Juleón “Jude” Tholet has survival in his DNA. His father, Cleon, lived through imprisonment and torture during Pinochet’s military coup in Chile. His mother, Penny, risked everything to gain her husband’s freedom and flee the country with their newborn son. But as a closeted gay teenager growing up in Vancouver, Jude is targeted by a neighborhood bully called El Cóndor, culminating in a vicious … vicious hate crime that forces the Tholets to flee their country again.
Jude cautiously rebuilds his life in Seattle, becoming an accomplished pianist, but his his wings have been clipped and he cannot seem to soar in his relationships. Only family remains a constant source of strength and joy, until a DNA test reveals something that shocks all the Tholets: Jude is not their child.
Stunned by the test results, the Tholets must dig into their painful past, re-examine their lives in 1973 Santiago and the events surrounding Jude’s birth story. It’s a tale rooted in South America’s Operation Condor. It spreads through Pinochet’s terrifying regime of detention camps, torture, disappeared civilians and stolen children. The journey forces Penny Tholet to confront the gaps in her memory while Cleon must re-live an ordeal he’s long kept hidden away in a secret world. The tale ends with Jude digging through his genetic code in a quest to find his biological parents. Are they alive? Or are they among Los Desaparecidos—the Disappeared Ones?
Suanne Laqueur’s third book in the Venery series explores the desperate acts of love made in times of war, and the many ways family can be defined.
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A Scarcity of Condors, the third book in the Venery series by Suanne Laqueur, is a brilliant culmination of stories and characters that reach inside your body and mind with such adept strength and beauty, it cannot be forgotten. When I read the first book in the series, I was thoroughly blown away by the raw intensity and magnetism of the writing quality, character development, and life circumstances. The second book took it to an even higher level, a nearly impossible feat in my opinion. I adored the third book, but I will say it kept the game at a steady pace rather than raise the bar… but that said, as a trilogy, this is above and beyond any other book series I’ve ever read. Hands down, this is one of the most memorable stories I will ever come to know.
I really wanted to give this 5 stars, but in comparison to the first two, I had to show the difference in terms of how amazing the first two were… so I’m settling at 4.5 stars. But I’d recommend it more than any of the 226 books (minus the second in the series) I read in 2019. Hands Down! No questions asked. This is pure adrenaline, every possible emotion, and mind-wrecking all at once. While the topics and scenes can be harsh and difficult to swallow, they are handled with the utmost care and attention to detail. This woman can write with effortless ease and superb, flawless beauty, and I cannot recommend it enough.
I’m clearly uncertain how to write a review because to describe the plot would take pages. To showcase the love between some of the characters in just a few paragraphs is impossible. If you can handle your heart being broken, stomped on, and then repaired, you must read this book. If you can witness the disasters of 9/11, Pinochet’s abuse of citizens, rape of every possible kind, murder, and torture, you must read this book. While it’s visceral, vivid, and detailed, it’s clean and honest. The pain won’t go away for days… but it will be wrapped up in the coziest of blankets to make you feel whole enough to move on.
So… find a way to read all three. You must read in order. You need to take your time. You have to be open-minded. You need to understand love between two men, a man and a woman, parents and children, or at least want to be shown how amazing any form of it can be. This is not an easy book to swallow… from gay bashing to crushing a man’s legs with a car because he looked at you funny for a second… you will never think of humanity the same way again. This is why I read.
A Scarcity of Condors by Suanne Laqueur is extraordinary and phenomenal and chilling all at once.
Laqueur has the unique ability to turn her story’s into epic sagas that capture her readers hearts and souls.
She’ll have you chanting the mantra “… this is a revolting development.”
And believe me, she doesn’t save you from the raw truth, but immerses you completely in a storyline that is filled with tragedy and triumph.
You are going to fall completely in love with Jude and his whole family.
“Love thrives on protein, not sugar.”
And most of all, you’re going to find yourself wanting redemption for all of the Tholet’s and the injustices they have faced individually and as a family.
“Let the issues sit in your lap and whine. Be patient. They’ll get bored with you and leave.”
