Seven Days of Us: A Novel
by Francesca Hornak
Reminds me of my family (6/8/2017)
Such a broad spectrum of problems! This was a perfect summer read--funny, real, and human. The sisters' rivalry and hostility reminded me of my daughters and of my relationship with my sister. Emma and her desire to have everything perfect could have been I when my family all come home. I want everyone to get along, the food has to be perfect and themed, and no conflicts about anything. I really want them all to love the activities I've planned. Yes, that doesn't happen! It was optimistic and realistic and funny and sad, a little dysfunctional just like most of our families.. I loved the British slang, also. If your book club meets in the summer, and you want something light, this might be just the good, quick read for which you are looking. For me, it was the perfect book to curl up with and read until I was finished. Meals and cleaning waited. I thought it was predictable, but wait. We've been through most of those situations, so, of course, I knew what would happen. Some of the situational coincidences seemed as if they just couldn't happen, but that's life. It was such a welcome reprieve from the historical book about the Mayflower I am slogging through.
Edgar and Lucy
by Victor Lodato
Depth of characters (11/22/2016)
Edgar Allan Fini, the albino. Conrad. Florence. Lucy. The butcher. Characters so complex and rounded, intriguing and gripping, and why I didn't put want put the book down until I was finished. The last few chapters seemed to rush through to The End though and I longed for a little more detail. The relationships between characters were fascinating and complex: Florence and Edgar, Edgar and Conrad, Lucy and her father, Lucy and the butcher. This coming-of-age novel (and not just Edgar's coming-of-age) is one of the best I've read recently and at the last word, I sighed, wishing it would go on. This is a story of disappointment and grief, courage and loss, and of the resilience of humans and the ability to overcome and triumph. It illustrates just how resilient and irrepressible children are and how they survive to become adults despite the misguided adults around them. This is a book to be read and discussed by book clubs. I want more stories from Victor Lodato.
A Fireproof Home for the Bride
by Amy Scheibe
A Literary Fargo (the movie)/Moorhead? (1/1/2015)
Hmmm. Who knew? The reason I wanted to read this book was because of the locale, and that didn't disappoint. The staunch, anti-Catholic Lutherans, eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota in the fifties, sixties, and beyond, the mistrust of Mexicans and other "strange" nationalities, the disapproval of careers other than marriage and child-rearing for young women of the time, and the meticulous description of the rural areas including the plat book explained admiringly to Emmy by Jim. These people like their straight lines,and their north/south and east/west roads, and they want everything neat and clean. I loved reading about Jim at the Fargo Forum, because he was just such a good guy. Even the Ku Klux Klan's firmly planted roots weren't surprising after learning in my first years in North Dakota as a young adult about the John Birch Society presence and the Posse Comitatus, then more recently the Tea Party. However, murder, rape, arson, gays, incest? I couldn't keep the movie "Fargo" from my thoughts. I had no idea North Dakota and rural western Minnesota were filled with such corruption. It seemed to be a bit much for poor Emmaline, but she took it in stride. I found in Scheibe's writing both fresh turns of phrase and cliches. I enjoyed the book and recommend it as not a riveting read but a highly involved story with a bit too much drama and, for the most part, great characterization. Having lived much of my adult life in the area, some in Fargo, and often shaking my head about many things I've seen here, I liked it. It isn't the same place it was for Emmy though.
The Edge of Normal
by Carla Norton
A one-sitting read for me (7/9/2013)
This story was a riveting portrait of both men who take girls/women and of the women themselves. Compared to the last such book I read (Room) which I thought was phony and silly, this story was realistic and believable. Not only was it a psychological thriller, but it also was a character study of both strength and evil. I thought perhaps some of Reeve's behavior would have been out of character, but perhaps that would be only my character! After being kidnapped, raped, and tortured for several years, I would never have had the courage and determination she had and couldn't have done what she did. She was a compelling, believable, well-developed character as were the other characters in the story. Reeve's adversary Duke also was a well-developed character, as were his accomplices. I think Norton is an excellent author, and she didn't have to waste words or time to make her characters alive and real. This was a riveting insight into the horrible acts of evil men against innocent women that seems to occur increasingly often. We all feel revulsion, empathy, and sorrow for those to whom this has happened, but we are curious as well. This book helps to explain the bond between the captor and the captives in a tightly-written thriller that made me read until I finished and to heck with the laundry! I highly recommend this book.
