thriving seed bank but now is at the mercy of the elements. The island is cared for by the widowed Dominic Salt and his three children. Rowan’s intentions are closely guarded as is the recent history of the Salt family, and if either group fully learned the other’s secrets, their lives could, potentially, be on the line. A missing man, graves, and a sabotaged communications system are slowly explained as trust and affection build between the characters and the clock ticks towards the seed bank’s destruction and the Salt family’s rescue.

Equally tender and heart wrenching, an ode to loss and a hymn to the endurance and power of love, this novel intimately explores the voices, memories, and histories of a family on the edge of the world and the woman fate has entrusted to their care. The tension and mystery are well balanced to keep you wondering what happens next, and you become deeply concerned for the well-being and survival of the characters. Indeed, you don’t just want them to survive the storms, cold, and rising tides; you want them to find love, security, beauty, and peace in the face of the losses they have all endured. 

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the multicast narration brings these varied characters to life. The writing is already immersive, but to have Dominic’s gruff voice and the youth of the youngest child represented, you feel all the more attached. This is a love story without being a romance and a mystery without necessarily being a whodunnit. It is a beautiful and powerful read from the start to the very end. 

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Watching: The original team behind Buzzfeed’s Youtube series “Worth It” has joined forces again to spotlight delicious foods and the chefs who make them. “Worth It” was such a comfort show for me, and I’m enjoying their new content.

Doing: Guam Animals In Need (GAIN) is Guam’s only animal shelter, and I enjoyed picking up a volunteering shift to socialize with the dogs and cats last week. We’re waiting to bring a dog into our lives until we have more permanency and less plane rides, but it’s really tempting whenever I see their cute faces. 

Cooking: I love baking for Tom’s coworkers and friends. Last week I made a pineapple upside down cake from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook for a dinner we were invited to and banana muffins from Sugar Spun Run for my breakfast. They have the best banana flavor and texture and are quick and easy to make. I don’t add the streusel topping because I think they’re sweet enough as they are. The best dinner I made last week was a variation of Love and Lemons’ orzo salad. It makes a huge batch that stores well for meal preps or for serving a large gathering at dinner. I normally follow the recipe (minus the olives), but I didn’t have tomatoes or red onions this week. Instead I added a jar of artichoke hearts, a jar of roasted red peppers, and a sheet pan of roasted eggplant cubes, and I loved the added flavors and textures. 

Planning: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but I don’t want to cook a turkey and all the fixings for just the two of us. Last year we took the time off as an opportunity to travel to Tokyo for a long weekend and did an omakase sushi dinner. This year we’ve been invited to join Tom’s coworkers for a Friends-giving trip to Saipan. It’s only a 40 minute flight away (a rare treat for us to have such a short travel time), and we’re looking forward to exploring another island.