Truly a phenomenal book that will keep you up for hours. And one I’ll be reading again and again.
5 Stars
With A Scarcity of Condors Suanne Laquer threw down the proverbial gauntlet. I feel like she said; here it is, this nitty gritty story in all it’s raw emotional glory. This evocative tale of so much loss and anguish but then finding something you never even knew was lost.
How could I not lose myself in this powerful story that is filled with so much historical importance and want to be able to protect Jude and those he loves from the harsh truths they are about to endure.
This series is truly one of the most compelling and deeply moving series I have ever read.
**Received review copy from NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed.**
I’ve been waiting a long time for this book, knowing the life and wordsmith magic Suanne Laqueur breathes into her stories. The anticipation was not in vain. A Scarcity of Condors is the 3rd book in her Venery series and so far, all of the stories and characters are incredible in how the lives and experiences unfold and reach out to the reader. If the expectation is that this will be like Larks or Finches, Condors is a bit of a deviation from the other two, although some themes remain parallel. There are time jumps from chapter to chapter, which were connected seamlessly so that I never felt confused as to where I was in time despite multiple transitions.
The present time story focuses on Jude Tholet, son of Penny and Cleon Tholet in 2010. Jude, Penny and Cleon have all survived some pretty traumatic and tragic things separately. The good news is that they have all made it to the other side as well adjusted human beings, who adapted and overcame so many obstacles and know how to love and savor life as it is now. But the book takes the reader back to those times when they are in the thick of it and would rather forget it. Knowing that a lot of what is described in Chile in 1973 was based off of factual accounts and information is harrowing and disturbing. Many parts are not easy to read because the truth is so far from pretty, that ugly is not an adequate enough word. Yet it seemed to be a story of many voices that demanded to be told and heard by an audience who would listen, learn and lament for all of those people to know they are not forgotten. I wholeheartedly applaud the author for that.
There’s multiple tiers in the plot. Jude discovers that he is not genetically the same as his parents, which launches a quest for who he is and where are his biological parents. Not to mention that he is a gay man who struggles with relationships given that he was tragically targeted for it as a teenager and can this new guy whom he’s smitten with possibly be the one worth keeping? There’s also the kind of love that transcends blood because Penny and Cleon both have their own history to share despite not wanting to revisit it, but all I could see was what brave and amazing people they are, along with Jude, and everyone else in their family network. And when Jude follows a lead that does connect to someone with a similar genetic blueprint, will that become a relationship that can be cultivated? Watching him bloom with hope and talk himself up and down while going through the journey is inspiring and eye opening, because what are the necessary threads that bind people to one another? How does one love fully and fearlessly after having dealt with the aftermath of shattered pieces and loss? There’s so many topics to explore and thought provoking discussions to be had. The depth and richness and research put into this is impeccable and unrivaled. It is books like these that make me feel empowered as a reader.
If you haven’t been reading this series, you are sorely missing out on literary masterpieces and inspirational characters. These don’t just come highly recommended, they are must-reads.
It’s clear that Suanne Lacqueur researched the subject of this novel with meticulous care. I have read many books penned by her and, once again, she immersed me in a narrative with a rich and sophisticated tapestry of words, detail, thought, and feeling. The layered story arc and carefully crafted characters ensured that I was completely invested in all areas of the story and enamoured with the protagonists who take centre stage.
#recommendedread
The wonderful storytelling from Suanne Laquers is epically transforming. She takes you on a mesmerizing journey that holds your breath as well as opens your sea of emotions. The sense of family, belonging, loving unconditionally is at the heart of this story. While it can be read as a stand-alone, reading the previous books brings around a familiarity that heightens the reading experience.
While the story is fiction, it is based around facts involving the military coup in Chile by Pinochet. The atrocities and emotions detailed are not sugar coated. The story of Juléon “Jude” Tholet, his family and the repercussions of an innocent DNA test will test the fortitude of his family, his sense of belonging and his sense of who he is in this world. This story is an epic journey told in both present and past tense. In order to understand the present, the past must be put through the ringer. For every past step, there is a present step that will reshape the life of Jude and those he loves.
