Banyan Moon: A Novel
by Thao Thai
A Three Generation Struggle (5/11/2023)
Three generations of women - a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughter - tell this story in successive chapters. Minh, the grandmother is born in Vietnam and her story starts as the Vietnam War is drawing to an end. She is a determined young girl who manages to get to the United States with her young children, Huong and Phuoc. Her granddaughter, Ann, born in the U.S is very close to her grandmother emotionally. The story begins as Minh dies and Ann who is now a young adult illustrator living in Michigan with a rather wealthy boyfriend returns to the grandmother's house in Florida and reconnects with her estranged mother. Minh continues to contribute to the story as her chapters are written from an after-death perspective. Vietnamese traditions and beliefs are deftly woven into the story while each woman struggles with each other and with the men in their lives whether lover, husband, father, or brother. Long hidden secrets come to light, some rather shocking, and the characters must decide how to deal with them. I was disappointed in the first few pages of the book as the writing seemed rather simplistic but this improved within a few pages. I would not call the writing lyrical but it was absorbing and the decisions that each character had to make kept me interested. I think there are many aspects of the book that would provide good discussion points in a book club group and all ages of women could relate. I am not certain that men would find it absorbing. There is a renowned banyan tree in Vietnam which is a symbol of freedom and this thought together with viewing the amazing structure of the banyan tree itself led me to think more deeply about this book.
Clytemnestra: A Novel
by Costanza Casati
A Woman of Determination (12/4/2022)
Clytemnestra is well-portrayed in this novel as a woman of physical and mental strength, the prized traits of Spartan men and women. This book is full of bloodshed, murder, treachery, pride, and revenge. Love is there somewhere but is frequently something that many characters see as a weakness, This is a story based upon Greek mythology and Greek history and is a fascinating read. I heartily recommend it, especially, if Greek mythology is not your strongvpoint.
River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer
A Mother's Love (10/7/2022)
The story of slavery in the Carribbean has only recently entered my knowledge base and this book expanded that to the searches that former slaves made to find the children who had been sold away from them. Rachel has been a slave all her life and has borne five living children, all of whom were taken from her at very young ages. Now the British have declared all slaves in Providence to be free. However, their owners meet this with a new announcement of their own: the former slaves are now apprentices with six more years of labor owed to their former masters. Rachel decides to run away even though she is trapped on an island. With the help other former slaves, she looks for her children even though she is constantly in danger of being found by agents of her former master and returned to to that life. She searches the larger city of Bridgetown, the many plantations on the island and even goes across the ocean to Trinidad.
This is an amazing and moving story of a mother's love and determination and I was definitely intrigued. The story is well-written, moves at a good pace and rings true. I think it would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys historical fiction and wants to know more about this area of the world.
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
Blind to Others (8/11/2021)
I seldom read memoirs because I always fear they will be irritatingly self-serving. I would not say that about this memoir. I found it a readable, engaging and quick read. Although it gave me some insight into the author's feelings, I lost respect for him as an adult. I have worked with young people with many kinds of disabilities for many years, and I recognize that most people, especially teenagers do not want to feel any different than their peers. Obviously, the author epitomized that feeling, even to the point of putting himself in physical danger when crossing streets where he was unable to see whether or not there were cars approaching. I would say that I was both appalled and dismayed to find that he carried this dangerous denial into adulthood and I understand Meredith's frustration with it. He did accomplish a great deal by sheer determination but did it really give him the life he wanted? He wanted to blend in but an outsiders quickly saw or sensed his difference. If they did not actually know about his blind condition, then, they seemed to find him just odd and they avoided him. He seemed to acknowledge this in one way but refused to see the real remedies despite the fact that he recognized how technology could help him. He did mention his parents' initial support but I would have been interested in hearing more about this. Did they ever really realize how impacted he was by his lack of vision. He does not mention any counseling regarding his blindness. I wonder why that never happened. At the end, I felt pity for him. It appears this is what he was trying so hand to avoid.
The Days When Birds Come Back
by Deborah Reed
Pleasant Read (12/30/2017)
I found this book to be a quick and pleasant read but a story that I will probably forget quickly. The protagonist, June, appeared a weak character for much of the book, eliciting only a small amount of sympathy for her loss of her father. When her true hidden secret was revealed, it seemed almost offhand and unimportant. Meanwhile, Jamison and Sarah Anne were struggling to forget the horrors of losing two children. I understand how Sarah Anne could embrace a new child and how Jamison could not but I did not feel that there was real justification in the final resolution.
