People of the Book
by Geraldine Brooks
People of the Book (7/9/2010)
Man, I love big, fat books in which I can totally get lost. And this book, spanning multiple countries over 500 years, is the ultimate saga covering art, religious persecution, book conservation, and more. I know that the length of the book can seem intimidating, but readers who are interested in these themes will not be sorry they read it.
Interspersed throughout Hanna's narrative in 1996 Sarajevo are the stories of the various people throughout history who were in some way connected with the survival of the ancient Haggadah. Each period we visit in the book's history corresponds with a fragment or small object found by Hanna's conservation efforts of the ancient book. On the journey, readers will encounter war, discrimination, prejudice, and tradition that lasts for centuries.
The Hagaddah in the book is in fact based on a real object, the Sarajevo Hagaddah, written around 1314 in Spain.
The Clouds Beneath the Sun
by Mackenzie Ford
The Clouds Beneath The Sun (7/8/2010)
I gave up on this book after 300 pages. I desperately wanted to like this book. The setting was interesting and the plot line had promise. Unfortunately, the pacing dragged and the dialogue was horribly stilted. I finally put the book down when I realized that wanting to know how it ended was still not enough of a reason to finish. Perhaps Ford should stick to non-fiction.
Wench: A Novel
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Great historical fiction on a dark period in American History (6/19/2010)
Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, three enslaved African-American mistresses who are regularly brought to a resort called the Tawawa House prior to the Civil War, contemplate running for freedom after a fire sets off a series of tragedies.
I'm a sucker for historical fiction, so this book was a pleasure to read, indeed. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are all house slaves, which sets them apart from all the field slaves or their plantations and isolates them from both the white and black populations. There's so much to think about in this story: the impending Civil War and the state of slavery in the 1850s, the strange relationships of white masters and their black slaves, the status of these couples' children, and the very fact that a place like Tawawa House actually existed. For those of you who have already read and enjoyed this one, try out Copper Sun by Sharon Draper.
A Golden Age
by Tahmima Anam
One family's struggle in 1970s Bangladesh (3/20/2010)
Meet Rehana Haque. A widowed mother of two in 1970s East Pakistan, Rehana would do anything for her children. Shortly after her husband's death, Rehana allowed her brother-in-law to take custody of her two children for a year, and she never lets herself forget it. She is a devoted mother, perhaps to a fault, and the unchanging love of a mother for her children is at the forefront of this novel about the war for Bangladesh's independence.
This novel starts out strong, but without a baseline knowledge of the Bangladesh War for Independence, the reader could easily feel a little lost. Also, I had a very hard time making a connection with Rehana's two children, Sohail and Maya. I found that I didn't really care what happened to the characters in the novel.
Luckily, the second half of the novel takes on a suspenseful edge as the war and the Haque family's involvement in the resistance increases. The last chapters are page turners indeed, and makes this book worth reading.
Romancing Miss Bronte: A Novel
by Juliet Gael
Romancing Miss Bronte (3/9/2010)
Gael's book completely transports the reader to the Yorkshire Moors of the Bronte sisters. The descriptions of the sisters writing their first novels and struggling to publish them under the pseudonyms of Currer, Acton, and Ellis Bell simply beg the reader to revisit the worlds of 'Jane Eyre', 'Agnes Grey', and' Wuthering Heights'. My one complaint is that the book sometimes reads as a straight biography rather than historical fiction. Sometimes it seems that the author can't decide which kind of book she wanted to write. On the plus side, Gael's meticulous research shines through.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel
by Lisa See
Arranged marriages, loss, and motherhood in nineteenth-century China (1/29/2010)
I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. Shame on me. This book was wonderful, lyrical, entertaining - all the makings of a wonderful novel. I was transported to 19th century China as I read the words of Lily and her experiences with footbinding, marriage, and her lifelong friendship (laotong) with Snow Flower. Chinese women in this period of China's history lived a rather secluded life, almost always separated from men. They even had their own written language, nu shu, which is spotlighted throughout the novel.
The aspect of the novel that most affected me were the detailed descriptions of the footbinding process that most Chinese girls endured in the early years of their lives. This process was incredibly painful and basically handicapped the woman's movement for the rest of their lives.
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story
by Diane Ackerman
Zookeeper's Wife (1/22/2010)
Ackerman pulls from Antonina Zabinski's extensive memoirs of her experiences in World War II Poland and from her own research on the topic to tell the story of the hundreds of Jews that passed through this particular stop on the Polish Underground. Although this book is highly informative and at times extremely touching, I found it hard to feel fully engaged. I don't really know why this is; I'm extremely interested in the Holocaust and I'd read some great reviews on the book. Initially, I thought maybe I had hit some sort of wall and have read too many books on the subject, but then remembered that I had just recently read and loved a new book on one of the most famous figures in Holocaust history, Anne Frank. I felt that the book was slightly rambling and didn't really stay on topic as I expected it to. Ackerman's research certainly shines through, although at times her attention to detail is perhaps too great. I struggled to finish this one.