This story feed my emotions whole heartedly. I loved that this author got you invested in characters, their families and made you experience the trials and tribulations that each went through. Jude’s family and his new family brought the story to a beautiful crescendo that tied them both together forever. The pain and heartbreak were worth every suffering because to understand the past, it lead to the whys of the present and an over abundance of love for everyone.
The story is slow, methodical and exact. It doesn’t skim the storyline, it flourishes with open honesty. Besides the premise of Jude discovering his DNA results, it also delves into Jude’s past and his learning to trust again that the euphoric high of teen love does come back around, even in your thirties. A beautiful story of family, mystery and MM romance.
*advanced copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
I would hand out 10 stars if it were possible. This final book in the Venery Series by Suanne Laqueur is phenomenal. Without a doubt, the best book I’ve read this year. Suanne is a gifted storyteller with an eye for detail that is unsurpassed. Highly recommend the entire trilogy.
Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse and Rachel at KFF
Laqueur held back no punches. Her masterfully-crafted third novel in the Venery world not only rendered us speechless, but also bought home the effect a regime’s unspeakable atrocities had on families. Even the most hardened reader will find passages emotionally stirring simply because this story of heartbreak and elation rang so true. An Exaltation of Larks and A Charm of Finches were both 5-star reads for us; A Scarcity of Condors is Laqueur at her very best. Historical accuracy and lifelike prose enhance her protagonists’ suffering, endurance and wisdom gained through perseverance. Also, the beginning of the story has a dramatic irony which consequently, had us rooting for all of them.
Although it’s unusual to see the passive voice in novels, the author’s usage of this grammatical structure in certain sentences is perfectly comprehensible. By doing it this way, she’d not only accentuated inhumane acts committed against those in her story, but the persecution of whole communities in Chile. We’re sure most facts are well-known to you, but here the author has simply underlined excruciatingly detailed barbarities to the point of causing distress. More important and to our minds of thinking, she’s effectively highlighted the after-effects of past and not so far-off crimes. While everyone affected was of utmost importance in the flow of the story, nothing seemed to wrench at our heartstrings more than what young Jude had endured in the hands of hatred. How he coped with the physical and physiological aftermath and how his parents survived to tell their tales was literally beyond us.
Adding to the story’s brilliance, another writing technique used was Cleón’s narrative in second-person. We saw what he’d suffered through his eyes, we lived his fears as if we were there and in effect, we became him. How he faced the future and turned out to be the most loving, tolerant and protective parent is nothing less than astounding. The majority of the book is in third-person from multiple points of view, so we got to learn each and everyone’s suffering, too.
The chapters are unconventional in the respect that they are named rather than numbered. Actually, this helped us catch the drift of the story when it lept back and forth. There is absolutely nothing convoluted. It is how it is. Tragic most times, delightful when small joys in their lives gave us readers a space to come up for air, making us smile from ear to ear.
Cleón, Penny, their two sons and only daughter, Jude, Serena and the youngest, Aiden, have a tight-knit relationship. Laqueur left no stone unturned and although Aiden is in the background doing his thing, we felt him. Before we even begin with Jude or his mother, Penny, Serena…wow, we’d at the very least love to have her as our bestie! Sharp-witted and totally protective of her brother, Jude, the banter between these two is adoringly quirky. And how could we leave out her quote which brightened up even the most worrying happenings? “Well, this is a revolting development.”
So now Penny. Mother hen, strong and genuine. A fighter who only backed down against her will when the tough became too much bear is her husband’s everything. She’s his light when there’s darkness and it’s reciprocated tenfold. Penny has enough sense to realise that a particular issue in her marriage is of no consequence. Her love is undying, and respect and friendship go without saying. Ooh, lord…their marriage felt so real, on the spot and in harmony that it’s quite honestly an experience listening in to their so put together and intelligent conversations.
Now Jude. How could we not fall head of heels for his gorgeousness, ladies? It’s not easy to describe such a beautiful soul as he. Gentile…without a doubt, confused and angry after discovering a truth no-one understands will be revealed—yeap, we’re not in the mood for letting on but floor us it did. He finds respite. A thrilling dialogue kicks in when Jude meets his match. And what a match it is! Laugh we did when trying to pronounce Tej’s name. Tej as in page was quite the tongue-twister for us! The feels, them being on the same wavelength literally bowled us over.
