Exiles: Aaron Falk Mystery #3
by Jane Harper
Aaron Falk series book 3 (8/30/2022)
Kim Gillespie leaves her newborn baby alone at a busy festival and disappears. A year later Federal Investigator Aaron Falk is visiting friends in the Southern Australia wine country and becomes enmeshed in Kim's mysterious disappearance.
I really enjoy Jane Harpers ability to evoke a sense of place, Australia. She is also adept at character development. Her characters always seem interesting and just a little bit quirky.
What I didn't particularly like about this book was how slow the plot was developed. It was just not as compelling as her other Aaron Falk books, The Dry and Force of Nature.
That being said, I would still recommend Exiles. It is good reading and no one knows her way around a mystery like Jane Harper. She is a favorite author of mine and well worth the read.
The Paris Bookseller
by Kerri Maher
The Paris Bookseller (11/6/2021)
Sylvia Beach is The Paris Bookseller, who became critical to the literary life of Paris in the years between the wars.
The establishment of her bookstore Shakespeare & Company, the publishing of the banned book "Ulysses", Sylvia's relationships with James Joyce and her lover Adrienne Monnier, as well as life amongst the expatriate community of Paris in the twenties and thirties is an awful lot to cover in one book. Maher does an extraordinary job bringing all of these diverse topics into a highly readable and informative book. She also brought into sharp contrast the extreme conservatism in the U.S. and the liberalism of Paris in the early years of the 20th century.
What I did not care for was the preoccupation with James Joyce and the publishing of the banned book "Ulysses". I know this was of critical importance to the legend surrounding Shakespeare & Company but I found it rather dry and uninteresting reading. I would have preferred more emphasis on Sylvia's and Adrienne's relationship or on The Lost Generation a term coined by Gertrude Stein to describe the group of American writers who came of age and established their literary reputations during the 1920s.
This book would be of interest to those readers fond of the literature written in the decades before WWII, and lovers of books and bookstores. I recommend this book along with Noel Riley Fitch's book, Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation: a History of Literary Paris In the Twenties and Thirties.
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
The Personal Librarian (1/26/2021)
This is the little known story of Bella da Costa Green and her life as personal librarian to J.P. Morgan. The story provides a fascinating look at the process of building and collecting a library of rare books, manuscripts and art. But, it is also the story of a beautiful, intelligent and witty black woman, living as white, pursuing a career in the affluent New York society of the gilded age.
Bella had to go to extraordinary lengths to protect her family, her secrets and Morgan's legacy while living as authentic a life as possible.
I loved this book and the manner in which the authors provides a glimpse into the life and times of both celebrities and common people of the day.
Reading this book against the backdrop of violence and racism expressed during the summer of 2020 made Bella's life and efforts even more compelling.
I would certainly recommend this book to a wide-range of readers, especially those who love historical fiction, art and above all books.
The Widow Queen: The Bold #1
by Elzbieta Cherezinska
Sigrid Storrada a forgotten Queen (11/12/2020)
The Widow Queen authored by Elzbieta Cherezinska is the fascinating and forgotten story of a tenth century queen who ruled two kingdoms, and is remembered in the Norse sagas but was totally unknown to me.
I love historical sagas and this had all the requirements for great historical fiction: great characters, star-crossed lovers, lots of action, and a story which opened the window on a time and place with which I was unfamiliar.
I did need to keep google at hand for about the first fifty pages to familiarize myself with the real-life characters, the geography and the events in medieval history.
I would most definitely recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction and especially those who love medieval history. I couldn't put this book down and am anxiously awaiting the sequel to the Widow Queen called The Last Crown.
At the Edge of the Haight
by Katherine Seligman
Life on the edge. (10/10/2020)
Katherine Seligman's book "At the edge of the Haight" is a thoroughly engrossing and thought provoking story about Maddie, her dog Root (one of my favorite characters) and the friends who have become her family while living on the streets in San Francisco.
The book is both a coming of age story and a mystery. It is at times tender, hostile and violent. It makes one feel the anxiety, fear and utter tediousness of life on the street.