Here Lies Arthur
by Philip Reeve
Arthur the punk-raider and the Merlin behind the legends (1/8/2010)
Countless retellings of the Arthurian legend abound in the literary world, and I know some of you are ready to leave this review behind before you finish it. Before you move on, let me tell you why this book is just a little different than all the rest and worth a second chance. First of all, thank you, Philip Reeve for not making this novel another over-romanticized, plotless tale of love. I've read quite enough of that sort, thank you very much.
Secondly, and most important, is Reeve's characterization of Arthur. If you are looking for a valiant and gallant myth of a man, do not come searching here. Arthur is a brute who is vying for power and dominance the only way he knows how- by looting nearby villages and taking whatever he wants and needs in order to attain more power. Myrddin, more commonly known as the bard Merlin, meets Gwynna, a servant girl, and takes her under his wing. It is through Gwynna's eyes that we the readers witness the real story behind the legends of Arthur, from the Lady of the Lake to the sword in the stone to Guinevere.
This book is a refreshing revision on the Arthurian legend and will be enjoyed by all fans of historical fantasy as well as those curious about King Arthur.
Alice I Have Been
by Melanie Benjamin
Meet the real Alice (12/21/2009)
"But oh my dear, I am tired of being Alice in Wonderland. Does it sound ungrateful?"
I had some vague idea that Alice in Wonderland was indeed based on a real girl. What I didn't realize, however, was that Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, knew Alice Liddell quite well and even photographed her extensively when she was a young girl.
I completely lost myself to Liddell's world, living at Oxford as the Dean's daughter with her father, mother, and sister. Dodgson and Alice understand each other and have an emotional connection that, while not altogether inappropriate, often teeters on the edge of an intimacy that could be disturbing. It is this strangely close bond that threatens to tarnish Alice's reputation and follow her forever.
This is historical fiction at its best. Melanie Benjamin extensively researched Liddell's life and stuck close to her story. An author's note in the back of the book gives insight as to what is fact and what is fiction in Benjamin's narrative, but suffice it to say that the author has captured the essence of both Alice and Lewis Carroll's humble beginnings. Highly recommended.
Atonement
by Ian McEwan
Atonement (12/18/2009)
I usually make a point of not seeing a movie before I get a chance to read the book, but the opposite is true for my experience with McEwan's Atonement. I rented the movie last summer from Netflix and as soon as the movie ended, I stared at the blank screen for a moment, blinked a couple of times in wonderment, and then hit play and watched it in its entirety a second time. Needless to say, I was completely entranced with the storyline and the cinematography. All of this is to say that after having such a wonderful experience with the movie adaptation, I began to worry that I'd ruined the possibility of having a good reading experience with the novel. I find it difficult to read a book after I've seen the movie since I have so many preconceived notions of the characters' appearance and eccentricities locked into my head visually.
Never fear. I loved the book just as much as the movie. I actually listened to this book, mostly while driving, and I'm quite lucky I didn't wind up in a ditch somewhere due to my complete inattention to my surroundings. I became so wrapped up in the characters, the story, and the heart wrenching consequences of one thirteen-year-old's misinterpretation of a number of events and a rash decision. This was my first foray into Ian McEwan's writing and it definitely won't be the last. I was mesmerized with his writing style. The characters, especially that of the young Briony, were so well-drawn. She is so frustratingly self-absorbed and narcissistic in the beginning of the novel, and her imaginative whims that so many young girls possess lead to such a catastrophic turn of events. I'll say no more. You must read it for yourself.
I don't often reread books anymore due to the sheer quantity of amazing novels out there that I must get my hands on, but I can definitely say this is a book I will revisit, perhaps a few times, in the future.
Pope Joan
by Donna Woolfolk Cross
John, meet Joan... (12/18/2009)
I've always been a big fan of historical fiction and Pope Joan definitely delivers. I mean, a story about a female pope who might have existed? Bring it on!
Joan is a very strong character. She is brave and educated in an age that saw an educated woman as unnatural and sinful. She also has a vast knowledge of medieval medicine which comes in handy later in the novel. The plot is action-filled; this is a book that sucks you in and can't be put down until it is done. Author notes in the back of the book are very informative about the Dark Ages and the church in Joan's time. I became so interested in the period while reading this book that I found myself researching the legend of Pope Joan...researching for fun! What is that?
One of the themes of the book is the idea of inner conflict, especially in regards to religious upbringing. Joan is the child of a pagan mother and a strict Christian father. She constantly struggles between faith and doubt and between her mind and heart.
The novel raises plenty of questions about women in the church both in the Dark Ages and today and whether Pope Joan even existed in the first place. I highly recommend this book for all historical fiction fans and those who enjoy a novel with a strong female protagonist.
Making Toast: A Family Story
by Roger Rosenblatt
Making Toast (11/11/2009)
Rosenblatt's memoir is so heartbreakingly honest; I read it in one sitting and was sad to see it end. I highly recommend this book to fans of Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking and Kelly Corrigan's The Middle Place. Highly recommended.
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