Does Feño have to be mentioned in this saga? We thought not at the time of writing this review; however, in retrospect, we changed our minds. Should a young and innocent love humiliate a whole family? Judge, we did. Disgusted, we were. Feño’s mother’s a shell of a woman with reason. Absorb this poor woman’s history and you’ll see where we’re going. You’ll see that justice done for the likes of those afflicted isn’t at all satisfying for others. It’s terribly wrong. The wrongdoings on behalf of one leader, one so-called government which caused such despair has no pardon.
Let’s sum up! A Scarcity of Condors is a cruel, harsh and devastatingly beautiful novel. It has to be read. Love outweighs hardship. The meaning of family ties is irrevocably the answer to happiness not easy to reach if there’s discordance which, fortunately, there wasn’t. Bravo Laqueur for bringing us hours of reading enjoyment; for your uniquely powerful storytelling! To readers of our review. We do hope we didn’t bore the socks off you, but we’ve spoken from the bottom of our hearts.
Eleventy billion stars…….I need to compose myself before reviewing
Here I am a week on, and still no clearer with the words for my review (I can only apologise)
I have never read anyone who writes like Suanne Laqueur. Never afraid to face the most difficult subjects, she dives right in and gets amongst it handling them with sensitivity and humour. Not an easy read, with suffering of many kinds and some potential triggers.
Once again this is impactful and wide reaching, each character had me wanting to snuggle them under my wing and keep them safe. The intensity of the situations described had me on tenterhooks, much like one of the characters once I looked up from my book and had to take a moment to readjust to my surroundings I was so completely immersed in their world.
As always the author has written the relationships so beautifully in this story that you just want to be a part of their family, in amongst the banter and the little quirks as they face the most traumatic truths together.
I adored everything about this, and I don’t know if I will ever recover. An epic saga, beautifully written.
For those who don’t know, I typically reserve New Year’s Eve and the day leading up to it (and the day after) for myself. I send my husband and girls to his parents’ house and I take advantage of the quiet to reflect on all of the things (good and bad) and I snuggle up with a book that I want to read distraction free. A few years ago I selected the first series Suanne Laqueur wrote and found myself completely consumed by the characters and their hurts, sorrows, and triumphs. Last year, I used the same holiday days to catch up on the Venery series and found myself consumed once again. This year, I was lucky enough to get the third book in the series, A Scarcity of Condors, earlier than my normal Suanne reading holiday and I decided to take advantage of a nothing to grade weekend and read it.
Oh.My.God.
I am obsessed. This weekend A Scarcity of Condors had my complete attention and anyone who tried to distract me from it got a death glare. The story of the Tholets was heartwrenching and healing. Their story as told from Jude, Cleon, and Penny was one of fierce love; how they fought for each other and loved each other was incredibly moving. I wish I had the words to express just how deeply this story seeped into my heart, my bones, my brain but I don’t. I wish you could’ve seen me losing my fight against the tears, putting the book down to stare off into space and contemplate everything I just read. Or how there were times I could practically smell or taste the food Tej and Penny prepared. And how I would feel a smile take over after an especially happy scene and I’d reach up to press my lips in the hopes of keeping that smile just a little longer. It’s rare these days that I have such visceral reactions to characters so when I do, I treasure the experience. These characters took over my everything for a solid 48 hours and I loved them and their stories so much that I am looking forward to diving into this novel again, just to relive the beauty of it all.
In addition to how enamored I am with the storytelling, I’m continually in awe of the writer and writing. The amount of time and research Suanne Laqueur puts into all of her novels has to be incalculable; I cannot imagine how she does what she does and puts it into her work so seamlessly. Both the big details and small ones are just so well done that every story feels effortless–but especially this one– though I know that she must put an enormous amount of time into every single one of those details. (I just have to acknowledge it; I have so much respect for how well thought out every aspect of this novel is and if you ever read this review, Suanne Laqueur, please know that your attention to detail is so very appreciated.)