Seligman has given us a taught, well written story with an interesting plot and well developed characters.
I enjoyed reading this book as it gave me an entree into the world of the homeless. While I am more empathetic as a result of reading this book, I have to say it did not increase my understanding of why anyone would choose this lifestyle if other options were open to them.
I would recommend this book to older young adults and the general public. It would make a great book for discussing in a book club.
Daughter of the Reich: A Novel
by Louise Fein
Daughter of the Reich (3/18/2020)
Daughter of the Reich is the well-written, well-researched story of Hetty, the daughter of a high-ranking Nazi and Walter her Jewish friend from childhood who saves her from drowning. As teenagers they become lovers and their resulting dilemma sets the stage for the novel. This is the story of how Hetty through her relationship with Walter moves from a highly indoctrinated follower of Hitler to a realization that everything she has been taught and believed is wrong.
The author was adept at portraying the emotions and feelings of a young girl confused and perplexed by the world unfolding around her.
This is an intense emotional book told from a rather different perspective than other WWII fiction. I would highly recommend for all historical fiction readers. And, I'm recommending this one as a book club read.
American Dirt: A Novel
by Jeanine Cummins
An Extraordinary Book (11/12/2019)
On television almost every day I see stories about the immigrant problem. What I don't see are stories about the journeys these people have gone through to come north to escape the brutality and horror they experienced in their home countries. This book clearly details the day to day experience of being a migrant, the sense of being prey, the unimaginable fear, the occasional act of kindness, the powerlessness, the hopelessness and the rage.
Lydia and Luca, Soledad and Rebecca, the protagonists in American Dirt, became very real. How they came to love and trust and help each other in a world where such feelings and actions are rare became the core of this story. I was obsessed with their story. It was impossible to put this book down.
I strongly recommend this book. It has everything, great writing, unforgettable characters and a riveting story. It goes without saying that this is one of the most important and best books I have read in a long time.
The Guest Book
by Sarah Blake
The Guest Book (4/1/2019)
The Guest Book is the story of three generations of Milton women, the island they own, and the summer house that comes to define who they are.
The novel tells the story of Racism, Manners, and Power systemically embedded in the United States from the mid-1930's through the dawn of of the 21st century.
It is a beautifully written novel, and I enjoyed the plot and the characters but often wished the author had taken a less esoteric approach. I after found it difficult to understand some of the views expressed by the characters and wanted the story to move at a faster pace.
When We Left Cuba
by Chanel Cleeton
When we left Cuba (12/21/2018)
Beatriz Perez is the beautiful, dangerous and very Independent heroine of the novel "When we left Cuba." Thank you, Ms Cleeton for telling us the story of Beatriz, sister of Eliza whose story was told in the bestselling novel, "Next year in Havana."
While this story has it's moments it did not hold my interest as much as Eliza's story. Beatriz is a fascinating character and I really wanted to be involved an believe in her character. But, somehow the story just didn't get me there. it was very uneven, starting off strong with the promise of an engaging plot, but bottoming out in the middle and struggling toward the end. The story coincided with well known events, including the bay of pigs, the soviet missile crises and the assassination of President Kennedy. Strong events coupled with a powerful love story should have made for a great story. Sadly for me it left me disappointed. Still a good read but not as fulfilling as expected.
Paris Echo
by Sebastian Faulks
Paris Echo (8/16/2018)
I am a fan of Sebastian Faulks' novels and his Paris Echo is now a favorite.
Faulks uses an unlikely relationship between Hannah, an American historian, and Tariq, a Moroccan teenager, to tell this multi-layered story. The primary premise is Paris under German occupation and the atrocities committed in Algeria and Paris during the Algerian War of Independence. The Algerian history was unfamiliar to me and one about which I would like to know more. Faulks also has a lot to say about how the past, and our view of that past has an enormous influence on our relationships and on our lives.
I found Faulks storytelling compelling and thoroughly engrossing. I highly recommend the book.
