Smothermoss
by Alisa Alering
Absorbing Debut Novel (4/29/2024)
Beautifully written, Smothermoss will engage you from the opening chapter. It is, in part, the tender story of the relationship between two sisters, Sheila and Angie, in rural Pennsylvania. But it is also a story about Sheila's relationship with herself. The story contains elements of a thriller (a murderer is loose on the mountain) and a touch of magic. It is a perfect "book club" book. I did not expect to be captivated by this debut novel, but I was. I will be adding Alisa Alering to my list of authors to watch in the future.
Bad Animals: A Novel
by Sarah Braunstein
Add "Bad Animals" to Your Reading List (1/11/2024)
I could not put this book down! Bad Animals by Sarah Braunstein was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the unpredictability of the story; just when I thought I had figured out where we were going next, the book made an unexpected turn (with one exception). And this happened more than once, which is probably why I could not stop reading! The characters are well-developed. You get a true sense of their heartbreak, sense of loss, frustration, ambition, jealousy, narcissism. I particularly liked Braunstein's writing style at certain points in the book: you were given glimpses of what was to happen in the future, but those events actually did not appear later in the book as you would expect. Yet, they did not need to be recaptured later in the book because you already understood from the "glimpse," what had happened (I probably didn't explain that well, so you'll have to read the book to understand). I will definitely be recommending it to my book club.
The Adversary: A Novel
by Michael Crummey
Powerfully Dark, Surprisingly Good (12/18/2023)
For as dark as this book is, I found that I couldn't put it down. Set in an outpost in Newfoundland in the 1700s or 1800s (I never figured out the time period), it is primarily a story of sibling rivalry between two very powerful inhabitants. Because these two control most of the fishing industry/commerce in the area, the other inhabitants of the outpost are necessarily drawn into the feud; some willingly, but most unwillingly. There are vignettes about these characters as well and some are heartbreaking, but the focus is on the siblings. And they are both despicable, so you find yourself not really knowing who to root for in the battle. The book reads as if written in the 1700s/1800s, and the author uses many words unique to Newfoundland. The former took me several pages to become accustomed to, and I'm glad I had the patience to persevere because the particular writing style made the book all the better. The latter was a bit frustrating. If I could not figure out a word from context (e.g., slut lamp), I had to google it. I did a fair amount of googling. The Adversary is my first book by this author and I will likely read some of his other works.
Strong Passions: A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York
by Barbara Weisberg
Strong Passions - A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York (12/3/2023)
A little something for everyone. If you like courtroom drama, or civil war-era history, or stories about "old" New York high society, or all of the above, then read this book! Meticulously researched, Strong Passions presents a page-turning account of the 1865 divorce proceedings between Peter and Mary Strong set against the backdrop of Victorian Era NYC. But it is not just about what happened in the courtroom. Barbara Weisberg introduces us to Mary and Peter as children growing up in highly privileged families, then guides us through their courtship and early years of marriage, to Mary's explosive admission of adultery. The book seems to be written to evoke sympathy for Mary, particularly because of the lack of rights women held at that time in terms of marriage and custody. However, I think it would have been interesting to have more reflection on what Peter, the wronged partner in the marriage, might have experienced throughout the ordeal. The book is very well written and I will be recommending it to my book club.
The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick
A Gem of a Book (4/7/2023)
I was skeptical at the outset because it seemed a tad too much like "Under the Tuscan Sun" and I thought, "Well, I know how this ends." Boy, was I wrong, and happily so. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is engaging and being set in Italy only enhances the magic. The characters are all very well-developed and likeable; there will be at least one with whom you can relate. The ending was unexpected, in a good way.
My only criticism is that you did not feel the gut-wrenching heartbreak/anger/depression that you would have expected Ginny to have felt at the beginning of the book when it appeared that her marriage was falling apart. Otherwise, this is a terrific book that I will be recommending to my book club and you should too. A word of warning: have a box of tissue nearby when you reach Chapter 16.
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