This novel (and series) has captured my heart in a way that few do and so I’m very selfishly hoping that one or two of the tertiary characters who haven’t had much attention yet,will get the Suanne Laqueur treatment. I’m happy to beg for more of these characters. Or maybe I’ll just sit patiently for whatever idea she dreams up next because I’m absolutely certain it will be worth the wait.
How does a person write a review for a book that is so well written and tells an epic tale over decades, that you just know you won’t be able to do the story justice? Well here is my take at trying to give this story the praise that it deserves.
Suanne Laqueur has written the next book in the Venery series, A Scarcity of Condors. In this book we follow Jude Tholet, and his parents Penny and Cleon, from present day to Chile in 1973, depending on the POV. And what we get to read is a tale of love – a parent’s love for a child, a spouse’s love for the other, a budding young relationship of love between two teens, and learning how to love again when your world is completely turned upside down by some simple DNA results, and finally what defines a family. If you have read this author’s other books in this series, you know that she does not sidestep the uneasy topics when it comes to being gay and how the world perceives you and receives you. Once again she dives into the hard topics and delivers them with grace and love. She also gives us more of how Chile was during 1973 and how this family endured their lives during that time.
Once you start reading this story you will fall in love with Jude, Tej, Penny, Cleon, Serena, and all of the others that bring a wonderful life to A Scarcity of Condors.
I don’t have the words to describe this author’s phenomenal talent to lay out such an historically accurate, emotionally packed and page-turning saga, in such few words. She brings each character so much to life that you believe you can look up and speak to them directly. The horrors, joys, puzzlements, love, desire, and the depths of each fill every atom of your being. You become so ingrained with Jude Tholet, his family, their history, and his shattered world as a result of the trendy DNA test that his family members take on a whim. You feel each emotion that each character has felt and feels as you read. It’s an incredible talent Ms Laqueur possesses to share these emotions so easily with her readers. You want to feel them 24 hours a day everyday but you hare to live your life not live in the book. All I do when I read this book is bask in its kayak-rolling-down-whitewater-rapids, and the thunderous roar of love and desire two humans feel for each other. No matter your background, age, or propensity, this book will leave you with every cell of your body touched in a magical way.
Let me just start by saying this author’s writing is so good it makes me want to weep, it’s just phenomenal.
Condors is the story of Jude, Juleon, and essentially his journey to find his “home.” In order to tell this story we have to go back in time, to Chile and Pinochet’s coup, to his family’s escape, to his early years in Vancouver, to his first love, to the tragedy that has shaped his life up until the present. I LOVED this family, every single character. That’s part of my great love affair with this author’s works, she creates these characters that are so realistic and lifelike, it’s a shame they have to stay within the pages. Jude’s journey is not linear so there are time jumps, but the author does a seamless job with the transitions bridging the past and the present. I’m not a huge historical fan, but Suanne writes the history of this book in a way that made me crave to know more. I ate it up like it was my own. The M/M relationship between Tej and Jude was just the icing on the cake with the sweet cherry being the connection to the other standalones in this series (loved catching up with one of my favorite literary families, The Larks.)
I can not recommend this series more, it is literary perfection! You are doing yourself a reading disservice if you aren’t reading this!
This third installment of the Venery series disproves the addage that there can be too much of a good thing. First, an Exaltation, then a Charm. A Scarcity of Condors takes the epic, brutally honest and heartbreakingly beautiful flight into Pinochet’s evil, where the sacred also rise. I cannot do justice to this story but only say that it is important, and stunning, and life giving. I love these characters and their hearts, thanks to the creative genius of this author.
True Art Always Leaves Its Mark
Dear Suanne,
It has been twenty-three days since I read A Scarcity of Condors and twenty one days since I completed it. You may be wondering why, since I gave it a five-star rating, has it taken me so long to write a review. I truly believe I have been in shock since I read your exquisite book. It was my first experience with your writing and I must say I was not at all prepared for your profound artistry in any way.
