The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
by Bart Yates
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl (6/9/2024)
This novel was delightful to read. The premise of reviewing Isaac Dahl's life based on 12 specific days spaced 8 years apart was a surprisingly effective way to understand the individual. The 12 days chosen to describe Isaac were a mixture of mundane events and significant historical events such as the WW2 naval battle in which the USS Houston sank. Throughout Isaac's life he was fortunate to have a close relationship with both his sister, Agnes and his best friend, Bo. The positive value of these friendships was an important theme in the novel and helped tie all the days of his life together. I strongly recommend this novel to all readers of fiction.
The Witches at the End of the World
by Chelsea Iversen
The Witches at the End of the World (8/9/2023)
The young witches (Minna and Kaija) who live at the end of the world (Norway in 1677) have been very isolated from civilization for more than 10 years. They left their village after their mother was burned at the stake for being a witch. The girls, now young women, have lived with their grandmother, Mormor, far away from any villages, until her recent death. Minna intends to continue to survive by her skill and spells far removed from human civilization. Kaija, however, wants to pursue a new life in the village from which they came. She wants to be regarded as a young woman, not as a young witch. This separation of two very tightly-knit sisters sets up the novel's conflict.
I enjoyed this unusual premise in a novel because the author 's writing and descriptions were very vivid and believable. I also appreciated that any conflict between two sisters that grew up dependent on each other for emotional and moral support would be very complicated. There was a bit of repetition in some of the passages, but in general, the novel was unique, enjoyable and satisfying.
The Immortal King Rao: A Novel
by Vauhini Vara
The Immortal King Rao (4/15/2022)
The premise of this novel was compelling and the main characters were well fleshed out and nuanced. However, the many numbers of different characters were difficult to keep straight and I often had to go back in the book to remind myself of character names and relationships with King Rao or Athena. In addition, I found the plot line hard to follow at times due to abrupt storyline transitions.
The Family Chao: A Novel
by Lan Samantha Chang
The Family Chao (12/6/2021)
I had mixed feelings about this novel. I totally enjoyed the realistic descriptions of an immigrant family struggling in an adopted culture. Also all of the main characters were fully fleshed. So the first half of the novel was intriguing and enjoyable. In the second half of the novel, after Leo is "gone", the story arc became darker. The three brothers seem to lose their purpose in life. Ming's breakdown, James' despondency and of course, Dagou's conviction. The family reaction to the tragedy is understandable, although Leo was not loved by anyone. However, I felt that the novel's conclusion was not very satisfactory. There were some loose ends in the story line that were never addressed, and for this reason I only gave the book a rating of 4 stars.
New York, My Village: A Novel
by Uwem Akpan
Coming to America (9/5/2021)
I enjoyed the first third of this novel very much. I was interested but appalled by the difficulties that Ekong and other Nigerians must endure just to get a visa to enter the U.S. The backbiting at work and racism that Ekong had to deal with were also eye opening, but believable. However, I got bogged down with the history of the Biafran war and the tribalism in Nigeria. I felt that there was too much back history of that war which I didn't understand and which seemed irrelevant to the story arc. I assume Akpan included this history to compare the tribalism in Nigeria to the racism in the United States between blacks, Hispanics, Asians and whites. It just seemed to be overdone. Finally, I found the bedbug dilemma to be interminable and constantly depressing. I understand that Ekong felt the same way, but as a reader, it just wasn't that interesting after a few hundred pages.
The Lost Notebook of Edouard Manet: A Novel
by Maureen Gibbon
Notebook of Edouard Manet (7/8/2021)
I have no background in art or art history so I had a difficult time following this novel until I did some research on Wikipedia and other internet sources. Once I learned about Manet's background, the names of his friends and his importance in the art world I loved the "notebook"!
He was a very passionate man and artist and totally uncompromising in his work. His passionate artistic originality opened the door for many Impressionist artists that came after Manet was gone.
In addition to being an artist, Manet was also quite an amazing philosopher with opinions on aging, ephemeral love and beauty, death, and the delights of sexual encounters.
Maureen Gibbon did a wonderful job of bringing an important man and artist to life.
The Northern Reach
by W.S. Winslow
The Northern Reach (11/16/2020)
This was a delightful novel of extended families and their interactions living in a small town in northern Maine. The author gives us snapshots of these families in the novel's chapters. Some characters we meet several times such as Edith Baines who is introduced as a bitter old woman initially. However, in a subsequent story we meet Edith again as a very young, impressionable girl from a poor family. I enjoyed following these families throughout the span of the 5 or so generations that W. S. Winslow included in her novel. This novel is an enjoyable literary stroll through a town which is a microcosm of small town America in the past century.
Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy
Migrations (4/19/2020)
It has been awhile since I read a book that thoroughly captured me, but with "Migrations" I found that delight in reading again. The protagonist, Franny Stone, is intense, honest with herself and others and yet flawed in some ways. She is a very believable heroine. Her passion for all living things, especially birds, is all encompassing. However, her relationship with humans is complicated.
Franny's world is changing quickly; many of her beloved birds are becoming rapidly rare and even extinct. The reader follows Franny as she attempts to follow migrating terns to Antarctica. Along the way we learn about her past life and what made Franny the passionate and complicated woman that she is. If you want a great read with a lot of nuanced characters READ THIS NOVEL!
More News Tomorrow: A Novel
by Susan Richards Shreve
More News--? (4/9/2019)
The protagonist of the novel, Georgianna, found a letter from her dead father promising "More News Tomorrow". This was in reference to her mother's murder in 1941. As readers, we learn about the circumstances before the murder 66 years ago however, we are primarily in July 2008, with Georgianna and her family as she pursues "more news". I enjoyed the 'two story' writing. Learning first hand about the characters in 1941 made the search for details about the murder in present time more interesting. Characters were well fleshed out and sympathetic. The plot was engaging with many twists that were surprising, but still believable. Although I felt the ending was poor and lacked a satisfying conclusion, the novel would be great for discussion in a book club.
The Affairs of the Falcóns
by Melissa Rivero
Affairs of the Undocumented Mestizo (12/27/2018)
I liked the realistic portrayal of Ana as a poor undocumented worker. The author shows that she is undesirable in both Peru's society because she is a "chola" or mestizo as well as in the United States because she is an undocumented Hispanic. Rivero describes multiple layers of racism in these two societies. Ana has to constantly struggle to keep her family together and to pay bills and debtors. She does everything she can to reach these goals. She feels that the ends justify the means. However, one of the major dilemmas in the novel is that Ana's goals and those of her husband, Lucho, are not always the same, and their relationship suffers because of this.
Although the author did a good job of describing these conflicts, the result is that Ana is often not a very sympathetic character. It would be interesting for the reader to learn Lucho's point of view.
My major criticism of the novel was that Ana's story proceeded from one disaster to another disaster. Her situation became increasingly hopeless. Thus, the novel became increasingly difficult for me to read because it was so depressing. I realize that the plight of the undocumented in this country is not easy, but reading about an unsympathetic character that struggles unendingly is not my preference.
My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing
My Lovely Wife (10/29/2018)
Splendid novel! This thriller kept be enthralled to the end.. It truly was hard to put down. The characters were well drawn and the plot line had many twists and turns. The only reason I didn't give it a "5" rating was because the premise was quite disturbing. It didn't stop me from finishing the novel though! I will be on the look-out for Samantha Downing's next novel
Paris Echo
by Sebastian Faulks
Paris Echo (8/19/2018)
I found this novel interesting on many levels, but also overall unsatisfying. The author follows the lives of two disparate characters that become connected by chance. Hannah is a 30ish historical researcher and Tariq is a 17 year old Morroccan run-a-way who moves to Paris. Faulks introduces the concept of these characters stepping outside of their bodies to observe themselves interacting in several situations. I found this concept fascinating and thought provoking. Faulks also incorporated voices from women in Nazi-occupied Paris to tell the story of the women's struggles during the years of the Occupation. This also was very effective in capturing interest. However, although there were many interesting passages and interesting characters, I found the novel didn't sustain my interest. I think this is because the novel was too didactic for my tastes.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After
by Elizabeth Weil, Clemantine Wamariya
The Girl Who Smiled Beads (3/19/2018)
Wow! Reading Wamariya's memoir of her refugee experience as a child then her early years in the US was both illuminating and excruciating.. I was amazed at the resilience and tenacity of both Claire and of course of Clementine during their years in Africa. But perhaps the most interesting part of the memoir was Clementine's description of her feelings and psyche after she was in the US and 'safe'. She was both grateful to be in a safe environment but also very angry. Her anger stemmed from her lost childhood but also the frustration that no one could really understand her feelings. She constantly tested her friends and family and admitted that she made it very difficult for others to love her. Wamariya's writing was very blunt and achingly honest. At times it was hard to read, but I feel enriched by knowing Wamariya's story.