American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World
by David Baron
Enlightening! (8/17/2017)
I bought this book from the author in preparation for the upcoming solar eclipse. Little did I know how absolutely wonderful it would be. It focuses on the eclipse of 1878 in Colorado and Wyoming and three very important observers: Thomas Edison who was testing his tasimeter, James Watson who was looking for the planet Vulcan and Mariah Mitchell, the first astronomy professor at the newly established Vassar College who was anxious to establish women's credentials as scientists. What fascinating stories and what a great look into the past! The fight for women's suffrage becomes a side point of great interest. Women's education had been degraded by a Boston physician who claimed that by "taxing the brain, higher education caused a girl's body--especially her reproductive organs---to atrophy." There are many other such notable and horrifying opinions covered. The pains which these and other scientists took to observe the eclipse makes anyone's reluctance to undertake a few hours of car travel to see the one next Monday most regrettable. This book had just enough technical information in it to give a neophyte solar eclipse viewer an appreciation of the science without overwhelming one in the subject.
A Fireproof Home for the Bride
by Amy Scheibe
Promises not Fulfilled (12/26/2014)
I believe this may be a first novel so I do not want to be too critical but several things bothered me right from the beginning. The first problem I had was that Emmy called her parents by their first names. I do not believe this would have happened in a Minnesota Lutheran community in this time period, especially in a family which was so strict. Throughout the book, I was bothered by things that either did not seem to ring true or that did not have enough foundation laid to make them believable. I appreciated the concept of the book, comparing opposition to Mexican immigrants to the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. But, I never quite understood the violence against women by Davidson and Ambrose did not ring true as a character for me. Bottom line, I was disappointed by this book.
Bitter Greens
by Kate Forsyth
A Spell-Binding Delight (9/8/2014)
What a fabulous book! Bitter Greens is a weaving of three stories within one which captivates and binds the reader as surely as the heroines are captivated and bound within the stories. Based upon the fairy tale Rapunzel, this a historical novel to be read, re-read and shared. Witches, courtesans, inquisitors, innocents and princes move in and out as the stories move through two centuries in Venice and France. Ms. Forsythe is truly a master of words and her love of words sparkles throughout and paints scenes so alive that I felt I was truly a part of the story. I felt the hunger, despair, hope, fear and, yes, thrill of seduction and love contained in these pages. This book was so fascinating that I read the afterword and acknowledgements with almost as much eagerness as I had read the story. Now, I am intrigued to read the quoted poetry and many of the sources, especially Anne Somerset's The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV. I think that bookclubs would be enthralled and that discussions would be lively and spell-binding.
The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra
by Helen Rappaport
The Romanov Sisters: Fascinating (6/2/2014)
I found the Romanov Sisters to be a fascinating, engaging and extremely well- researched (61 pages of footnotes) account of the lives of the four daughters of Tzar Nicolas and Tsaritsa Alexandra. The book begins with the marriage of Nicolas and Alexander and my sympathy was immediately captured by the beautiful Alexandra who was loved so dearly by Nicolas but never really understood by the Russian people. She had the misfortune of giving birth to four daughters before giving birth to a male heir in an age when women were thought responsible for the sex of the child and royal succession in Russia went only to males. This misfortune was multiplied as Alexandra carried the hemophilia gene and passed this on to her son. Of course, this was seen as Alexandra's fault, not the fault of the centuries of incestuous royal in-breeding of European royalty. However, the book really focuses on Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the four daughters, and their sheltered, isolated and simple lives in a family that identified itself first as a loving family, secondly, as a royal family. What I, personally, could not escape from the beginning, was an awful emotional sorrow as I knew what would happen to these children before they could reach adulthood. I, also, realized while reading this book that the older girls were actually of an age when they could have been expected to be married and safe from their fate and I found myself very curious as to why this had not occurred.
I believe that my enjoyment of the book was also enhanced by the fact that I have been fortunate enough to visit and walk in the four palaces featured in the book: Livadia in Crimea, Peterhof, the Winter Palace and Tsarskoe Selo (Catherine's Palace). Additionally, my grandmother told me she once saw Nicolas and Alexandra when she was growing up in Russia. These personal factors made it easy for me to identify with the events and people of this book. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in history, especially, Russian history. My only regret is that since I read an advance copy, it is devoid of the illustrations mentioned in the acknowledgements and, therefore, I shall have to seek a hard copy of the book when published so that I can enjoy these.
