My Revolutions

My Revolutions (2007) by Hari Kunzru. A man who was a violent radical in the antiwar movement of the '60s tries to escape his past, all the while searching for a woman he loved through all the protests. This novel is set in London in the '90s, and the author assumes a familiarity with the geography and the local lingo that American readers probably won't possess. Nevertheless, it is an involving story and full of rich detail. Grade: B+

Keeping Faith

Keeping Faith (1999) by Jodi Picoult. A seven-year-old girl (named Faith) suddenly starts seeing an imaginary friend called her "Guard." She later shows the ability to raise the dead and heal the sick. What's going on? Is she really a vessel of God, or is she being manipulated by her mentally ill mother? It's an intriguing premise, but unfortunately Picoult develops it in a clumsy and unbelievable way in this novel. Chiefly lacking are believable characters and motivations. Grade: C+