I have thought about this book at least once a day since I finished reading it. The characters and the circumstances they endured are unimaginable and truly unforgettable. More than this, the magnificently beautiful human beings they became despite their experiences is an absolute miracle. I honestly did not know how to put into words the magnitude of the impact this book made on me.
Today, I vowed that I would not let one more pass without letting you know the significance of this awesome book you have written. Your work has made me thankful for the life I have been given. It has also made me realize that I must never, ever stop trying, no matter how awful my situation may be. You have made me confident that I must persist even when I don’t understand or cannot possibly see how things will ever get better.
Your telling of Jude Tholet and his family’s story has given me hope that if I work hard at surviving the worst days life subjects me to, I will overcome to find the peace and joy that awaits. You have shown me that the human body and psyche is capable of surviving and overcoming circumstances which they cannot conceive or control.
You never implied or said it would be and easy process. You simply told of the depths and heights encountered by your unforgettable characters as they worked to hold on to and salvage the love they had for each other. You showed me how love, acceptance, and hope are integral to the healing process.
The amount of work you put into research, then expertly choosing and crafting the words with which you told this tale are quite evident. There is not one extraneous detail or awkward phrase. You have managed to tell one of the most horrific stories I have ever encountered. Yet, you left me feeling enlightened and empowered for having read it. You tempered the utter devastation with softer moments and humor to find the perfect balance.
I am still not sure this counts as a review, but I know that I needed to express the depth to which A Scarcity of Condors affected me. You are truly a wordsmith of the highest echelon. Thank you for your care in crafting such an important story. Though it was the first book of yours I have read, it will certainly not be the last. You have made me your loyal reader for life by the strength and conviction your exhibit in your art.
There’s something just so intimately human about the Venery series as a whole and that quality most definitely shines in A Scarcity of Condors. Suanne Laqueur brilliantly weaves together an emotional fiction story while using true historical events as her background. Her writing engages you as she makes you keenly aware of her well-developed characters as well as highly intrigued and in tune with the history of their stories.
What I love about Laqueur’s story telling is not only how concisely researched and intelligently written it always is but how this author refuses to hold back on the gamut of emotions she provides. There’s no sugar coating scenario’s or feelings which in turn makes her stories that much more real and the emotions that much more pronounced. She always finds subtle yet profound ways to make her stories easy to relate to in the human nature of them but also illustrating how very important these human feelings and qualities are in the real world. It’s deep and always moving providing a truly special reading experience.
I also love the questions that Laqueur’s always asking in her stories. Venery Book 3 stays in alignment with the notion of family that carries through the series. What is family? Who are your family? As these and more questions are pondered the ways in which Laqueur shapes and defines the answers are eye opening.
This book is a hard journey deeply rooted in love and understanding. Laqueur’s effervescence for story telling and her sense of the good in people is electric. She gives us a journey full of hope. The compassion in which A Scarcity of Condors is written gave me a heightened sense of awareness and understanding. I was not merely a reader of Jude and his tale but a bystander who felt as though I was living the story as I was reading it.
This book can be read as a standalone but I wouldn’t do it because you’d miss out on the perfection of books one and two.
Distinctly showcasing Suanne Laqueur’s unique writing voice, filled with wit, humor, pain, loss, love, written with compassion and honor A Scarcity of Condors is not to be missed whether you’re an old fan of this gifted author or a newcomer to her work.
Here’s my dilemma, am I ecstatic that I have found an emotionally intelligent writer or should i mourn the fact that she’s ruined me for all else. I will crave for her words and curse after I’m done cause everything else in comparison seems insipid & bland.
It’s rare to see a poignant love story with heart ripping honesty and page turning quality penned so skillfully it keeps you employed from first word till the last.
I’ve walked in blind in the palace of words by suanne, I’m completely subsumed in the depths of its emotions, stunned by the cruelty of power hungry dictators she starkly unearths and enthralled by the redeeming power of love she pens. To say I’m enamored, would be an understatement.
Suanne has written about a rich heritage stripped and looted by its totalitarian power grabbers. An extremely painful account of an attempt to obliterate and disappear and entire generation of people of this earth and the smugness with which it was carried out in plain sight. A journey of a boy through this forrest of pain, he sees paths meandering but he is lost!
