June: A Novel
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
June (3/4/2017)
We meet Cassie, the granddaughter of June in 2015. She presents as a financially strapped, resentful young woman who has inherited June’s large and stately house in Ohio. The house, however, is in ruins and the ghosts of the former inhabitants speak to Cassie in her dreams (a good technique that provides background) depressing her further.
With patience, readers watch Cassie mature as she begins to understand long ago events that occurred between the family and townspeople who preceded her. The first event to drive this story begins when a man named Nick appears at Cassie’s door to announce that she may be a very rich woman.
Nick tells Cassie she has inherited a fortune from an unknown grandfather Jack__________, a former matinee idol, whose famously beautiful daughter Tate, is vigorously contesting the will.
At this point the announcement of the inheritance feels too weak to move beyond “a poor, orphan maiden is rescued by the generous benefactor.” Readers, be patient.
While Cassie seems the traditional protagonist, the novel pivots around June. June, her friend Lindy (a wonderfully created character) and several others are the first of this multi-generational novel who move between the early twentieth century and the present.
There are many subplots, all of which work to transform Cassie into the woman she actually is: a kind, loving woman who is young to be alone in life and simply misses the people she has lost, ending with her grandmother June. The love story, however, between innocent June and sophisticated movie star Jack is the nucleus here. While June may unfold tentatively, it becomes seriously solid – well beyond a “beach read.”
The Two-Family House
by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Two Marriages From Another Era (12/2/2015)
Two brothers and their families share a two-story Brooklyn brownstone during the 1950s. The first part of "Two Family House" finds the mothers have become like sisters since moving in; both care for their home, manage their children, share everything and prepare a hot dinner each night (Sunday pot roast dinners, etc.) The prologue establishes the theme with an incident that is kept a "secret" until near the novel's end. The reader will know immediately what the mystery is, but the secret does serve to explain the estrangement between the formerly close wives. This estrangement propels most of the novel.
There are many readers who will enjoy this chaste novel about women and friendship (the entire book flows quite nicely with absolutely no scenes involving sex or violence, unusual in an adult novels these days - I didn't miss it).
This story about Jewish families incorporates some of the culture and tradition, but will not challenge the reader. This isn't meant to be negative criticism - for its genre, the novel is well done. Most of the characters are believable, even vivid, particularly Mort the husband/father who is considered to be "difficult." This is the 1950s and there were differences in the way children were raised, even by very loving parents – most kids raised in the middle-classes did as they were told. They still suffered emotional neglect and developed the same internal conflicts all kids do at some point. For example, one daughter is exceptionally bright and her quest for a college education is handled interestingly.
There were times when I felt as though the estrangement focused theme was an overreaction until I was reminded of the era. Women believed they needed to keep the family together at all costs, dismissing their own emotional pain. Women didn't expect to see a therapist when there was conflict; instead the 1950s woman held any frustration within and tried to carry on.
I distinctly recall my own mother telling me that "I wouldn't have made it" as an adult in the 1950s. She went on to say that I would have been divorced or committed "to a home somewhere." We've laughed about this at the time. While I would say I was a well-raised girl, I am outspoken. As I read the novel I inserted my own mother into the different roles presented and realized exactly how she would have lived through the same experiences. Perhaps, you too will see glimpses of your own mother.
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
A Nasty Revenge (7/30/2014)
The Paris Winter is a historical novel of human obsession in which the reader will experience the the early 20th century population's opium problem, the catastrophic Great Floods of 1910 and most prominently, the Paris art world. The prologue and many chapters conclude with the description of a painting dating from 1910 - a clever way to impart an art lesson providing authenticity to this tale.
The novel begins at a Parisian art school in 1908 with characters that may seem stereotypical (the starving art student), but emerge as fully formed characters the reader will grow fond of. Deep friendships result from these associations.
The novel's crisis presents as a major betrayal, one that compels its betrayed to risk everything to pursue revenge. The obsession is such that dangerous plans (for everyone) must be enacted so the betrayed may personally witness each bit of revenge carried out.
While the first part of the novel is slightly formulaic, and the reader may wonder why these characters continue to risk their own lives to enact another's revengeful plan, the reader does become immersed.
Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons
Clandestine Hospital Happenings (11/20/2013)
I have a background in medical malpractice so I love reading medical thrillers. Doing Harm frames the experiences of an ambitious resident physician supervising another resident and a brilliant medical student. The narrative moves quickly with the first event to establish the medical mishap theme occurring early in the novel. Doing Harm deals with unfortunate accidents common to hospitals and the author's background provides good detail into medical procedures and hospital protocol, such as the Morbidity and Mortality conference. The grief often felt by physicians who commit medical errors is authentic. The novel is suspenseful and will hold the readers interest as they wonder who or what is manipulating these deathly events. Readers who enjoy Harlan Coben will enjoy Doing Harm - in fact Coben provides a positive blurb - "compelling and gripping…"
I recently finished a similar book, Monday Mornings, by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. This novel follows the work of several surgeons practicing in a hospital and provides plenty of drama without the mystery.
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