Cloudland: A Crime Novel
by Joseph Olshan
Elegant? Haunting? Gripping? (5/18/2013)
I would like to say that I loved this book, that it was elegant, haunting, and gripping, as I saw it described on the back cover, but disappointingly, it was none of those, and I didn't.
I love language and words, and I was impressed with some of the author's "turns of phrase." I also loved the main character's love of books. The writing was descriptive, and I got a good picture of Vermont. However, I had to re-read sentences, thinking, "Was that really a sentence?" or "Why doesn't he (the author) learn to use semicolons correctly and sparsely?" I am an English teacher and still think punctuation matters, that sentences must have subjects and verbs, and that if one uses a word, it should be the appropriate word or used correctly--all this to avoid ambiguity and confusion. This story was not believable to me nor was it well -constructed. I had to re-read and dig way too hard to understand the twists because it was not clearly written. The characters were not only flat and wooden, but most were downright nasty and unlikeable.
I expected more from Catherine Winslow, the journalist/college professor and lover of literature turned household columnist and teacher of convicts. Her language ran the gamut from lofty and erudite to vulgar, including the out-of-character "F" word, and her life was a train wreck. Talk about poor choices, but especially Matthew, her lying, crying, 15-year-old, younger lover! There was also Breck, Catherine's daughter, snotty and snide; Anthony, the psychiatrist whose head was severely concussed but who wouldn't go to the hospital; and the knacker, sweet and pathetic under all the blood, sweat, and bad smell.
The author really missed the boat with the prisoners Catherine taught, had he developed their colorful personalities carefully and thoroughly. I leave the best (or the worst) for last. Does anyone really want to read about the toilet habits of the 250-pound pot-bellied pig, Henrietta, who had her own special "P spot," a grate in the kitchen floor where she urinated as guests watched? I say yuk. I wrote this in past tense because I'm happy it is in my past. I do not recommend this book.
Little Black Dress: A Novel
by Susan McBride
Little Black Dress by Susan McBride (7/21/2011)
After finishing another book filled with footnotes and difficult vocabulary, I found this story a perfect, refreshing summer story. It not only gave me more reason to explore my own relationships with my mother and sisters but also provided entertainment for a long car trip. I loved the magical twist of the black dress, seeing and fulfilling the future, and yes, I also loved that some people might have happy, satisfying marriages. I don't think it's a book club selection, and it is predictable, but it was pleasant and well written, and I didn't have to do any deep thinking.
Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante (5/4/2011)
Turn of Mind is as riveting and heartbreaking a read as Still Alice which my book club recently read. A portrait of Alzheimer's, the story illustrates the downward spiral the disease takes and the havoc and heartbreak it wreaks on the lives of all of those involved. The mysterious murder of Dr. Jennifer White's friend Amanda adds an element and layering to a story that in itself is terrifying in its reality for many of us. It's a frightening yet fascinating look into the mind of one caught in the web of a disease unlike any other. For me the story was as helpful in understanding what Alzheimer's does, how it progresses, and how it affects the families involved as it was a story I couldn't put down. I am passing my copy on to my friend, an 88-year-old nun, who wishes to gain more insight into and understanding of some of the people she serves who are afflicted with dementia.
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai: A Novel
by Ruiyan Xu
The lost and forgotten languages of Shanghai (10/5/2010)
As an English teacher and student of other languages, I was intrigued by first the title of the book then by the premise and the story itself. It is rich with description of Shanghai and the Asian culture, but the behavior of the doctor who was hired to help Li Jing recover his language skills was so despicable and reprehensible, not to mention unbelievable, that I found the entire book somewhat incredible. It certainly evoked strong emotion in me, so for that reason, perhaps it's a successful story. Two characters were noteworthy: Li Jing's father, a dear man of strong, loving character, and Pang Pang, the child who was battered by the behavior of the important adults in his life.
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Death Echo (6/27/2010)
Having never read another of Elizabeth Lowell's books, I didn't know what to expect so expected nothing. That's kind of what I got. There were so many characters that I couldn't keep track of who they were, where they were from, and for whom they worked. Emma and Mac, the protagonists, were underdeveloped. They engaged in some snappy dialogue, however, and finally, after much talk and teasing, acted on their attraction for each other. Most of the exciting stuff happened in the last few pages, but prior to that it was a rather ho-hum story with more than ample boat talk and confusing espionage. This might be a good book for readers who like boats, water, and spies, but it was not engrossing to me. I felt lost and confused most of the time.
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