A chronicled saga of Jude, from Obscurity to Plentitude
Music players the doctor and therapist in this story and this verse just fits so well here :
Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
T’was blind but now I see
“True. And. Dot-dot-dot. Who are you going to be now?”
Having endured mind altering bias and prejudices for his sexual orientation, this boy who is surrounded by unconditional love and acceptance, still carries deep emotional scars delivered ruthlessly by bigoted and dogmatic pseudo kings
The protagonist is a man of multiple identities and yet he’s just an outline, a silhouette. Wandering aimlessly trying to find substance that will fill his heart & soul. he could be anyone or everyone from Croatia to Bosnia to Syria to Rohingya to Argentina or in this case, Chile
“I’m a Canadian citizen, a Chilean nationalist and a permanent resident of the United States. I am me. Juleón Tholet, son of Cleon Tholet and Penelope Cambie.”
He has been robbed.
Broken
Stripped
Beaten
Abandoned..
And then walks in Tej -rhymes with page. He gatecrashes like an unexpected squatter and comes camps in Jude’s life. He’s a compatriot and a companion both. He understands and holds hands, he offers support and takes refuge in Jude’s heart. They say strength lies in numbers and two hearts are better than one, especially when they both become therapy and medication for each other.
“That door stays open, you say whatever the hell you want, whenever you want.”
The story turns around when Tej is introduced and suddenly the narrative becomes rosy, hopeful and the plot smiles. A chance test that they all take as a joke, topples over their family jenga tower.
The ruins unearth secrets, skeletons and identities tumble out, unleashing anger and frustration all around
The entire story is a reprimand, a lesson in history. It moved me deeply and unexpectedly. I’ve shed tears, I’ve had pain in my heart, I’ve wanted to pick up the baseball bats against the bullies and tortures.
As a citizen of this planet we are all responsible if we let atrocities be committed and bury our heads in sand.
We all should be ashamed of ourselves if we teach our kids intolerance & racist superiority.
We are all accountable if we let bigotry and homophobia run around unchecked.
I’m struggling to find a box to put this novel in. Is it a contemporary thriller, a dark historical account or a philosophical love story….or is it ALL INCLUSIVE
Whichever it is, it’s profound, intelligent, essential, important and necessary story which should be on the top of your tbr!!
Of the characterization, it’s weird that this book has many heroes. Nobody wears a cape but they are all saviors, Guardians and protectors.
Tej is smooth talking charmer who turns jude inside out and heals from within.
“I don’t just want to be your lover. I want to be your home. Your nine-one-one. I’m your call now. You make it and I will answer.”
Mirielle with Samson is all-encompassing and accepting, lending support & Laughter
Cleon is unchallenged as the head of the family, authoritative, dignified and protective.
“Everything happened so you could be my boy.” He ran his cheek along Jude’s hair.
“¿Somos compañeros?”
“Compañeros,” Jude whispered.
“Por siempre.”
Penny is uber courageous, soft hearted matriarch and her family’s travails bleed her heart, their injuries- injurious to her.
“Her maternal instincts picked up a sword and tested its weight and edge. The She-Wolf’s eyes narrowed at an enemy not yet revealed, seeking justice for a wrong not done. Not yet.”
This masterpiece has me babbling & rambling and I threaten to do so, till you pick up this book to read. While I go back to the start – The Exaltation of the Larks
10 stars for Lucy in the sky with Diamond
Taking authentic historical events such as Pinochet and Operation Condor and building a story around it is not an easy task. As with the other two books in the Venery series I can honestly say that Suanne Laqueur has created yet another phenomenal book.
A Scarcity of Condors doesn’t hold back but goes all in. My emotions was a punching bag. I felt it ALL! I lived and breathed for these characters. For Jude and his family.
What happens when you’re not who you think you are? Jude discovers his parents are not his biological mother and father. Then weave in the horrific events under Pinochet’s reign and a man discovering and finding biological heritage. A tour de force on my emotions.