Henry and Rachel
by Laurel Saville
Thought-Provoking on Many Levels (10/13/2013)
Seldom do I read a book that I want to mark up and reread parts and passages but Henry and Rachel definitely fits this role. I empathized with each of the characters despite their flaws. Even Mrs. G gets some of my sympathy as she was caught in such a meaningless life. I almost cried at the fate of Rachel's parents. Lines comparing bachelors and spinsters made me chuckle and simultaneously, shake my head as the sad truth. This is a book that I will share with friends and probably, recommend as a bookclub read, which means I will have to reread it! I would say that this book will appeal most to a somewhat older group as I think it takes a lot of living to truly appreciate the challenges, strengths and weaknesses of each character.
Bitter River: A Bell Elkins Novel
by Julia Keller
Bitter River (8/1/2013)
Bitter River is an engrossing mystery story set in a small town in West Virginia. Beginning with the murder of a young teenage girl, the story unfolds with yet more deaths and disasters. References to previous murders detracted from my enjoyment because it highlighted the fact that I had not read a book which apparently preceded this one and I do not like to read series books out of order. I really enjoyed the book and found the characters to be believable. I enjoyed the romance between Bell and Clay and I was satisfied with the story's ending and the final irony surrounding the character, Eddie.
Children of the Jacaranda Tree
by Sahar Delijani
Children of the Jacaranda Tree (2/22/2013)
What a fascinating book! I think that the most interesting thought that I received from this book is that although revolutionaries may be killed, the revolutionary spirit cannot be killed. Ms. Delijani makes this very clear as she weaves her story about everyday revolutionary participants, their fates and their next generations. Changing time periods and locations was easily followed as each chapter bore the time and place titles. I truly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to seeing Ms. Delijani in person on her author tour. However, I fear that I missed the full impact of the title.
The Good House
by Ann Leary
The Good House (12/17/2012)
I found this book to be enjoyable, much on the order of a beach read. The character of Hildy Good is likeable and believable and her problem with alcohol is rather typical. The small town setting is very realistic. However, on the whole, the book is forgettable which is why I can only give it a 3.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel
by Rachel Joyce
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (8/6/2012)
This is a truly excellent book. I thought it sounded rather an odd story when I first heard about it but was captivated by the end of the first chapter. There are so many excellent life messages in this book which Harold and his wife Maureen learn along the way. Just a brief quote as an example: "Harold was ready for surprise, whatever form it took. Such freedom was rare." I truly, truly recommend this book.
On Black Sisters Street: A Novel
by Chika Unigwe
Rita's Review of On Black Sisters Street (4/16/2012)
This novel is set in Antwerp and recounts the stories of four women who work here as immigrant prostitutes. I think that the merits of this novel are twofold: first, it gives one insight into life in Nigeria in today's world; and, secondly, and most importantly, it gives one real empathy for women in a working situation that tends to elicit scorn from most people. One gains understanding of how young girls can get into such a situation and not just poor African girls and how and why they deal with the situation. This is an easy read in terms of writing style but may not be the most uplifting book you will read this year.
The Daughter of Siena: A Novel
by Marina Fiorato
The Daughter of Siena (5/26/2011)
This book will stand among my favorites. All of the characters are so well depicted and gripping, even the minor ones. I was quickly drawn into the drama and intrigue of the Palio horse races and the power struggle of medieval Siena. This is a book that I could not put down and has made me eager to read Fiorato's other books.
My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park
by Cindy Jones
My Jane Austen Summer (2/22/2011)
One feels a bit sorry for Lily who never seems to get it right in the romance department. Her love affair with Jane Austen is also slightly askew. But, she has great hopes for her summer in England with a cast re-living Mansfield Park. This book is a relaxing read and perfect for the beach or a snow day. I would recommend it to the reader who wants an escape book or a sweet story.
The Collaborator of Bethlehem: An Omar Yussef Mystery
by Matt Beynon Rees
The Collaborator of Bethlehem (7/5/2007)
It should be remembered that this book is presented as the start of a mystery series and not as a novel or scholarly work about the Middle East. As a mystery it is engaging and attention-holding and more importantly to me, it is memorable. I finished this book more than two weeks ago and have read other books in the interim; yet, I can recall the plot and most details quite vividly. That entitles it to be called a good book in my mind. The characters are ones that the reader cares about, the plot carries suspense and the blood and gore factor is minimal. It is enjoyable summer reading.
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