Review 
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
What a thriller! Lots of drama, lots of intrigue, interesting characters, and good smart humor.
An attorney specializing in intellectual property is caught up in the search and/or discovery of a possible unpublished Shakespeare play. Despite some contrived coincidences and oh-so-convenient happenstances, I thoroughly enjoyed playing along for this thrill ride of a read. Told partly through very old letters, secret coded letters, and a ‘last’ letter from the attorney – as he prepares for his own possible end and final confrontation, the story also unfolds through a few other characters who all end up crossing paths at the end. The reader will figure out a few things but will also be wondering how and when the main characters catch the clues, as well. Actually, I still am not sure I got everything but it doesn’t really matter.
So, it’s a mystery, it’s historical fiction, it’s Shakespeare!! and it’s fun. I especially liked the banter near the end as the characters themselves talk as if they are in the plot of a movie even to the point of wondering who would be the actors. But I disagree – John Cusack would be too old for Al; I could see Jack Black in that role. This would be a tough novel to turn into a film script but hey- what do I know?! I’m still underwhelmed that they attempted The DaVinci Code (yea, I read it. so what?!) and I am super-dooper excited that they were able to make the Bourne Identity movies so great!
The story of how the author dreams up the story is fascinating. You can read that on his official website here.
I seem to have a theme started this year (and if I’m ever clever enough to start a challenge this might be one! Let me know if one already exists. It’s not like I’ve been going around cataloguing book challenges…) Whoops! that sentence got away from me. I was saying… the theme I have is one of LETTERS. Not alphabet letters but ‘correspondence.’ A note before dying, etc. Ija’am was sort of a ’last’ letter; The House of Meetings was such a letter – explaining his life right before he is to die. Of course, I Sent a Letter to My Love was about letter writing; The Color Purple was a correspondence based book. Atonement had love letters…
Has anyone else read anything good recently that used the mode of correspondence? included letter-writing?
FOUR STARS
The only other review I found in wordpress was this one by Sadie-Jean.
I won this book from (click for his review:) Shakespeare Geek, a fun blog. In the spirit of sharing, I will offer this book to the first commentor who says they want it. I’ll email you to get your snailmail address.
Hey, I’d like to read it! The last book I read with letters in it was “The Pale Blue Eye” by Louis Bayard. It was a great novel. In the spirit of reciprocity, I’ll send you a surprise novel as soon as I receive “The Book of Air and Shadows.” Love ya, darlin’!
We have a winner! Expect my email soon.
In the spirit of autocommentarianism, I wanted to add to and didn’t feel like editing this post…. It seems to be slow in refreshing/opening, blahblahblah.
Jack Black really isn’t that much younger than Cusack as I originally thought. (only 3 years!?) So maybe I could have Seth Rogen in that role. He is not yet 30… Tho Seth maybe too tall.
I do love to play the ‘who would act this part?’ game.
I haven’t read too many letter books lately, but it seems like I’ve been into books written like journals. It’s funny how we get into a mode like that.
Hi Nicole! A journal style? Does the writer of the journal think it will ever be read by another? Guess I need to wander over to your blog and see if I can find what you’re talking about.
I need to visit you anyway; thanks for stopping by!
I’ve seen this one around for awhile and one of these days I will actually read it, especially since I keep reading good things about it from other bloggers. Thanks!
Lesley, it’s well-written fun escapade reading.
BOOK SPOILER – DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE GOING TO READ THE BOOK!!
Hi – I’m glad you said you’re not sure if you got everything.. I just finished this last night and loved the book but I’m puzzled by the ending – if the ms is real and Micky didn’t set up the ruse, how did he get himself inserted into the plot? Just to authenticate it by Shvanov? (Mishkin still calls him a false friend)And why don’t they feel any remaining fear for Shvanov as I think he survived.
Oh I hear ya! Which is one reason I gave this book to Chartroose – she can give an excellent recap, I’m hoping. I got very confused what exactly was the ploy of the charade, too. Real? how did they find it? When did Mickey and the girl get together – did she ‘plant’ it and arrange for her boss to buy it AND set the fire? LOTS of questions. I don’t recall even wondering that he didn’t drown – I think I was in a hurry to get done with the book once the balloon burst… But Jake was DEFINITELY pulled in as a putz (with $$) to move it along. And it was too transparent and convenient that his dad was a Russian mobster but it wasn’t really a secret, either since he mentions it on the first or second page. But it was still a lot of fun and a good diversion from what I had been reading so I ate it all up. Thanks for stopping by. – Care