To me A Scarcity of Condors is first and foremost a love story. Between lovers. New and old and of course the love of a strong family. The Tholet family is LOVE. Screw what DNA and blood says.
This family has been through hate, torture, losses and still they love and forgive.
A Scarcity of Condors isn’t just the journey of Jude but also of his parents Penny and Cléon.
A Scarcity of Condors is part of the Venery series and can be read as a stand-alone but I strongly recommend to read the other books. They are just as brilliant and for me I found little treats in each of them including in A Scarcity of Condors.
To end this review I’ll answer a question the author asks in her acknowledgments. Yes, you got it right! Epically so.
5+ This is Our Family Stars
A Scarcity of Condors is exceptional. Suanne Laqueur continues to mesmerize with her gift of meticulous storytelling combining the very best in history lessons with the very real effects of truths uncovered. For Jude Tholet, his world is painfully turned upside down by not only the realizations of a fractured family tree but how he will learn to how to deal with this surprising reality. I find myself forever being in awe of Laqueur’s characters as they accept what is thrown their way, whether by fate or on purpose, and take us on a glorious path to healing, one page at a time. I liken this third book in the Venery series to a complicated jigsaw puzzle, where the pieces can’t possibly ever fit. But then as the seemingly disjointed chapters come together, so do the ‘a-ha’ moments and those previously impossible puzzle pieces seem to easily slide into place.
There is a ridiculous amount of emotion in this book that I had to frequently stop to catch my breath all the while anxious to continue because I just had to know what would happen next. Oh the lovely feeling that was! Pure bliss even when Jude hurt. Or his parents were haunted by the lost world that Chile experienced in the early 1970’s. How their lives were torn apart by the evil doings of a dictator and were now faced with more horror by that long ago cruelty that the life they have been living with their oldest was simply not true.
I was thrilled that Jude finds a lifeline in the very seductive Tej, a man with his own despair and yet was the perfect balm that his lover needed. Their witty banter and flirty dialogue was a great distraction to what the Tholet family was facing. Tej’s understanding and acceptance of patriarch Cleon’s wretched journey was a huge step in his relationship with Jude as the younger Tholet let someone into their haunted world. I was overcome with tears but at the same time, the way Laqueur guides the reader through the story of Cleon’s torture, using Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds as an eerie kind of backdrop, is also extremely beautiful. It was beyond eye-opening and had me wanting to read more about that horrific time in Chile’s past.
A Scarcity of Condors comes full circle in many ways as more than mere coincidences begin to materialize as the book goes way over the halfway mark. As a huge fan of An Exaltation of Larks and A Charm of Finches, pieces of those books are now forever meshed with this latest story and I was as gobsmacked as Jude was at the revelations that persist to make themselves known. With so much to absorb and consider, I savored every single word and thoroughly enjoyed this astounding adventure as the afore-mentioned almost jagged puzzle pieces smooth out together, gracefully.
This masterfully-written story cannot be simply categorized as one thing or another. Instead it is a wonderful combination of a newfound love, a reconfiguration of a family dynamic and the acceptance and freedom when long-held pain and regret are finally put to rest. It’s a celebration of life and devotion for promises kept and the respite provided by music that 4 men from Liverpool created when desperation was the only feeling allowed. With unforgettable characters on every single page, I truly did not want this tale to end, even when it was at times hard to read. To say that it will be hard to let go of these magnificent creatures is an understatement.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I enthusiastically give A Scarcity of Condors a huge 5+++ stars!
I haven’t been in a reading slump, per se, but it’s been a while since a book has absorbed me, and the feeling was frankly overdue. To that end, this story consumed me completely. I read 75% of the book in one sitting last evening, and boy, do I have one hell of a (book) hangover as a result.
As is typical for this author, the background research is impeccable and the interactions between the characters unique. It isn’t a light read (*cough* understatement) but it isn’t overly heavy either, thanks to a smattering of side characters and snide honesty that help to carry the load.
This is, undoubtably, one of my top reads of the year. Using idiosyncrasies of language, song, brutal history, and family, Laqueur conveys a story that will stay with me for a long while. Five phenomenal stars.