Oh William!: Amgash Series #3
by Elizabeth Strout
Read more than once (6/28/2022)
Elizabeth Strout has packed so much life and wisdom into this spare novel, it will take me more than one reading to digest all it contains. Her characters are so human, so flawed, so seeking.
"When does a person actually 'choose' anything?" William asks Lucy. A succinct summary of the book, which is filled with deep examinations of what life contains for some people.
William's adultery has a devastating effect on Lucy and her description of what she felt is faultless:
A tulip stem snapped inside me. This is
what I felt.
It has stayed snapped, it never grew back.
Amazing book, amazing writer. I have a few more of hers lined up to be read.
On a Night of a Thousand Stars
by Andrea Yaryura Clark
Appealing historical fiction (2/23/2022)
This easily-readable historical fiction novel covers the era of Juan Peron's re-installation as President of Argentina in the mid-70's and the ensuing era presided over by his widow Isabel and the military dictatorship. Written with an omnipotent narrator in the 70's and first person singular in the "present" (being the late 1990's), the book tells the story of some of those who who tried to resist the government's repressive regime and the affects on the next generation. The historical information is interesting and new to me, adding to the book's appeal, but, for me, the multiple, in-depth love stories cluttered up a good drama. As Valentina's romances with Santiago and Maximo drive the story, they would have been enough. The ending was a total disappointment, only highlighting the navel-gazing selfishness of Paloma, the "present-day" protagonist. The historical information and the resistance fighter's tales make the story. This book may best appeal to those of a younger set.
Fencing with the King: A Novel
by Diana Abu-Jaber
Family saga (1/15/2022)
Gently unfolding story of family jealousies, ambition and greed based in the mid-90's Jordan and New York. Diverse relationships between adult children and their parents are well-drawn as is the role of memory. Great desert setting descriptions - I could feel the sand in my teeth. The love stories (parent/child, husbands/wives, second romance) adds depth to characters. Learned a lot about the history of Jordan, a plus.
How to Find Your Way Home
by Katy Regan
Finding Home (10/21/2021)
Engaging story of a brother and sister navigating the perils of childhood and the function of memory. Reads somewhat like a mystery, although the reader understands early on what really happened, adding to enlightenment of how memory functions. Sympathetic, believable characters in a richly descriptive setting. It added interest to look up all the different birds that populate the novel, The ending is no surprise, but satisfying. An examination of what comprises home is also adds interest.
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