The Milk Lady of Bangalore: An Unexpected Adventure
by Shoba Narayan
Cows and Milk of India (12/26/2017)
In this intriguing book, Shoba Narayan introduces to the reader her love of her homeland of India and especially the cows of India. The relationship at the core of the book is between the author and Sarala, the "Milk Lady of Bangalore". Sarala sells her milk on a street corner near the author's apartment. Through this friendship, we learn abundant details about different types of cows, their unique milk flavor and consistency as well as the reverence that the Indian people have for everything bovine (including cow urine and dung). Although this book was entertaining to read, the stark (and sometimes shocking) cultural contrasts between India and the US were my most memorable impressions.
As Bright as Heaven
by Susan Meissner
As Bright as Heaven (10/25/2017)
Over the course of this novel, readers are taken from 1918 to 1926 with the Bright family. We learn about the love and devotion that binds this family together and then we read about the Spanish flu and how it devastated the Bright family as well as many other families in Philadelphia. The author does an excellent job of describing the major characters; their choices and actions always fit in their character. I recommend it for young people and for readers looking for a light novel. I would give it a rating of 4 except the plot includes too many coincidences that are unlikely and the ending is a bit too saccharin and predictable to be satisfying.
The Heart's Invisible Furies: A Novel
by John Boyne
The Heart's Invisible Furies (7/12/2017)
John Boyne has written a very readable novel with a remarkable protagonist, Cyril Avery. Cyril lives with shame/hidden conflicts related to his sexuality for his first 28 years of life and the first half of the novel. The second half of the story follows Cyril as he learns to live openly as a gay man and the joys and conflicts he encounters.Throughout his life's story, Cyril is often lonely and isolated; but he always likable to the reader, even when he makes poor decisions. I see Cyril's character as symbolic of the changing attitudes and eventual acceptance (for the most part) of homosexuality in Ireland, Europe and the US. Although I enjoyed the read, many themes were repetitive and too long. I think the novel would have been improved with tighter editing.
Lola
by Melissa Scrivner Love
Lola (3/7/2017)
I have read a lot of books and come across many protagonists, but I have never read a book quite as compelling as "Lola" or met a protagonist as exciting, believable and yet scary as Lola. The story arc was a little confusing at times, but the author quickly cleared up any confusion with extra details. Lola's life as the leader of a drug gang was almost like science fiction to me since I have no knowledge of that life. However, it all seemed believable and quite fascinating! The writing was fast paced and the dialogue flowed effortlessly. I strongly recommend this novel to adventuresome readers.
The Typewriter's Tale
by Michiel Heyns
An Independent Typewriter (1/15/2017)
I enjoyed this charming novel, set in the early 1900s, once I got "into" the writing style that author Heyns adopts from Henry James. Frieda Wroth, the Typewriter, is a bright and talented young woman from limited means who is eager to experience a world beyond the confines of Rye and Mr James' employment. She falls in love with the charming Mr. Fullerton very quickly and then chooses to interpret his actions and inactions with a skewed sense of reality. As a result, she makes a few bad decisions, but she finds her moral compass at the end.
The story is complicated with a lot of delightful dry humor. As a reader I was rooting for Frieda and I was relieved that Frieda eventually chose the "right" actions. This would be a great read for a literary book club.
Mercies in Disguise: A Story of Hope, a Family's Genetic Destiny, and the Science That Rescued Them
by Gina Kolata
Mercies in Disguise (12/14/2016)
Genetic diseases are very chilling since there is no medication or antibiotic to "cure" them. This book was a fascinating true story of a family unknowingly affected by a genetic neurological disorder that we learn later in the book is GSS (Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker) disease. The author, Gina Kolata did a great job of explaining the difficult background research that helped scientists figure out the cause of these neurological diseases. She also introduced to the reader the concept that prion abnormalities in a parent could then be transferred to children of those affected parents. But Kolata humanized the research and medicine by telling us about the Baxter family and their agonizing struggle with their emerging knowledge about the disease that was ravaging some of their members. Kolata's writing is informative but also full of compassion.
This book was excellent and very readable. I heartily recommend it to anyone, especially to anyone who is interested in medicine or science.
Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 - A World on the Edge
by Helen Rappaport
Caught in the Revolution (11/16/2016)
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book because I learned a lot of information about the Russian revolution/s. I also liked the fact that the reader is following the upheaval in Petrograd in successive order. It adds a realistic sense of drama and foreboding which I'm sure was present in that city in 1917. As a middle class person in the 21st century it is a little hard to imagine the extremes of violence that occurred in Petrograd that year. However, the author's depictions of the depths of poverty and starvation vs the wealthy lifestyle of the rich Russians made it easier to understand the reason for the revolutions. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a birds-eye view of the dissolution of the Russian tsarist rule and ensuing revolt of the populace that lead to the Russian revolution.
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