Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Long drawn out saga (4/1/2011)
As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed the portions of the novel that related to Scotland and the country's history. It was much too long (850 pages, small tight); however, and much of the sex and violence could have been cut way back. After a certain point, I had to skim over much of that content. I also could not quite relate to Claire, the main character, and was put off by the screaming matches with Jamie. On the positive side, the author definitely did a lot of research and is a good story teller. Overall, just "okay" for me.
The Trinity Six
by Charles Cumming
A page turning thriller (2/1/2011)
Trinity Six was a truly enjoyable read. The plot hooked me within the first 10 pages and I had a hard time setting it down after that. Unlike other books in this genre, the plot was believable and the main character human. Very well done.
Beautiful Assassin: A Novel
by Michael C. White
Mixed review (3/20/2010)
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was a bit slow moving and drawn out at times, yet fast paced in others. As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed the aspects of the story that highlighted the tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during WWII as well as the insight into Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal life … although the friendship between Tat’yana and the First Lady as well as the interplay between Tat’yana and her superiors is a bit far-fetched and unbelievable at times. Overall, this book (for me) was just okay.
Heresy
by S.J. Parris
Entertaining combination of historical fiction and mystery thriller (12/6/2009)
An extremely entertaining read, particularly for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and mystery thrillers. Heresy follows the story of Giordano Bruno, a monk and scientist during the Elizabethan era, who is sent to Oxford on an undercover mission by Sir Francis Walsingham. While at Oxford, Bruno becomes central to the search, as well as a target, for a killer who is murdering Oxford professors and students. Filled with plot twists and turns, I truly enjoyed Heresy and look forward to other books in this series. Although not written in the same era and lighter in style, Heresy reminded me of Iain Pears' Instance of the Fingerpost and Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose.
Dragon House
by John Shors
A well written book that will sweep you away to another world (6/29/2009)
Dragon House tells the story of two American friends, Iris and Noah, who travel to Vietnam to finish the work that Iris’s deceased father started to establish a center for street children in Saigon.
John Shors’s writing transports the reader to another world, from vivid descriptions of the gorgeous landscape beyond the walls of Saigon and Hanoi to the heartbreaking depictions of the squalor and cruelty of street life. I could see (and smell) the streets of Saigon as well as the shores of Nha Trang and Halong Bay. Shors also does a good job of developing the characters - from Noah, an Iraq war veteran who is battling back from a debilitating injury and struggling to find himself, to Mai and Mihn, two street children struggling each day to survive in a storyline a bit reminiscent of Slumdog Millionaire.
Dragon House also wraps in a love story and a plot filled with intrigue and suspense. I would definitely recommend this book to others. A real page turner.
Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother's Story
by Asha Bandele
Something Like Beautiful (12/6/2008)
I struggled through the first half of this memoir. Going in, I had hoped, most of all, to gain an understanding of why the author made the choice to marry a prisoner. Unfortunately, the story with Rashid is never fully developed, leaving the reader (or me, anyway) unsympathetic about her plight. In fact, I found myself more frustrated with the author than anything. Despite the fact that she comes from a supportive family, with a good education and a great job, the author seems to blame all of her troubles on being a woman of color. The second half of the book, however, is significantly better, as Bandele details her downward spiral into severe depression and the struggle to find herself again. I will likely recommend this book to a friend who is battling depression; however, tell her to skip the first half.
Blacklight Blue: The Third Enzo Files
by Peter May
A fast paced thriller (9/1/2008)
A quick, entertaining read filled with mystery, humor and family drama. The third Enzo installment in the Enzo chronicles plays out in Paris and small towns in France and Spain, a fascinating backdrop that held my attention. The action is fast paced and non-stop, if not a tad far-fetched and predictable at times. I have not read the other two books in the Enzo files series but plan, in particular, to seek out "The Critic" which involves the disappearance of a famed wine critic in a French vineyard. "Blacklight Blue" is recommended for mystery buffs … although it might be wise to read the first two in the series for additional character development and background.
Holding My Breath: A Novel
by Sidura Ludwig
Solid debut novel from Sidura Ludwig (6/8/2008)
Holding My Breath is a coming of age story set in Winnepeg's North End, spanning from the 1950’s and into the 70’s. Told from the perspective of Beth Levy, the book chronicles the life of a young Jewish woman struggling to find her identity and the delicate balance between living up to family expectations while trying to follow one’s dreams.
Ludwig provides the reader with insight into the suffocating sense of duty and responsibility placed upon the shoulders of a young woman growing up in a Jewish community (or any community, perhaps) during that time period. Rather than following her dreams of studying astronomy, Beth is encouraged to stay in Winnepeg and take over the family business and, above all else, become a wife and mother.
Ludwig succeeds in providing a sense of place about the insular world that Beth inhabits, revolving around her home, her aunt’s apartment and the family pharmacy. The cast of women in Beth’s life are well developed.
There were a few areas, however, that could have deserved further development. As the only Jew on a softball team, Beth strives to make sure her last name is not placed on the team t-shirt. This was the first and only mention of Beth being in any way self conscious about her Jewish heritage. I was left wandering about the significance of this episode in the story as a whole.
But, all in all, a solid debut novel. I look forward to reading more from Sidura Ludwig.
Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News from the Front Lines of Memory Research
by Sue Halpern
A summary of current memory loss research (5/4/2008)
I was extremely interested in the subject matter having lost two of my grandparents to Alzheimer's in recent years. Although Halpern did provide me with a better understanding of the disease, some of the more technical aspects were a bit boring. I was hoping from the title that the book would announce a real breakthrough in the area of memory recovery or battling dementia, but such a breakthrough appears to be quite a ways off. This book is essentially a summary of the author's meetings over the past number of years with neuroscientists and others chasing a cure for memory related diseases.
What I did find enlightening - yet deeply disturbing - was the description of the manner in which research is carried out. It would appear most researchers tend to work secretly and independently from one another with a primary goal of publishing first or obtaining key patents that will result in profits for shareholders, rather than working together with the goal of finding a cure.
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