The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas
A family saga for the introspective reader (4/17/2018)
This is a family saga written from the perspective of the individual parents and their three adult children. Their lives and deepest secrets are laid bare. In the telling we learn much about life choices and their consequences, the impact of even the smallest of lies on our relationships, and the destructiveness of self deception.
This is a book that plumbs the richness of our inner lives. I loved the writing, loved the book. Cherise Wolas is an author to remember and to follow. Would certainly recommend this book for a serious introspective reader.
The House of Broken Angels
by Luis Alberto Urrea
Great Storytelling (2/22/2018)
Louis Alberto Urrea is a master storyteller. This book The House of Broken Angels, however had some technical problems. First let me tell you everything I loved. Big Angel, Little Angel, Perla, La Gloriosa, and even the minor characters were wonderful. The stories, the food, the humor, drew me into the lives of this incredibly complex family. But, the writing style was disjointed and made it difficult for me to follow the story and characters. I put the book down and up and down many times because I found myself getting frustrated. I wanted the story to flow. As it was I would still recommend the book but know it will take some work to get through.
Young Jane Young
by Gabrielle Zevin
Witty and Fun (7/23/2017)
I enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin's, A Storied Life of A.J. Fikry for it's moving and witty portrayal of books and there power to help us see things in different ways. Young Jane Young was similar in style: witty and fun but also delivering a message about politics, facing challenges and the ways in which the roles and portrayals of women are very much limited. Even with such weighty topics, this was a fun summer read and I would definitely recommend it.
The Gypsy Moth Summer
by Julia Fierro
A Little of Everything (4/24/2017)
It is the summer of 1992 on an island off the coast of Long Island. The story is told from the point of view of six very different characters. Race, sexuality, politics, pollution class, and dying are all topics explored via the characters. This all takes place along with a gypsy moth infestation.
The book was very slow getting started and then raced to a very fast conclusion. The uneven pacing of the book was really problematic for me. The first 1/3 very slow, the second 1/3 really caught my interest. The final third raced to a conclusion leaving me unsatisfied overall with the book.
Home Sweet Home
by April Smith
Good, but slow to get started. (12/11/2016)
I had mixed feelings about this book. The author did an excellent job describing life especially ranching in a small insulated community in western South Dakota. I also enjoyed her descriptions of the community and their reliance on each other.
I found the story and plot a little off putting. It moved slowly for the first 2/3s of the book. Life in a highly conservative community and the impact of McCarthyism was perhaps overly developed. On the other hand it described a period in western history little known and understood.
Those interested in the impact of Mccarthyism on rural America would find this book very interesting.
The Dark Lady's Mask
by Mary Sharratt
Shakespeare's Feminist Muse (2/12/2016)
Aemilia Bassano Lanier also spelled Lanyer was the first Englishwoman to assert herself as a professional poet.
In The Dark Lady's Mask she is portrayed as a young woman deeply resentful of the restrictions put on women. As a result, she delights in the freedoms and liberties she experiences when cross dressing as a young man. She has little means but is well educated and wants to prove herself as a woman poet.
When Aemilia is given the opportunity for adventure and collaboration with Will Shakespeare a very talented poet, the two lives quickly become linked and Sharratt's novel really takes off.
The Shakespeare/Lanyer story line was fascinating and clearly well researched. Sharratt did an excellent job interweaving these two stories making there collaboration a very believable and interesting hypothesis. I immediately started doing my own research.
Hunters in the Dark
by Lawrence Osborne
A Dark and Gritty Novel (11/10/2015)
I enjoyed this coming of age book although it is not a type I am normally drawn to.
Osbourne's writing is dark, lush, sumptuous and rich. Atmospheric! It had a gritty, hard edge to it. Osbourne lives in Thailand and this had the sense of reality and place that only someone who truly lives in country could elicit.
Graham Green was described as "the ultimate chronicler of 20th century man's consciousness and anxiety." Osbourne may be on his way to just such a description for the 21st century. Am headed to pick up one of his other books.
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